You're reading: Ukraine’s first trade policy review as WTO member scheduled for April 2016 – Economy Ministry

Ukraine's first trade policy review as a World Trade Organization (WTO) member has been scheduled for April 19 and April 21, 2016, the Ukrainian Ministry for Economic Development and Trade has reported on its website.

According to the ministry, 16 WTO member states, including China and the United States, were reviewed in 2014.

The trade policies of the WTO member states which are Ukraine’s most important trade partners are monitored on a regular basis to trace changes and trends and to improve the conditions of access to foreign markets, the ministry said.

Ukraine is currently involved in settling 13 trade disputes. Ukraine is a plaintiff in two of the cases: with Moldova on green taxes and with Australia on measures regarding trademarks and other requirements for tobacco packaging. Ukraine acts as defendant in two other disputes: with Moldova on taxes on alcoholic beverages, and with Japan on final safeguard measures on certain types of passenger cars. In other disputes, Ukraine is engaged as a third party.

One dispute in which Ukraine was involved has been settled: in 2010 it reached a compromise with Armenia on measures that affect the importation and domestic sale of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.