SOCHI, September 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on Friday on the introduction of customs duties in regard to Ukrainian export goods.
Medvedev said the decree concerns “food and products of consumer and processing industries”.
The prime minister said the introduction of customs duties would be reinforced in case Ukraine begins implementing provisions of the EU Association Agreement before the earlier announced date of 2016.
The head of the Russian government said that “such steps are taken solely for the protection of domestic manufacturers from an unfair competition.”
Last week, Russia, Ukraine and the EU agreed to postpone the creation of a free trade zone between Ukraine and the EU and preserve the free trade regime within the Commonwealth of Independent States until December 31, 2015.
Russia repeteadly warned that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will have negative consequences for both the Russian and Ukrainian economies and proposed amending the text of the agreement to neutralize risks to the domestic economy.