The embargo on food imports imposed by Russia aroused serious concern of the EU policymakers. So, the European Commission aims to report Russia to the World Trade Organization as a counter ban measure as the EC feels that the unlawful across-the-board ban contravenes WTO regulations on free trade.
Karl De Gucht, the EU's trade commissioner announced that the petition could be filed in mid- September. However, he highlighted that the EC has not passed a final resolution. Europe might change its mind to appeal to the WTO. It was Poland that urged the European Union mount a legal challenge. It should be reminded that after placing the embargo Poland lost its major apple sales market.
However, considering WTO bureaucracy, experts are sure that processing of the petition as well as reaching a verdict might extend over a few years. So, Russia declared that it is ready for legal action in the WTO and will respect its verdict. Meanwhile, the political environment could change crucially and the claim could become out-of-date.
Russian officials believe that the domestic agriculture will develop into a powerful competitor to some EU countries while the WTO is investigating the lawful nature of the embargo.
For the reference, leaders of some Western countries stated that the matter of urgency was to tighten sanctions against Russia following the flare-up of the tensions in Ukraine. This idea was pushed by the U.S. President Barack Obama and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel. In response to the first round of sanctions, Russia imposed the food embargo as a retaliatory move. The ban concerns food imports from the U.S., EU, Australia, and Norway.
The embargo list includes: beef, pork, poultry, salty, dry, and smoked meat, fish, sea food, mild and dairy products, cheese, cottage cheese with vegetable oil, sausage, vegetables, root vegetables, fruits and nuts.
