MOSCOW, July 31, 22:48 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia has imposed customs taxes on a number of Moldovan imports, according to a government resolution signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday.
In line with the document posted on the portal of legal information, it will come in force 30 days after its official publication.
Customs taxes will be applicable to 19 types of products, including meat, fruit and vegetables, grain, sugar, beer, wine and furniture. The tax size will be the same as the tax for similar goods imported from countries enjoying the most favoured nation regime in trade with Russia.
In line with the document, the Russian foreign ministry will officially notify Moldova about customs taxes on its goods.
Until now, no customs taxes were levied on Moldovan products, since the two countries had a free trade agreement. Russia’s decision to impose customs levies was prompted by Moldova’s signing of the association and free trade zone agreement with the European Union. Moldova’s parliament has already ratified this agreement, which is yet to be ratified by the European Parliament. This agreement binds Moldova to switch to European technical regulations and standards, which do not correspond to Russia’s standards and regulations of the Customs Union [of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan].
In its trade relations with Moldova, Russia has the right to use appendix 6 to the free trade zone agreement of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which allows to use non-zero customs taxes in respect of countries having similar agreements with other countries in case it is fraught with considerable import growth due to overlapping of such free trade zones. Notably, such non-zero taxes might be bigger than those undertaken by a country while joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).