Bashkortostan CCI: not immediate changes after Russia's accession to WTO

Today, on August 22, the Russian Federation officially becomes the 156th state-participant of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Till today Russia remained the last large state not included into the WTO.

The Vice-president of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) RB Pavel Barmin supervising the WTO issues in the Chamber commented on the Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization:

“Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization was long and uneasy process: it took almost 19 years fr om the moment when our country submitted an official application concerning joining to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The most part of arisen questions were connected with the activity of Russian companies. I think that instant accession of our enterprises into the foreign markets will not occur; equally foreign companies will not enter Russian markets immediately. Within the fourth quarter 2012 we will see how our economy changes.”

Pavel Barmin marked that the CCI role today is consultation, may it will be joint as the Chamber is not the unique expert in this area.

Concerning specific measures Pavel Barmin informed that recently a large round table-conference concerning the WTO was held at the forum in Sibay, wh ere there were a number of elaborated practices with CCI of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

“There are fears that Russia will be used as a market to dump everything cheap. On the other hand, for our enterprises too the market will not be opened at once completely. Those who worked in export and import sphere, will remain in the same conditions so far, but after some time, for example, by the end of the year, we will start to feel, what the WTO gave us in fact. I do not exclude that a committee for the WTO issues will be created at the Chamber. Further we will make offers on behalf of business, analyze a situation in common, bring amendments to legal acts. There are a lot of questions, but we should all the same proceed from practice, Pavel Barmin is convinced.