MOSCOW, January 21. /TASS/. Russia views European Union’s complaints against export restrictions for certain lumber products introduced by the country on January 2 as unjustified, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development told TASS on Friday.

"We hope our clarifications will satisfy the European Commission that EU complaints are not justified and Russia’s measures conform to WTO rules," the press service said, citing Deputy Minister Vladimir Ilyichev.

Russian representatives "intend to give exhaustive clarifications in respect of applied measures" within the framework of consultations on the WTO floor, the ministry’s press service said.

According to the decision of the Russian government, higher rates for export of individual kinds of lumber with moisture over 22% and thickness and width over 10 cm are effective from January 2 to December 31, 2022. This has been done to increase exports of products with high added value and prevent flows of certain commodity groups into other groups, the Ministry of Industry said earlier.