G/SCM/Q2/RUS/11
17 April 2015
(15-2063)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Subsidies  
and Countervailing Measures  Original: English
 
 SUBSIDIES 
REPLIES TO QUESTIONS1 POSED BY NEW ZEALAND REGARDING THE NEW 
AND FULL NOTIFICATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION2 
The following communication, dated 15 April 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Russian Federation. 
 
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We welcome the reporting of Russia's progra mmes affecting fisheries, which we see as 
operating in the context of the 2012 Ri o+20 commitment to further improve the 
transparency and reporting of existing fi sheries subsidies programmes through the 
WTO. Heads of State/Rio+20 also encouraged  States to eliminate subsidies that 
contribute to overcapacity and overfishing,  and to refrain from introducing new such 
subsidies or from extending or enhancing ex isting ones. We also view this as an 
important contribution to the Doha mandate "to clarify and improve WTO disciplines on 
fisheries subsidies".  
In reply to the comments of New Zealand accompanying the questions in respect of certain 
Russian support programmes in fishery the Russian Federation refers to the provisions of Article 25.7 of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures: "notification of a 
measure does not prejudice either its legal st atus under GATT 1994 and this Agreement, the 
effects of this Agreement, or the nature of the measure itself".  
Federal Target Programme for the efficient use and development of the resource 
potential of fishery complex. 
 
With regard to this programme, can Russia:  
 
•  Identify the fisheries affected by th e programme, by geographical area (e.g. 
territorial sea, EEZ, high seas), and the species affected by the programme, e.g. 
both target and by catch species)  
 
•  Clarify the current status of the progra mme, how long it is anticipated that the 
programme will be in place, and how the budget will change over the life of the 
programme? 
 Reply 
 The Federal Target Programme is currently in force and is expected to continue by the end of 2020. Planed amount of the federal budget alloca tions is the following: 2015 – 633 million rubles, 
2016 – 1530 million rubles, 2017 – 1725 million rubl es. Amount of funding for the period of 2018-
2020 will be set in the period ahead.  
                                               
1 G/SCM/Q2/RUS/8. 
2 G/SCM/N/253/RUS/Rev.1. G/SCM/Q2/RUS/11 
 
- 2 - 
 
  The programme consists of the following core areas: 
 
1. Construction and reconstruction of fish farms, including fish farms specialized in raising the 
population of highly valuable fish species, in particular: sturgeon and salmon; 
2. Development of research and production base  of aquaculture which includes activities for 
the construction and reconstruction of research and production points for the development of technologies in aquaculture;  
3. Ensuring the effective and safe production of  aquatic biological resources by reconstruction 
and technical upgrade of 5 projects of th e Global Maritime Emergency Communication 
System;  
4. Reconstruction of research vessels.  
 
Subsidies for Construction and Modernizatio n of the Fish Processing Infrastructure. 
 
With regard to this programme, can Russia: 
 
• Identify the fisheries affected by the programme, by geographical area (e.g. 
territorial sea, EEZ, high seas), and the species affected by the programme, e.g. 
both target and by catch species)  
 
• Clarify the current status of the programm e, how long it is anticipated that the 
programme will be in place, and how the budget will change over the life of the 
programme? 
 
Reply 
 
Under the support programme (Government Decree of the Russian Federation as of 
29 December 2010 No. 1182) fishing enterprises received partial compensation of interest on 
loans taken in 2008-2013 for up to 5 years for construction and modernization of fish processing infrastructure. The support programme is neither specific to fish species nor to geographical areas.  
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