Khoroshkovsky: Kyiv promises Brussels not to violate WTO rules on import duties

BRUSSELS – First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovsky has said that Ukraine will not violate its commitments concerning import duties, which the country undertook when joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This issue was discussed at a meeting of Khoroshkovsky and European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht in Brussels on Monday.

"As for the increase in duties, we work in compliance with the laws of the WTO, and we are not going in any way to violate the rules laid down by the organization," Khoroshkovsky told reporters after a meeting with De Gucht.

The first deputy premier confirmed that Europe was concerned about this issue. "Furthermore, we were asked how we intend to proceed in the future, because during the crisis any protectionist measure is even more alarming. As of today, we haven't violated any regulation, which was confirmed by Commissioner De Gucht, and we act in line with Article 27, and in this sense there can be no direct claims," he said.

According to Khoroshkovsky, Brussels asked to be very careful in this issue. "We act exclusively within the law, the international law, and expect that any further actions will be taken only as a result of negotiations with our partners," he stressed.