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Russian ministry aware of EU plans to launch WTO action over recycling fee

"EU colleagues duly notified us that they intended to pass these documents to the WTO in the near future", deputy director of the ministry’s trade negotiations department said

MOSCOW, July 9 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has been aware of the EU plans to initiate a WTO action over the recycling fees on cars, deputy director of the ministry’s trade negotiations department Yekaterina Mayorova said on Tuesday.

"We haven't received any official documents on initiating the procedure to resolve the dispute yet, but indeed, the EU colleagues duly notified us that they intended to pass these documents to the WTO in the near future. We were expecting this turn of events," Mayorova said.

She explained that the EU had been hoping that Russia would settle the recycling fee issue by July 1 by amending the law on production and consumption waste which levels out the duty for foreign and domestic auto manufacturers. "However, the amendments were not approved by the deadline, and the State Duma is now on holiday. So following the EU decision, we'll be acting within the framework of the formal procedure to settle WTO disputes," she noted.