RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/BLR/2
17January 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0134)
Original: English
ACCESSION OFBELARUS
Questions andReplies
totheMemorandum ontheForeign Trade Régime
(Document WT/ACC/BLR/1)
Inacommunication, dated 23September 1993, circulated asL/7297, theGovernment ofthe
Republic ofBelarus applied foraccession totheGeneral Agreement onTariffs andTrade 1947 on
thebasis ofArticle XXXIII oftheGeneral Agreement. Having regard totheDecision adopted by
theGeneral Council on31January 1995, theWorking Party ontheAccession ofBelarus tothe
GATT 1947 wastransformed intoaWTO Accession Working Party. Theterms ofreference ofthe
Working Party arereproduced indocument WT/L/40. Indocument WT/ACC/BLR/1, Members had
beeninvitedtosubmitquestionsinwritingconcerningtheforeigntraderégimeofBelarus.Thequestions
submitted byMembers andthereplies thereto provided bytheauthorities ofBelarus arereproduced
hereunder.
Delegations wishing toraiseadditional questions concerning theforeign traderégime ofBelarus
might inform thedelegation ofBelarus (with acopytotheSecretariat) ofsuchquestions inadvance
ofthenextmeeting oftheWorking Party, sothatconsidered replies canbemade available byBelarus
toMembers atthetimeoftheWorking Party meeting.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Pageii
TABLE OFCONTENTS
Page No.
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. ECONOMY, ECONOMIC POLICIES AND FOREIGN TRADE
1. Economy
(a) General description 2
(b) Current economic situation 2
2. Economic Policies
(a) Main directions 3
(c) Foreign exchange andpayments system 5
(d) Foreign anddomestic investment policies 8
3. Foreign Trade inGoods andServices 10
4. Domestic Trade inServices 11
III. FRAMEWORK FOR MAKING AND ENFORCING POLICIES
AFFECTING FOREIGN TRADE INGOODS AND TRADE IN
SERVICES
4. Legislative Programmes orPlans toChange theRegulatory Régime 11
IV. POLICIES AFFECTING TRADE INGOODS
1. Import Regulation
(b) Characteristics ofnational tariff 11
(c) Tariff quotas, tariff exemptions 13
(d) Other duties andcharges 14
(e) Quantitative import restrictions 14
(f) Import licensing procedure 16
(k) Application ofinternal taxes onimports 16
(l) Rules oforigin 17
(m) Anti-dumping, countervailing dutyandsafeguard régime 18
2. Export Regulation
(b) Customs tariff nomenclature, types ofduties, dutyrates 19
(c) Quantitative export restrictions 19
(d) Export licensing procedures 20
(f) Export financing, subsidy andpromotion policies 21
3. Internal Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inGoods
(a) Industrial andsubsidy policies 21
(b) Technical regulations andstandards 24
(c) Sanitary andphytosanitary measures 25WT/ACC/BLR/2
Pageiii
Page No.
(e) State-trading practices 26
(g) Freeeconomic zones 27
(h) Trade-related environment policies 28
(k) Trade agreements leading tocountry-specific quotas allocation 29
(l) Government procurement practices 29
(m) Regulations oftrade intransit 33
4. Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inAgricultural Products
(e) Internal policies 33
5. Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inOther Sectors
(a) Textiles régime 35
V. TRADE-RELATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REGIME
1. General
(a) Intellectual property policy 35
(c) Membership ofinternational intellectual property conventions 37
2. Substantive Standards ofProtection
(a) Copyright andrelated rights 38
(b) Trademarks, including service marks 39
(c) Geographical indications, including appellations oforigin 39
(d) Patents forindustrial designs 39
(e) Patents forinventions 40
(f) Plant variety protection 41
(g) Layout designs ofintegrated circuits 42
(h) Requirements onundisclosed information 42
(i) Other categories ofintellectual property 43
4. Enforcement
(a) Civil juridical procedures andremedies 43
(b) Provisional measures; administrative procedures andremedies; special
border measures 44
(c) Criminal procedures 45
5. Laws, Decrees, Regulations andOther Legal ActsRelating tothe
Above 45
VI. TRADE-RELATED SERVICES RÉGIME
1. General 47
2. Policies Affecting Trade inServices
(a) Government departments, agencies, professional associations 47WT/ACC/BLR/2
Pageiv
Page No.
(c) Qualification requirements andprocedures, licensing andregistration
requirements 49
(d) Monopolies andexclusive service suppliers 52
(g) Capital transactions affecting thesupply ofservices 52
3. Market Access andNational Treatment
(c) Limitations onparticipation offoreign capital 52
(d) Measures providing forlessthannational treatment 53
Main services sub-sectors 54
Additional questions onfinancial services 55
VII. INSTITUTIONAL BASE FOR TRADE AND ECONOMIC
RELATIONS WITH THIRD COUNTRIES
2. Economic Integration, Customs Union andFree-Trade Agreements 58
ANNEX A QUESTIONNAIRE ONREGULATORY FRAMEWORK 62WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page1
I. INTRODUCTION
Question 1:
Onpage6oftheMemorandum itisstated thatinrecent years approximately 15percentofthe
central Government budget went towards alleviating theimpact ofcontamination duetothe
Chernobyl nuclear accident. Please elaborate what percentage ofthecentral budget does the
Belarusian Government intend tospend inthefuture forthishumanitarian goal?
Answer:
In1996, 11percentofthecentral Government budget wastobespent onalleviating the
consequences oftheChernobyl accident. In1997, 7percentofthebudget expenses willgotowards
thisgoal.
Question 2:
Inthesame section itisstated thattheBelarusian economy canonlyspecialize according toits
international comparative advantage. Please enumerate, ifpossible, those sectors ofthedomestic
economy thathave themost evident international comparative advantage.
Answer:
Transport equipment (cars, trucks), mechanical engineering (tractors, machine-tools, boilers),
chemical products (basic industrial chemicals, mineral fertilizers, synthetic fibres), textiles andtextile
products, oilproducts, foodindustry, meatandmilkindustry, agricultural mechanical engineering,
machine-tool engineering, instrument-making industry, radioelectronics, electronics, optics, aircraft
engineering.
Question 3:
Hasacommon external tariff already beenestablished? Ifso,howdoesBelarus intend toproceed
withrespect tothataspect oftheaccession negotiations pertaining totariffs?
Answer:
Acommon external tariffhasnotyetbeenestablished. Ontheother hand, theexisting national
import tariffs oftheparties totheAgreement Establishing aCustoms Union arebeing harmonized
bywayofnecessary consultations andarenowidentical withrespect tomore than90percentoftariff
lines.
Since Belarus possesses fullsovereignty intheconduct ofitsexternal trade policy, itintends
toengage intheWTO accession process onthatbasis. Themarket access andother relevant aspects
oftheaccession process maybe,however, co-ordinated, asappropriate, withother parties tothe
Agreement Establishing aCustoms Union, whether ornotacommon external tariff isintroduced in
thecourse oftheWTO accession negotiations. SeealsoReply 207.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page2
II. ECONOMY, ECONOMIC POLICIES AND FOREIGN TRADE
1. Economy
(a) General description
Question 4:
Intheintroduction oftheMemorandum itislargely developed that, duetoradioactive fallout
fromtheChernobyl accident, 4.4percentofarable land(264000 ha)cannot beusedforagricultural
purposes. Itisstrongly possible thatcertain items ofproducts arestillaffected bythatfallout.
Itwould therefore beverysignificant toobtain aglobal evaluation oftheimpact ofradioactive
fallout onforeign trade (what kindofproducts andhowmany ofthem areconcerned)?
Answer:
More than1.8million ha.wereheavily affected bytheradioactive fall-out fromtheChernobyl
accident, ofwhich 265thousand ha.ofarable landcannolonger beusedforagricultural purposes.
Aconsiderable partoflandadjacent evacuated areasisnotusedforagricultural purposes either. Annual
losses ofplantoutput originating fromtheseareasamount toapproximately US$69 million (intheprices
oftheyear1995).
Themain taskoftheagricultural sector under existing conditions istoreduce theriskof
radioactive materials penetrating intoagricultural products andtoensure thatcontamination remains
within thepermissible limits. Thelatter arerather strict andmeet therequirements ofCodex
Alimentarius, according towhich thepermissible limit forradioactive caesium infoodstuffs is
1000 Bk/kg; forradioactive strontium, itis100Bk/kg.
Question 5:
TheBelarusianeconomyisdependentonenergysuppliesfromabroad.Whatpercentageofdomestic
demand canbecovered bylocal supplies oftheenergy. Does theBelarusian Government plan
tolower theforeign energy dependence?
Answer:
Local supplies account forapproximately 13percentoftotalenergy consumption. Fordetails,
please refertoSection II.1.(a) ofWT/ACC/BLR/1.
(b) Current economic situation
Question 6:
What arethepolicy measures undertaken tocutdown thebudget deficit? Does theBelarusian
Government havetheintention tointroduce market prices forheating, rents andpublic transport?
Answer:
There arenoplans forintroducing market prices forrental andcommunal services inBelarus.
However, regulated prices aretobeincreased tocover thefullcostofthese services inaccordance
withtheNational Housing Programme. According tothe1996StateBudget, theregulated prices paid
bythepopulation willcover 80percentofexpenses onhousing maintenance andcommunal services.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page3
TheBelarusian Government began toliberalize transport tariffs in1992. Atpresent, subsidies
arebeing gradually abolished inpassenger transport.
2. Economic Policies
(a) Main directions
Question 7:
Only15percentofallState property (excluding housing andland) hasbeenprivatized, andanother
15percentwillfollow bytheendof1995. Isitpossible toprovide uswithpresent statistics and
whyisthispercentage solowincomparison withother CISStates?
Answer:
Infact,only53Stateenterprises and415communal enterprises wereprivatized in1995. The
slowpaceofprivatization hadtwomajor causes: first, theGovernment found itnecessary toreview
theexisting legislation onprivatization toavoid irregularities thatwould havedeprived theState of
fiscal revenue from privatization; second, thehighvalue ofenterprises compared withthescarcity
ofdomestic savings andthelimited inflow offoreign direct investment would haverendered itdifficult
toobtain adequate salesprices.
Question 8:
Onpage6oftheMemorandum, itismentioned that"allenterprises havebeenmade independent
from thegovernment". How canBelarus explain thissentence considering thecomments on
State-trading practices given onpage 20?
Answer:
Forexplanations, please refertoReply 93.
Question 9:
Please provide details astotherelevant annual charge ofthepreferential credit ontheState Budget.
Answer:
Thedatagiven below characterize granting ofpreferential credits:
(actual prices inbillion roubles)
Year Budget
expendituresPreferential credits Preferential credits asa
percentage ofexpenditures
1992 31.4 ... ...
1993 416.8 3.5 0.84
1994 7110.7 55.5 0.78
1995 38756.2 118.8 0.31
Thus, apositive tendency ofrelative decrease ofpreferential crediting inbudget expenditures
isclearly observed.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page4
In1996, allbankcredits havebeenprovided attherefinancing rate.Theonlyexceptions are
credits granted atpreferential rateaccording toPresidential Decrees No.516of22December 1995
OnMeasures onImprovement ofHousing Construction andNo.168of8May1996OnCompensation
ofDeposits ofthePopulation. These concern credits tohousing andconstruction co-operatives and
advances tosuppliers ofgrain stocked forpublic needs.
Question 10:
How does Belarus view thepreferential credit interms oftheprovisions oftheWTO SCM
Agreement andoftheAgreement onAgriculture?
Answer:
Belarus views preferential credits asameasure necessary forthetransformation from a
centrally-planned intoamarket, free-enterprise economy inaccordance withthespecific provision for
transition economies intheSCM Agreement.
Question 11:
Astotheavowed conversion purpose ofthepreferential credit, isthistheonlyobjective ormerely
themain objective ofthemeasure? Inthelatter case, what aretheother aims ofthissubsidy?
Answer:
Preferential credit fromtheNational Bank forconversion purposes hasbeenabolished asfrom
1January 1996. SeealsoReply 9.
Question 12:
Please explain theprice control system stillinoperation foralcoholic drinks (para. 2),including
alisttoHS8-digits ofwhich products arestillregulated inthisway.
Answer:
Minimum prices forvodka aresetbyResolutions oftheCabinet ofMinisters. Thus, in
accordance withResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.249of15December 1994, retail prices
aresetforvodka andspirits produced andsoldintheterritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus.
AccordingtoPresidentialDecreeNo.45of2February1996OnStateRegulationofProduction,
SaleandStorage ofAlcoholic Drinks andTobacco Products, minimum prices forimported alcoholic
drinks aresetonthebasisofcurrent prices ofanalogous products produced intheRepublic ofBelarus.
Question 13:
Belarus hasfully liberalised domestic prices forallgoods except forcertain alcoholic drinks.
Please advise which alcoholic drinks havenothadtheir prices liberalised andthereason forthis
(page 8).
Answer:
SeeReply 12.Pricecontrols areapplied inorder tolimitconsumption andthustoprotect public
health.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page5
Question 14:
TheMemorandum (page 8,paragraph 3)notes that"many large enterprises havebeenconverted
intojoint-stock companies". What policy isBelarus pursuing inrespect ofsmall andmedium
enterprises (SMEs)? How areSMEs currently setup?How many areState-trading enterprises
(STEs)? What isthepolicy ofBelarus forprivatisation ofSTEs? HasBelarus setadatebywhich
itplans toprivatise allremaining STEs?
Answer:
The1996 privatization programme isdealt with inPresidential Decree No.526of
30December 1995OnApproval oftheProgramme forPrivatization andReforming ofStateProperty.
Thisincludes theprivatization ofcommunal property which accounts fornotlessthan80percentof
thetotalnumber ofState enterprises. Most ofthese aresmall enterprises.
Inaccordance withtheState privatization programme, theprivatization oftrade enterprises,
consumer services andpublic catering establishments istobecompleted bytheendoftheyear1997.
By1November 1996 theshare oftheprivatized entities inthese areas was49.8percentofthetotal
quantity ofStateproperty objects. By1October 1996theshare ofprivatized objects fromthose subject
toprivatization made 29.1percent.
According totheState Programme ofPrivatization ratified bytheSupreme Council ofthe
Republic ofBelarus on16June1996, priority inprivatization willbegiven tothefollowing groups
ofenterprises, many ofwhich areofsmall ormedium size:retail trade, public catering, consumer
services, consumer goods industries, foodprocessing, woodworking industries, motor transport (except
passenger transport), construction, building materials, agro-processing.
OnState-trading enterprises, please seeReply 93.
(c) Foreign exchange andpayments system
Question 15:
Does theBelarusian Government intend toabolish a15percenttaxonallexport earnings in
freely convertible currency (page 9oftheMemorandum)? Whether a10percenttaxisapplied
toallbarter transactions?
Answer:
A15percenttaxonallexport earnings infreely convertible currency anda10percenttax
onbarter transactions were abolished byResolution oftheSupreme Council No.3332-XII of
19December 1994 andbyPresidential Decree No.236of28July1996, respectively.
Question 16:
Istheobligation ofselling apartofearned foreign currencies byexporters andpaying a10percent
surcharge byimporters atthepurchase offoreign currencies, asintroduced bythePresidential
Decree inJanuary 1995, considered asatemporary measure oralonglasting option?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page6
Answer:
Inaccordance withPresidential Decree No.236of28July96,asfrom1July1996, exporters
areobliged tosell50percentofforeign currency earnings attheinter-bank foreign exchange. The
samedecree abolished a10percentsurcharge thatwastobepaidbyimporters atthepurchase offoreign
currencies.
Question 17:
Allexport earnings infreely convertible currency aresubject toa15percenttax.Export earnings
infreely convertible currencies maybedeposited totheexporter 'sforeign currency account.
Barter transactions aresubject toa10percenttax.What arethereasons forpursuing such
practices Inviewtothefactthatbarter transactions willbeslowly abandoned?
Answer:
Please seeReplies 15and16.
Question 18:
Ingeneral, amore detailed explanation oftheforeign exchange (payments andcapital movements)
régime isrequested.
Answer:
Therégime applied tocurrent transactions andbased onRegulations oftheNational Bank
No.768of1August 1996 andNo.790of7October 1996 isasfollows:
- Payments between resident andnon-resident legalpersons maybemade forgoods, works and
services. They aresettled inforeign exchange. Intergovernmental agreements maystipulate
payments inother currencies (e.g.among CIScountries).
- Resident juridical persons maypurchase foreign currency topayforimported goods, works,
services, torepay currency credits, topaytravel expenses andalsotoexecute court decisions
infavour ofnon-residents oftheRepublic ofBelarus.
- Foreign currency payments between resident juridical persons arenotallowed.
- Non-resident juridical persons maypurchase foreign currency onlywhen paying inBelarusian
roubles withdrawn fromaspecial account, suchasBelarusian roubles received fromthesale
offoreign currency inBelarus andfrom investment activities.
Further, thefollowing regulations apply tocapital movements:
- Oncapital imports, seeReply 23.
- Oncapital exports, seeReply 24.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page7
Thefollowing regulations serve toenforce therestrictions oncapital exports:
- thetime-limits arefixed forthereceipt ofexport earnings under export contracts andfor
thereceipt ofimported goods after thepayment (Presidential Decree No.52of
8February 1995);
- advancepaymentsforimportsofworksandservicesarelimited(CommunicationoftheNational
Bank No.529of5March 1995);
- advance payments maynotbemade outofbank credits (Resolution oftheNational Bank
No.519of7April 1995).
Question 19:
Inparticular, forwhich types ofcurrent transactions doforeign exchange restrictions exist? Has
Belarus assumed obligations under Article VIIIoftheIMFArticles ofAgreement?
Answer:
SeeReply 18.Belarus hasnotassumed obligations under Article VIIIoftheIMF Agreement.
Question 20:
Doexporters have torender foreign exchange receipts todomestic official authorities?
Answer:
SeeReply 16.Control overforeign exchange receipts iscarried outbytheauthorized banks
oftheRepublic ofBelarus. Theinformation ontheseoperations isprovided bythebanks totheControl
Service ofthePresident.
Question 21:
Areexport contracts withdelayed payments (trade credits) permitted?
Answer:
Apaymentdelayof60daysispermitteduponauthorizationbytheMinistryofForeignEconomic
Relations.
Question 22:
Areimporters permitted toaccept trade credits from foreigners?
Answer:
Yes.
Question 23:
Please confirm (asstated inVI.2(g)) thatforeign investors arefreetoimport capital inwhich
form soever(establishment, portfolio investment, loans andcredits...).WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page8
Answer:
Foreign investors arefreetoimport capital inanyform. Theregulatory framework forforeign
investment isdescribed inSections II.2.(d) andVI(3) ofWT/ACC/BLR/1.
Question 24:
What typeofcapital transfer would bedeemed tofalloutside theinterests ofBelarus? (page 9,
paragraph 2).
Answer:
Capital transfer would bedeemed tofalloutside theinterests oftheRepublic ofBelarus bearing
inmindtheseriousness ofthebalance-of-payments situation aswellastheshortages ofbothinvestments
inthedomestic economy andfreely convertible currency reserves.
Question 25:
Export earnings infreely convertible currency aresubject toa15percenttax,anda10percent
taxislevied onbarter transactions (page 9,paragraph 4),arethere anyadditional taxes faced
bytraders inBelarus?
Answer:
SeeReply 15.
(d) Foreign anddomestic investment policies
Question 26:
Apart from profits, canforeign investors freely repatriate their investments made inBelarus in
freely convertible currency?
Answer:
Yes,theycan.According toArticle 36oftheLawonForeign Investment intheTerritory of
theRepublic ofBelarus, investors areguaranteed unrestricted repatriation oftheirprofits andinitial
investment infreely convertible currency.
Question 27:
Isthere anydomestic legal protection forforeign investors incaseofexpropriation?
Answer:
Article 44oftheConstitution andArticle 35oftheLawonForeign Investment intheTerritory
oftheRepublic ofBelarus provide foradequate compensation incases ofeither requisition or
expropriation. Similar protection isalsoprovided byseveral bilateral treaties (seeAnnex 6to
WT/ACC/BLR/1).WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page9
Question 28:
Arethere anysectors closed fortheestablishment offoreign investors?
Answer:
TheRepublic ofBelarus reserves therighttomaintain limited exceptions tonational treatment
inthesectors ormatters indicated below:
- theminimum authorized fundforbanks andother financial institutions withforeign investment
isECU 5million;
- ownership ofinsurance companies forforeigners islimited to49percentofthecapital;
- electric power stations connected totheUnited Energy System maynotbefullyowned by
foreigners;
- ownership oflandandrealestate; exploration andexploitation ofnatural resources. However,
foreign companies established inBelarus mayacquire, use,rentandsellrealestate andmay
lease natural resources, agricultural landandforestry, provided thatthisisnecessary forthe
conduct oftheeconomic activities forwhich theyareestablished. Thisdoesnotinclude the
rightofestablishment forthepurposes ofdealing andagency innatural resources andrealestate;
- acquisition ofStateandmunicipal property inthecourse ofdenationalization andprivatization;
- speciallicensingrequirementsfordealershipinGovernmentsecuritiesoftheRepublicofBelarus;
- special licensing requirements fortheprovision ofcommon post, telephone, andtelegraph
network services;
- ownership andspecific licensing fortheoperation ofbroadcast orcommon carrier radio and
television stations;
- customs agents;
- detective andsecurity services.
Article 2oftheLawonForeign Investment intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus of
14November 1991 stipulates thatforeign investment maybedirected tolegal enterprises and
organizations aswellasbuildings, property, securities, intellectual property, scientific andtechnical
production, other property andrights, including therightoflandleasing.
Question 29:
Areforeign investors freetoacquire realestate linked totheestablishment?
Answer:
SeeReply 28.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page10
Question 30:
Although therégime forforeign investment andforeign participation inprivatisation appears
tobeliberal, noforeign investment statistics aregiven (page 10).Some sources indicate foreign
investment comprises lessthan1percentofallinvestment inBelarus. Wearetherefore interested
inclarification ofwhat constraints onforeign ownership exist inspecific sectors (forexample,
intheresources sector, where there issignificant State ownership andcontrol). Wearealso
interested inanyparticular provisions indomestic legislation which would protect foreign
investments orprovide forcompensation intheevent ofState expropriation.
Answer:
SeeReplies 27and28.
Question 31:
Candetailed statistics beprovided onforeign investment inBelarus?
Answer:
Asof1July1996, atotalof1965 jointventures and827wholly foreign-owned enterprises
were registered inBelarus. Thestock offoreign investment amounted toUS$389.6 mln.
3. Foreign Trade inGoods andServices
Question 32:
Statistical records ontrade flows across theborder between Russia andBelarus arestillquite
imperfect,andfailtodistinguishcarefullybetweentransitthroughBelarusandimportsintoBelarus
(page 10).This information seems tobetaken from enterprises instead ofofficial customs
evaluation. Why isthere stillsuchalackoftransparency insuchrecords?
Answer:
Thetrade balance wasformerly calculated from statistical reports submitted byenterprises.
Asfrom 1January 1996, according toResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.129of
21February 1996 OnImprovement ofStatistics onForeign Trade, thetrade balance iscalculated on
thebasis ofcustoms declarations bysuppliers.
Itpractice, because there arenocustoms controls ontheborder between Belarus andRussia,
thestatistics ontrade between Belarus andRussia arestillbased onreports presented byeconomic
entities. Trade withRussia accounts forjustoverahalfofthetotalforeign tradeofBelarus. However,
transactions withallotherCISandnon-CIS countries areregistered onthebasisofcustoms declarations.
Question 33:
What system hasBelarus putintoplace, orisdeveloping, todifferentiate clearly between transit
trade crossing theBelarus/Russian border, andBelarusian trade withRussia? When willaccurate
customs statistical databeavailable (page 10)?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page11
Answer:
Transit trade flows through Belarus intoRussia areregistered separately from imports into
Belarus; thesameistrueforexports fromBelarus andRussian exports intransit through Belarus. Goods
intransit arenotincluded inBelarusian foreign trade. SeealsoReply 32
4. Domestic Trade inServices
Question 34:
Could youexplain further thefunctioning ofthethree-tier payments system, which distinguishes
between domestic, intra-CIS andinternational transactions?
Answer:
Payments between economic agents inBelarus arecarried outinBelarusian roubles through
correspondent accounts incommercial banks. Payments between economic agents inBelarus, onone
hand, andthose inCISandBaltic countries, ontheother hand, arecarried outinnational currencies
ofthese States through correspondent accounts ofauthorized commercial banks. Such payments are
regulated bytheAgreement ontheEstablishment ofPayment Union oftheCISCountries signed on
21October1994andbybilateralagreementsbetweennationalcentralbanks.Paymentsbetweeneconomic
agents inBelarus andintheremaining countries arecarried outinfreely convertible currency through
correspondent accounts ofBelarusian banks inforeign banks.
III. FRAMEWORKFORMAKINGANDENFORCINGPOLICIESAFFECTINGFOREIGN
TRADE INGOODS AND TRADE INSERVICES
4. Legislative Programmes orPlans toChange theRegulatory Régime
Question 35:
Asmentioned inthisparagraph there arenoplans forchange intheregulatory régime or
institutional framework forforeign trade policy. Nevertheless, document WT/ACC/BLR/1/Add.l
gives usadetailed listofDecrees OnCustoms Tariff oftheRepublic ofBelarus which wereadopted
inthelastyears/months. Arethecurrent tariff rates stilltheonescontained intheResolution
oftheCabinet ofMinisters issued on29April 1995andamended bytheDecree of29June 1995
andisthatDecree thelastwhich modified thecurrent tariff rates?
Answer:
Thecurrent tariffratesaretheonescontained inResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.340
of29June1995, asamended byPresidential Decree No.624of13November 1995.
IV. POLICIES AFFECTING TRADE INGOODS
1. Import Regulation
(b) Characteristics ofnational tariff
Question 36:
What isthetrade weighted average levelofimport duties inBelarus (page 13oftheMemorandum)?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page12
Answer:
OftheHS8-digit tarifflines, 10.4percenthavetariffratesfrom0to5percent,41.7percent
havetariffratesfrom5to15percent,and39.6percenthavetariff ratesfrom15to30percent.The
trade-weighted average level ofimport duties was4.1percentand7.6percentin1995 andinthe
firstquarter of1996, respectively, calculated onthebasis ofMFN rates.
Question 37:
Please elaborate thelegal grounds ofestablishing "individual special duties" (page 14)? When
Belarus intends tointroduce thelegislation regulating theapplication ofanti-dumping,
countervailing andsafeguards measures?
Answer:
Article 9oftheLawonCustoms Tariff of3December 1993isalegalbasisforimposing special
customs duties. SeeReplies 63and65.
Question 38:
When doesBelarus intend tobring itstariff nomenclature intolinewiththeHS96system?
Answer:
Thetariff nomenclature wasbrought intolinewiththeHS-96 system asof1April 1996 and
willcome intoforce upon confirmation bytheCabinet ofMinisters.
Question 39:
Whohastheauthority toalterimport tariff levels (eg.Parliament, Government)? DoesBelarusian
legislation laydown amaximum import dutylevel?
Answer:
Tariff levels aresetbyresolutions oftheCabinet ofMinisters. Existing legislation doesnot
laydown amaximum levelofimport duty.
Question 40:
What arethedutyrates forchapters 63and64?
Answer:
Theimport dutyrateforChapter 63is30percent,except forHS6305(5percent)and6307
20000(duty free). Theimport dutyrateforChapter 64is20percent,except forHS6406(5percent).
Question 41.
Does Belarus intend toeliminate theuseofcombined tariffs forcars, machinery andfurs?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page13
Answer:
There arecurrently noplans toeliminate theuseofcombined tariffs forthese goods.
Question 42:
Please provide thelistofcountries benefitting from preferential andspecial tariff rates (Table 5
ofAnnex Iismissing.)
Answer:
Seedocument WT/ACC/BLR/1/Corr.1.
Question 43:
Anumber ofproducts arecovered bybothadvalorem rates andminimum duties. Foreachsector,
dotheBelarusian authorities intend tomaintain these minimum duties after accession?
Answer:
SeeReply 41.
Question 44:
Please clarify what isunderstood bythestatement "circulating inborder trade".
Answer:
Although frontier traffic ismentioned intheLawonCustoms Tariff, thelawdoesnotprovide
foranoperational definition ofsuchtrade, andnoadvantages arecurrently accorded to"border trade".
Theprovision forfrontier traffic willonlybeapplied inaccordance withArticle XXIV.3(a) of
GATT 1994.
Question 45:
Weencourage Belarus tomove toanadvalorem tariff régime, rather thanthecurrent mixof
specific andadvalorem rates. WillBelarus provide advalorem equivalents ofspecific duties for
thepurposes ofbilateral market access negotiations (page 13)?
Answer:
Advalorem equivalents ofspecific duties willbeprovided induecourse.
(c) Tariff quotas, tariff exemptions
Question 46:
Belarus saysthat"thepresent legislation doesnotprovide fortheimposition oftariff quotas"
(page 14). Arethere anyplans fortheintroduction oftariff quotas inthefuture?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page14
Answer:
There arecurrently noplans fortheimposition oftariff quotas.
(d) Other duties andcharges
Question 47:
Please elaborate whether Belarus intends toapply aCustoms Clearance Charge (page 15)inthe
same form inthefuture?
Answer:
Itdoesnotappear unreasonable fortheCustoms Clearance Charge tobeslightly higher for
more valuable consignments because theserequire more servicing bycustoms authorities. Theamount
islinked totheminimum salary toindex itforinflation. Atpresent, themaximum charge isonlyabout
US$15.
Question 48:
TheCustoms Clearance Charge doesnotappear tobeconsistent withArticle VIIIofGATT 1994.
What steps doesBelarus intend totaketobring itssystem intolinewithGATT practice?
Answer:
TheRepublic ofBelarus plans tointroduce acustoms clearance charge thatistobeequal to
theservices rendered, andtoabolish theexisting fixed ratewhich islinked totheminimum salary
amount. SeeReply 47.
Question 49:
GATTArticleVIII.1provides,interalia,thatacustomsclearancechargeshallbelimitedinamount
totheapproximate costofservices rendered. Asthecustoms clearance charge ofBelarus isbased
onaproportion ofanon-fixed amount what changes doesBelarus intend tomake tobring its
charge intolinewithWTO requirements (page 15).
Answer:
TheRepublic ofBelarus plans toputintoeffect anational provision which establishes charge
ratesequal totheservices rendered. SeeReply 47.
(e) Quantitative import restrictions
Question 50:
Belarus isrequested toprovide theWorking Party withResolution No.213andNo.458ofthe
Cabinet ofMinisters OnImport Restrictions.
Answer:
Resolutions oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.213andNo.458havebeensubmitted to,and
areavailable from theWTO Secretariat.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page15
Question 51:
CanBelarus confirm thatitdoesintend inthefuture tointroduce import quotas ofanysort?
Answer:
Upon accession totheWTO, Belarus willfullyrespect relevant rulesanddisciplines ofWTO
regarding quantity restrictions, inparticular those ofGATT 1994.
Question 52:
Belarus isrequested toprovide theWorking Party withanexhaustive listtoHS8-digits ofall
import restrictions maintained, with anindication ofthetype ofrestriction applied anda
justification fortherestriction.
Answer:
Anexhaustive listisprovided inAnnex 3toWT/ACC/BLR/1. Forajustification ofeach
restriction, please refertoSections IV.1(e) and(f)thereof.
Code Description ofGoods Authorized Body
261800000 Granulated slag Ministry ofNature
Protection
261900100 Blast-furnace dust --””--
261900910 to261900950 Waste suitable forderiving metals --””--
261900990 Other wastes --””--
2620 Ashes andother waste (except waste ofcast
ironandsteelproduction) containing metals
ormetal compounds--””--
380810000 Insecticides Ministry of
Agriculture
380820100, 380820900 Fungicides --””--
380830100 to380830900 Herbicides --””--
380840000 Disinfectants Ministry ofPublic
Health
380890000 Other means Ministry ofPublic
Health
Licences onthegoods listed above aregranted iftheconditions ofdelivery areapproved by
thecorresponding authorized body. SeealsoReply 53.Noimport quotas areapplied tothese goods.
Taking intoaccount theexisting environmental problems caused bytheChernobyl nuclear
disaster, thereisalistofgoods prohibited forbeing imported totheterritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus
(according toAnnex 5ofResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.213of1December 1994).WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page16
Question 53:
Clarification issought oftheterm "ecological safety" inrelation toimport restrictions under
Article XX,asusedinSection IV.1.(e). "quantitative import restrictions" (page 15).
Answer:
Thepurpose oftheimport licensing system forthese goods istoprevent accumulation of
dangerous chemical orindustrial waste thatcannot beadequately processed bytheimporting enterprises.
Aslicencespermittheimportationofpotentiallydangerousmaterials,theyrequireadetailedexamination
ofthetransactions involved.
(f) Import licensing procedure
Question 53.1:
There isanadministrative charge forissuing alicence of10minimum salaries about (US$ 50)
forasingle licence andof15minimum salaries (about US$75)forageneral licence. Could Belarus
givemore precise indications onhowexactly these charges arecalculated tocover theservices
rendered (GATT Article VIII)?
Answer:
Income from feesisusedtocover thecostofservices rendered forgranting andregistration
oflicences.
(k) Application ofinternal taxes onimports
Question 54:
Willthevalue added tax(VAT) andtheexcise taxremain theonlyinternal indirect taxes which
arelevied onimported goods forcountries except from CIScountries? Arethere internal indirect
taxes levied onimported goods from CIScountries? Ifyes,what kindofindirect taxes?
Answer:
There arecurrently noplans fortheintroduction ofindirect taxes inaddition totheVAT and
excise tax.Indirect taxation follows thecountry-of-destination principle intradewithnon-CIS countries,
andthecountry-of-origin principle inintra-CIS trade. Accordingly, internal indirect taxesarenotlevied
onimported goods from CIScountries.
Question 55:
TheMemorandum mentions Belarus 'policy onNational Treatment oninternal taxation butnot
onregulatory aspects ofsale,offering forsale,purchase, transportation, distribution oruse.What
isthecontent ofBelarus 'policy inthisarea? Please explain howitcomplies withArticle III.4
ofGATT 1994?
Answer:
National treatment alsoapplies totheregulatory aspects ofsale,offering forsale,purchase,
transportation, anduse.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page17
Question 56:
Please confirm thattheprinciple ofnational treatment applies totheexcise tax.
Answer:
National treatment doesapply totheexcise tax.
Question 57:
Please listtheindirect taxes which apply onlytoimported products, given thatexcise taxand
VAT arelevied todomestic andimported products alike. Foreachtaxplease provide therate
andtheproducts forwhich theyareapplicable.
Answer:
There arenoindirect taxes which apply onlytoimported products.
Question 58:
What price isusedforcalculating theVAT onimported goods, forexample, thelanded price
(page 16)?
Answer:
VAT onimported products iscalculated onthebasis oflanded value pluscustoms dutyplus
excise (ifany)(theLawoftheRepublic ofBelarus onValue-Added Taxof19December 1991).
(l) Rules oforigin
Question 59:
Does Belarus haveanylegislation requiring thatgoods (imported ordomestically produced) must
bemarked withrespect tothecountry oforigin?
Answer:
AccordingtotheLawonProtectionoftheRightsofConsumersof19November1993,products
havetobemarked withrespect totheircountry oforigin.
Question 60:
Please provide anexplanation ofhowthecountry oforigin isascertained.
Answer:
Therules forthedetermination ofthecountry oforigin arecontained inResolution ofthe
Cabinet ofMinisters No.420of6June1994 which hasbeensubmitted totheWTO Secretariat.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page18
Question 61:
How isBelarus prepared toconform itspolicy inthisareawiththeGATT andtheUruguay
Agreement onRules ofOrigin?
Answer:
Thesystem usediscompatible withtheWTO Agreement onRules ofOrigin.
Question 62:
With respect thestatement insection l(b)under what circumstances might acountry oforigin
notbefound?
Answer:
Acountry oforigin maynotbefound ifsatisfactory evidence isnotpresented tocustoms
authorities (e.g.intheabsence ofacertificate oforigin).
(m) Anti-dumping, countervailing dutyandsafeguard régime
Question 63:
Belarus isrequested toexplain what itunderstands in"acounter-measure authorized under the
WTO todiscriminatory actions against Belarus"? Doesthisrelate todumping ortoother practices;
ifthelatter, please provide details?
Answer:
Except foranti-dumping, countervailing andsafeguard measures which would beapplied only
onthebasis oflegislation stilltobeenacted, individual special duties willbeapplied onlyincases
ofretaliation authorized under thelegislation inforce inBelarus (seealsoSection IV.1.(b) of
WT/ACC/BLR/1).
Question 64:
What WTO provisions arereferred to(Article I,III,VI,XIX, XXII-XXIII)?
Answer:
SeeReply 63.
Question 65:
How would thecriterion ofthe"nature ofthediscriminatory action" work indetermining the
rateofthe"individual specific duties"?
Answer:
According toArticle 9oftheLawonCustoms Tariff adopted on3February 1993, special
duties areautonomous andcharacterised byincreased rates. Theyareusedeither asprotective measure
against imports ofgoods which arecausing orthreatening tocause aserious injury todomestic industryWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page19
orasaretaliation inreply todiscriminatory actions applied bysome countries inrelation toBelarus.
Special duties aresetuponanindividual basis anddependent ontheextent ofinjury affected by
discriminatory actions.
2. Export Regulation
(b) Customs tariff nomenclature, types ofduties, dutyrates
Question 66:
Foreachoftheproducts onwhich anexport dutyislevied (table 7),doesBelarus intend tophase
outthese duties -please provide atimetable?
Answer:
Export duties haverecently beenabolished byResolution ofCabinet ofMinisters No.635of
30September 1996.
Question 67:
Does theduty of200ECU pertonne onrawhides apply tothewhole ofChapter 41withthe
exception ofthelower duties indicating forheadings 4101, 4102 and4103?
Answer:
Yes.
(c) Quantitative export restrictions
Question 68:
With regards tothestatement "Export quotas areestablished ....forcrude oilandrefinery
products; fertilizers; ferrous andnon-ferrous metal waste andscrap;"
Please justify themaintenance ofeachofthese quotas;
Foreachproduct please provide indicate thequota level;
Areexport quotas attributed toindividual countries orcompanies;
Please provide atimetable forthephasing outofeachquota.
Answer:
Export quotas andlicences foroilandoilproducts havebeenabolished byPresidential Decree
No.108of19March 1996. Itisplanned toabolish allother export quotas bytheendoftheyear
1996, except quotas fortextile products andmineral fertilizers.
Export quotas ontextiles apply onlytoexport totheEuropean Union under abilateral agreement
intheframework oftheMultifibre Arrangement.
Thesizeofaquota formineral fertilizer isdependent onthedomestic requirements ofthe
agricultural sector. Itisconsidered essential forthesustainable functioning oftheagricultural sectorWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page20
toensure asufficient supply ofthiscritical inputwhile thesector isinaverydifficult economic situation.
There areonlythreeenterprises producing mineral fertilizers because thereisonedeposit ofthisnatural
resource. Thequota isglobal andisnotallocated tospecific countries.
Since there isalackofferrous andnon-ferrous metal natural deposits inBelarus, theexport
quota isdetermined inaccordance withavolume ofscrap ofthese metals intheterritory ofBelarus.
Question 69:
Please confirm whether ornotthere isanexport prohibition oncopper scrap exports.
Answer:
Astothereason mentioned inReply 68andaccording toPresidential Decree No.179of
5May1995, theexport ofscrap ispermitted forreprocessing purposes.
Question 70:
Please justify theexport prohibition onwildplants withmedicinal applications andrawmaterials
from suchplants.
Answer:
Thereserves ofwildplants withmedicinal applications andrawmaterials from suchplants
arelimited (Article XXofGATT 1994). Theprohibition doesnotapply tocultivated plants.
(d) Export licensing procedures
Question 71:
Licences forexport subject toaquota areissued bytheMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations.
What aretherequirements andconditions tobefulfilled inorder toobtain suchlicences?
Answer:
Licences maybegranted toanyeconomic agent inBelarus. Toobtain alicence, thefollowing
documents aretobepresented totheMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations:
- adocument from theauthorized State body (normally theMinistry ofEconomy) confirming
theexistence ofaquota;
- anexport contract (except when theapplication isforageneral licence);
- documents stating thecountry oforigin ofgoods iftheexporter isnotacommodity producer;
- adocument confirming payment foralicence.
Question 72:
Does theprinciple ofnational treatment apply forissuing export licences?
Answer:
Yes.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page21
(f) Export financing, subsidy andpromotion policies
Question 73:
How doesBelarus viewitsindirect taxexemptions anddirect taxpartial exemption inthelight
ofArticle 3.1.(a) oftheWTO SCM Agreement, items (e),(f),(g)ofAnnex 1thereto, andArticle 9
oftheAgreement onAgriculture?
Answer:
Thecurrent taxlegislation oftheRepublic ofBelarus makes noprovision forindirect tax
exemptions inthelightofArticle 3.1oftheWTO SCM Agreement, items (e),(f),(g)ofAnnex Ithereto,
andArticle 9oftheAgreement onAgriculture.
Thepolicy oftheGovernment isdirected toreduction oftaxexemptions (individual andsectoral,
inparticular). Taxexemptions should remain onlyintheagricultural sector andalsoforthepurposes
ofdomestic investment andexport ofproduction. Thus, according toArticle 5oftheLawonIncome
andProfit Taxes ofEnterprises, Associations andOrganizations of22December 1991, theprofits of
enterprises gained fromanincrease inexport oftheirownproduction aresubject totaxation withtax
ratesreduced by50percent.
Asfrom1April 1996, taxexemptions aredetermined bytheSupreme Council oftheRepublic
ofBelarus forevery following year.
Aspecial taxrégime applies toagricultural producers asfollows: (i)realestate andvalue-added
taxes arenotlevied (theLawonRealEstate Taxof23December 1991 andtheLawonValue-Added
Taxof19December 1991); (ii)enterprises aretaxexempt inrelation toincomes andprofits gained
from saleoftheirownagricultural produce (theLawonIncome andProfit Taxes ofEnterprises,
Associations andOrganisations of22December 1991).
3. Internal Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inGoods
(a) Industrial andsubsidy policies
Question 74:
Asitismentioned onpage 19oftheMemorandum, theState maintains ashare of25percent
onlyinthose large enterprises thatoccupy adominant position intheBelarusian market. What
aretheenterprises which occupy suchaposition andwhydoesBelarus maintain suchapolicy?
Answer:
TheStatemaintains shares onlyinthose large enterprises thatoccupy adominant position in
theBelarusian market. Thecriteria ofdividing enterprises intolarge andsmall onesarenotformally
laiddown inlegislation. Enterprises withmore than1,000 employees arenormally considered tobe
large.
Question 75:
What percentage oftheownership ofthe187enterprises privatized between 1991 and1994 has
actually beentransferred toprivate owners? Have foreign investors acquired minority ormajority
shares inanyofthese enterprises? Ifso,inhowmany cases?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page22
Answer:
Detailed statistics ofenterprise reform during theyears from 1991 to1994 andfortheyear
1995 (figures inparentheses) areasfollows:
Atotalof1,127 (468) enterprises wereprivatised. In951(335) ofthese, theshare oftheState
reduced tolessthan51percent. Ofthetotalof1,127 (468) enterprises, 375(53)enterprises with
288,500 (31,100) employees hadbeenStateproperty, while 752(415) enterprises with51,400 (43,300)
employees hadbeenmunicipal property.
Thefollowing privatization methods were used:
- purchase contracts withwork collectives in126(1)Stateand300(36)municipal enterprises;
- transformation intoopen joint-stock companies in226(0)State and69(207) municipal
enterprises;
- salebytender of16(0)State and194(33)municipal enterprises;
- salebyauction of7(0)State and189(139) municipal facilities.
Besides, in1994aUnited States company bought byauction 2773shares ofanopenjoint-stock
company inGomel; 5municipal enterprises weresoldtoforeign investors byauction andbytender.
In1995, 1municipal property (afruitstorehouse) wassoldbyauction toforeign investors.
SeealsoSection IV.3.(k) ofWT/ACC/BLR/1.
Question 76:
Please provide theabove information forenterprises privatized in1995 aswell.
Answer:
SeeReply 75.
Question 77:
Could Belarus please explain more indepth howtheprogramme ofeconomic reforms adopted
late1994hasboasted industrial policy reform leading toState orders toenterprises being reduced
tolessthat6percentofindustrial output.
Answer:
According totheProgramme ofEconomic Reforms adopted inlate1994, theshare ofState
orders toenterprises wastobereduced tolessthan6percentofindustrial output. Subsequently, even
thissmall volume wasnotrealized because ofbothfinancial difficulties andtheabsence ofdemand.
In1996, onlytheMinistry ofIndustry hasreceived aStateorder forscrap-iron andwaste offerrous
andnon-ferrous metals, andalsoforwaste containing precious metals.
Question 78:
Have government orders beenreplaced bydirect commercial contacts withformer customers in
other CIScountries?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page23
Answer:
Trade withTajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia andAzerbaijan takes
place onthebasis ofdirect commercial contracts only. Intrade withRussia, Moldova, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, deliveries takeplaceonthebasisofbothdirect commercial contracts andintergovernmental
agreements.
Question 79:
How much barter trade isinvolved inthis?
Answer:
In1995, barter trade accounted for:15.3percentoftotalexports and14.0percentoftotal
imports (21percentofexport and16.6percentofimport intrade withCIScountries).
Question 80:
Could Belarus givemore detailed information ontheextra-budgetary funds maintained bybranch
ministries orindustry associations. What istheroleofthese industry associations? How much
dotheyinfluence trade andprice-setting, therestructuring process?
Answer:
InBelarus there areseveral industrial associations, thelargest ofthem being theBelarusian
Scientific-Industrial Association andtheBelarusian Union ofEntrepreneurs andLeaseholders. These
associations influence tosome extent theprocess ofstructural transformation byinitiating changes of
property forms oftheenterprises theyinclude, orbyrestructuring these enterprises. Intrade andin
price-setting practice, industrial associations arelobbying. Asarule, theiropinion onthemajority
ofissues istaken intoconsideration bytheGovernment ofBelarus.
Asforextra-budgetary funds, theyareusedforfinancing notonlyinvestment projects ofbranch
andmulti-branch character butcertain activities aimed atdiversification ofproduction capacities as
well. Itshould benoted thattheextra-budgetary funds described inWT/ACC/BLR/1 arenolonger
operational.
Atpresent, theMinistry ofIndustry plans toinstall anextra-budgetary Innovation Fund. The
relevant provisions fortheraising ofrevenues anddistribution ofexpenditures arebeing worked out
bytheMinistry ofFinance.
Question 81:
Have anyindustries yetbeendeclared bankrupt andwhat areBelarus 'sexpectations inthisarea?
Answer:
Sofarnoindustries havebeendeclared bankrupt, butanumber offirms arenolonger operating.
Question 82:
Could Belarus please further explain whatarethelarge enterprises thatoccupy adominant position
ontheBelarusian market inwhich theState intends tomaintain ashare of25percent.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page24
Answer:
SeeReply 74.
(b) Technical regulations andstandards
Question 83
Itisbeing stated thatcertification isrequired forallgoods, works andservices which aresubject
tosafety requirements toprotect human lifeorhealth, property, ortheenvironment. Please
provide alistofthese product aswellascopyofResolution No.635oftheCabinet ofMinisters
of22September 1993?
Answer:
AcopyofResolution No.635hasbeenprovided totheWTO Secretariat. Copies ofResolutions
oftheBelstandard No.1of28February 1994 andNo.179of27October 1995 aswellasResolution
oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.260of16April 1996 willbeforwarded totheWTO Secretariat.
Question 84:
Have weunderstood correctly thatthese goods areallsubject tocompulsory third-party
certification?
Answer:
Yes. These goods areallsubject tocompulsory third-party certification, i.e.subject to
certification byaccredited organs within theNational System ofCertification oftheRepublic ofBelarus.
Question 85:
Areschedules offeespublished? Arefeesthesame forimported asfordomestic products?
Answer:
Certification iscarried outunder agreements containing provisions forestimates ofexpenses.
Certification feesarethesame forimported anddomestic products.
Question 86:
Could Belarus explain whysystematic useisbeing made ofpre-marketing third-party certification
rather thanlesstrade-impairing self-declaration bymanufacturers andpost-market surveillance?
Answer:
Pre-marketingthird-partycertificationonlyappliestoproductslistedinResolutionoftheCouncil
ofMinisters No.635of22September 1993. SeeReply 83.Allother products aresubject to
self-declaration bymanufacturers andpost-market surveillance. Similar regulatory framework exists
inother CIScountries, including theRussian Federation.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page25
Question 87:
HasBelarus accredited organs toperform certification andconformity assessment abroad?
Answer:
Belarus has4accredited organs abroad toperform certification andconformity assessment
(inFrance, Belgium, theNetherlands, Spain).
Question 88:
Arethere sectors inwhich Belarus presently accepts third country testreports, evaluations and/or
certificates ofconformity?
Answer:
According toOrder oftheMinistry ofPublic Health No.13of25October 1995, theNational
Certification Body decides upon theacceptance ofthirdcountry certificates ofconformity.
Question 89:
How does Belarus intend toputinplace asystem thatmeets therequirements oftheTBT
Agreement (proportionality, leasttrade-restrictiveness...)?
Answer:
Belarus believes thatcompulsory certification ofproducts andservices which aresubject to
safety requirements toprotect health, property andtheenvironment, doesnotcontradict Article 2.1
oftheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade.
Question 90:
Itisstated thatconsultations inconformity witharticle 14oftheTBT Code areconducted by
Belstandart. Could Belarus explain whether these consultations already takeplace (ifso,could
Belarus explain how?)
Answer:
Atpresent, Belstandart doesnotconduct consultations inconformity withArticle 14ofthe
TBTCode, butconducts consultations onmatters ofstandardization andmetrology withforeign trade
representatives.
(c) Sanitary andphytosanitary measures
Question 91:
Does Belarus anticipate anydifficulties inapplying theSPSAgreement infullonaccession?
Answer:
Atpresent, Belarus doesnotanticipate anydifficulties thatwould prevent thefullapplication
oftheSPSAgreement. However, itmaybenecessary tophase intheapplication oftheSPSAgreementWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page26
overthetransitional period starting fromthedateofaccession totheWTO because theveterinary and
phytosanitary knowledge andtechnical infrastructure inBelarus aretobestrengthened.
Question 92:
Page20statesthat"nationallegislationisbasedonthenormsandstandardsoftheWTOAgreement
ontheApplication ofSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures, theCodex Alimentarius, andthe
International Convention onQuarantine andProtection ofPlants". Towhat extent doesBelarus
accept standards setoutbyinternational standards organisations?
Answer:
Atthemoment Belarus applies stricter standards onsanitary andphytosanitary measures than
those setoutbyinternational standards organizations.
(e) State-trading practices
Question 93:
Please explain theapparent contradiction between thestatement thatnoState enterprises possess
exclusive trading rights andthefactthatanumber ofexport monopolies exist.
Answer:
There arenoenterprises assuchpossessing exclusive trading rights. Inthecaseofpotassium
fertilizer, theexport monopoly arises because there isonlyonenatural deposit, andhence onlyone
producer (theStateenterprise Belaruskali). Asforbeer, spirits, andtobacco products, there isaState
monopolyontheirproduction(theStateenterpriseBelpishcheprom).However,beer,spirits,andtobacco
products maybeexported byanyeconomic agent inquantities determined byBelpishcheprom.
Question 94:
Itisstated thatState monopolies existonlyfortheexport ofpotassium fertiliser, beer, spirits,
tobacco products andjewellery. Does thismean thatthere isalsoaState monopoly onthe
production ofthese goods?
Answer:
SeeReply 93.
Question 95:
Please indicate whether andwhen Belarus intends toabolish itsexport monopolies.
Answer:
Belarus doesnotplantoabolish theproduction monopoly onbeer, spirits andtobacco.
Question 96:
Which enterprises doesBelarus currently intend tonotify under Article XVII ofGATT 1994?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page27
Answer:
BelaruswillprovideanexhaustivelistofStatetradingenterprisesbywayofcompletingarelevant
questionnaire tobesubmitted totheWTO Secretariat.
Question 97:
Inparagraph 4itisclaimed thatallenterprises havebeenmade independent from theGovernment.
What doesthisrefer to?Does itmean thatthose companies thathave notyetbeen privatized
areowned bytheState butarerunindependently bytheir managers onthebasis ofa
demand-driven rather thancentrally planned production scheme?
Answer:
Yes.
Question 98:
Would Belarus listallState trading enterprises aspersection IV.3.(e)? Does Belarus haveaplan
toreform itsexport monopolies onpotassium fertiliser, beer, spirits, tobacco products, etc.
(page 21)?
Answer:
SeeReplies 95and96.
(g) Freeeconomic zones
Question 99:
There isnoFreeEconomic Zone nowadays. Please elaborate whether Belarus plans tocreate an
FEZ, ifany?
Answer:
PresidentialDecreeNo.114of20March1996OnFreeEconomicZones(FEZ)intheTerritory
oftheRepublic ofBelarus stipulates thatFEZs areestablished bythePresident oftheRepublic ofBelarus
ontheinitiative oftheCabinet ofMinisters oroflocal governments. Thedetailed legalframework
foreconomic zones iscurrently being prepared intheform ofadraftLawonFreeEconomic Zones
which willbeconsidered bytheSupreme Council inthenearest future.
Afreeeconomic zonenamed "Brest" hasbeencreated inaccordance withPresidential Decree
No.114of20March 1996. Once thelegalframework isinplace, theexpediency offurther creating
freeeconomic zones willbeconsidered bytheBelarusian Government onthebasis oftechnical and
commercial considerations. There arecurrently proposals forfreeeconomic zones inGrodno, Gomel
andMinsk.
Question 100:
There areproposals forseveral freeeconomic zones inBelarus. What isthecurrent situation
ofthelegislation under consideration bytheSupreme Council? Where willthose freeeconomic
zones besituated? Intheregion ofBrest?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page28
Answer:
SeeReply 99.
Question 101:
HowcanBelarus explain thatseveral goods produced infreecustoms zones located intheterritory
oftheRepublic ofBelarus (page 15)areexempted from payment ifthere isnoeconomic free
zonecurrently?
Answer:
Article 15.6 oftheLaw onCustoms Tariff intheRepublic ofBelarus adopted on
3February 1993 provides forthepossibility ofexemption, although nofreeeconomic zones existed
when thislawcame intoforce.
Question 102:
Please provide detailed information ontheproposals under consideration bytheSupreme Council
fortheestablishment offreeeconomic zones, demonstrating thatanysuchzones willoperate in
fullconformity withWTO rules.
Answer:
AdraftLawonFreeEconomic Zones isfullyinaccordance withWTO rules. Acopyofthe
draftLawwillbeprovided totheWTO Secretariat.
Question 103:
Please provide more details ontheproposed freeeconomic zones (page 21).
Answer:
SeeReply 99.
(h) Trade-related environment policies
Question 104:
Section IV.3.(1) states thatthere arenoenvironmental policies affecting foreign trade. Howdoes
thisrelate toSection IV.I.(e) where itisstated that "there arecertain limited import
restrictions...related to...ecological safety"? Could Belarus please clarify thispoint?
Answer:
Theexisting import restrictions aredescribed inSection IV.1.(e) ofWT/ACC/BLR/1 andin
Replies 52and53.Noother environment policies existthataffect foreign trade.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page29
(k) Trade agreements leading tocountry-specific quotas allocation
Question 105:
Please provide theWorking Party withastatus report onthephasing outofthetrade agreements
withUkraine, Moldova andUzbekistan which provide fordeliveries ofspecified quantities of
alimited number ofproducts.
Answer:
Thebilateral tradeagreements withUzbekistan, Ukraine andMoldova fortheyear1996include
onlyindicative listsofproducts andvolumes tobedelivered. Itisforeseen thatsuchagreements will
bediscontinued in1997.
Question 106:
Arethese Agreements thesame oneslisted inChapter VIII, Section 2andAnnex 6asFreeTrade
Agreements?
Answer:
No.
Question 107:
Please provide details ofthe"trade agreements leading tocountry-specific quotas application"
(page 21).What products arecovered bythese arrangements andwhen aretheygoing tobephased
out?
Answer:
Asforthebilateral agreements withUzbekistan, Ukraine andMoldova fortheyear1996, see
Reply 105.Inaddition, theTreaty ontheEstablishment ofaCommunity between Russia andBelarus
provides forthedelivery ofcertain amounts ofgasandoilfrom Russia
(I) Government procurement practices
Question 108:
Does Belarus plantoaccede totheAgreement onGovernment Procurement (GPA)?
Answer:
AdraftLawonGovernment Procurement iscurrently prepared inconformity withtheWTO
Agreement onGovernment Procurement. However, since joining thisplurilateral agreement isnot
anobligatory condition foraccession totheWTO, Belarus intends toconsider thisissue onlywhen
thenewlawhasbeenadopted.
Question 109:
HowBelarusconcludedanypurchasingagreementswithanythirdcountries?Ifso,whichcountries?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page30
Answer:
Belarus hasnotconcluded anypurchasing agreements withthirdcountries.
Question 110:
Please listthemajor procuring entities inBelarus atcentral, sub-central andlocal levels of
government.
Answer:
Themost important entities involved ingovernment procurement areasfollows.
Organs ofState: Supreme Council oftheRepublic ofBelarus; Office ofPublic Prosecutor; President ’s
Administration.
Ministries: Ministry ofDefence; Ministry ofInternal Affairs; Ministry onExtreme Situations and
Protection ofthePopulation fromtheConsequences oftheChernobyl Catastrophe; Ministry ofHousing
andMunicipal Economy; Ministry ofAgriculture andFoodstuff; Ministry ofTrade; Ministry of
Education andScience; Ministry ofHealth Care; Ministry ofTransport andCommunications; Ministry
ofCulture; Ministry ofIndustry; Ministry ofSport andTourism; Ministry ofSocial Care; Ministry
ofArchitecture andConstruction; Ministry ofNatural Resources andPreservation ofEnvironment;
Ministry ofFuelandPower Engineering; Ministry ofJustice; Ministry ofFinance; Ministry of
Forestry; Ministry ofForeign Affairs; Ministry ofEconomy; Ministry ofCommunication and
Information; State Customs Committee; KGB.
Departments andgovernment agencies: Department oftheCabinet ofMinisters onState Material
Reserves; StateCentre ofInformation Safety; Main Department ofFrontier Troops; Belarusian State
Consumers Union; Committee ofScience andTechnology; Committee ofRestoration andProtection
ofMonuments; National StateTelevision-Radio Company; Academy ofScience; Ministry ofFinance ’s
Committee onPrecious Metals; FundofInformatization; Committee ofArchives andRecord-keeping;
Committee "Belbiofarm"; Gomel Executive Committee; Mogilev Executive Committee; Minsk
Executive Committee; Department ofBelarusian Railway.
Stateenterprises: Concern "Belnefteproduct"; Concern "Beltopgas"; StateAssociation ”Belvtormet ”;
Belarusian State Scientific andProduction Concern ofPowdery Metallurgy; Joint-Stock Company
”Belcontract ”;Concern “Bellegprom ”;Concern “Belmestprom ”’;Concern “Bellesbumprom ”;State
Enterprise “Beltelecom ”;State Enterprise “Belpochta ”;Belarusian broadcasting centre; regional
electricity companies, water authorities.
Alistofentities involved ingovernment procurement isannually introduced totheCabinet ofMinisters
bytheMinistry ofEconomy.
Question 111:
Please listallentities operating under monopoly rights inBelarus particularly inthetransport.
electricity, telecom andwater fields. Arethese entities covered bythenewProcurement Law?
Ifno,under what régime dothese entities procure goods andservices?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page31
Answer:
Entities operating under monopoly rights arecovered bytheLawonGovernment Procurement.
Such enterprises include theBelarusian railways, sixregional electricity companies, Beltelecom and
water authorities managed bylocalgovernments.
Question 112:
How ispurchasing managed bylocal governments, utilities, companies granted amonopoly and
State owned companies?
Answer:
Theentities thatoperate under monopoly rights carry outpurchases atcurrent market prices.
Local governments andother budget organizations aresupplied incentralised order. Inaccordance
withArticle 3oftheLawonProcurement ofGoods forGovernment Needs of24November 1993,
alistofsupplies needed andfinanced fromthelocalbudgets andother resources isapproved byregional
andMinsk executive committees.
Question 113:
Itwould appear from Article I.4oftheLawonProcurement ofGoods forGovernment Needs
dated 24November 1993 thatforeign tenders arediscriminated against. Isthisinfactthecase?
Please provide anexplanation forthisdiscrimination.
Answer:
There isnoArticle 1.4intheLawonProcurement ofGoods forGovernment Needs adopted
bytheSupreme Council on24November 1993. Foreigners haveaccess totenders onthesame basis
asBelarusian nationals.
Question 114:
Isthere aBelarusian lawwhich makes provisions foroffset requirements (technology transfer
orbuy-back arrangements)?
Answer:
There arenolegalprovisions foroffset requirements.
Question 115:
Isthere acentral agency which controls theapplication ofprocurement lawsandsupervises the
decisions oftheCommissions? Maydecisions beappealed intheeconomic court mentioned under
III.6 ofdocument WT/ACC/BLR/1?
Answer:
There isnocentral agency thatcontrols theapplication ofprocurement lawsandsupervises
decisions oftheCommissions. Suchanagency isexpected tobeestablished afteradoption ofthenew
law. Article 13ofthecurrent LawonProcurement ofGoods forGovernment Needs provides for
thepossibility ofdispute settlement ineconomic courts.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page32
Question 116:
What dispute settlement procedures existforsuppliers disputing theaward ofthecontract?
Answer:
TheBelarusian legislation doesnotcontain special norms fordisputing theaward ofacontract.
Question 117:
Arethere plans tosetupasystem ofelectronic tendering?
Answer:
Current legislation aswellasthedraftLawonGovernment Procurement donotrender the
useofelectronic tendering obligatory. Thecreation ofasystem ofelectronic tendering might require
financial support from theinternational community.
Question 118:
Isstatistical information available showing, eg.:
- thesizeofpublic procurement market asaproportion oftotaleconomy,
- thebreakdown ofprocurement method usedandtheir respective (total) values,
- thenumber oftender invitations published.
- theshare offoreign competitors participating intenders andthenumber/percentage of
contracts awarded tothem,
- thenumber ofcomplaints?
Answer:
Statistics aremaintained bytheMinistry ofStatistics onthebasis oftheUnited Nations
methodology. Statistical information ongovernment procurement dataisnotavailable. Dataonthe
number oftenders isavailable; dataontheshare offoreigners participating intenders andonthenumber
ofcomplaints isnotavailable.
Question 119:
Could Belarus provide more detailed information about theprovisions andapplications ofthe
LawOnProcurementofGoodsforGovernmentNeedsof24November1993inthefieldofservices?
Answer:
TheLawonProcurement ofGoods forGovernment Needs applies toallgoods andservices
procured bytheGovernment.
Question 120:
Doanypreference schemes forlocal suppliers exist?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page33
Answer:
Thegrantingofapreferenceaswellasitstype,amountandorderaredeterminedbytheSupreme
Council, theCabinet ofMinisters andlocalgovernments within thescope oftheircompetence.
(m) Regulations oftrade intransit
Question 121:
Belarus currently levies atransit feeuponindividuals andlegalentities notdomiciled inthecountry.
When doesBelarus intend toadopt measures aimed atsecuring unrestricted transit viaorthrough
itsterritory ofgoods originating inthecustoms territory ordestined forthecustoms territory
ofWTO member inaccordance withArticle V,paragraphs 2,3,4and5oftheGATT?
Answer:
Belarus intends toapply Article VofGATT 1994 upon accession totheWTO.
Inaccordance withtheLawonDuesforUseofMeans ofMotor Transportation ofMotor-Roads
ofCommon UseintheRepublic ofBelarus adopted on13April 1995, thetransit taxwasabolished
anddueswereintroduced. Theratesofdueswereapproved byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters
No.338of29June1995.
Inaccordance withResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.407of31July1995 Onthe
GrantingtotheMinistryofTransportandCommunicationstheRighttoGrantTransportTaxExemptions,
transporters ofsome countries weregranted exemptions fromtheroadusage feeunder mutual bilateral
agreements.
AccordingtotheResolutionoftheCabinetofMinistersoftheRepublicofBelarusof1July1996
OnCharges forUseofMotor-Road Brest -Minsk -border oftheRussian Federation, asfrom
1November1996chargesfortheuseoftheabove-mentionedmotor-roadhasbeenimposed.Thereceived
sumswillbetransferred totheEuropean BankforReconstruction andDevelopment forrepaying credit
andinterest aswellasfortheroadmaintenance.
Question 122:
Could Belarus confirm whether there areanyplans toharmonise theBelarusian régime onroad
taxation withthenon-discrimination practices thatexistintherestofEurope, specifically with
reference tothetransit feesimposed onthemotor vehicles offoreign individuals andlegalentities
intransit through thecountry?
Answer:
SeeReply 121.
4. Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inAgricultural Products
(e) Internal policies
Question 123:
Theeconomic reform inagriculture hasledtohugecutsinsubsidies toenterprises andconsumers.
Anextra-budgetary support fund foragriculture hasbeenestablished tocover themost urgentWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page34
financial needs oftheagricultural sector. What istheamount ofthisfundandhowisitdistributed
among theagricultural sector?
Answer:
Inaccordance withtheLawonBudget oftheRepublic ofBelarus fortheyear1996, an
extra-budgetary fundforagriculture isfinanced bya1percentsurcharge onallenterprises ’salesin
Belarus.Itsplannedincomeandexpenditurein1996is2,600billionBelarusianroubles.Theexpenditures
envisaged include (inbillion Belarusian roubles):
- lease oftractors, agricultural machines, andequipment -1,200;
- support payments foragricultural andfoodprocessing enterprises -1,300.
Support payments include liquidation ofdebts incurred forthepurchase ofmineral fertilizers,
payments forprocurement ofspare parts, compensation oftheexpenses toincrease profitability of
cattle-breeding farms andpoultry farms, reconstruction ofgreen-houses, andsupport offarms located
indisadvantaged areas.
Question 124:
Wewould likeclarification onthereduction, foragricultural exports, oftheprofit taxonprofits
from exports infreely convertible currency. Isthisprovision onlyforagricultural exports oris
itnonsector specific (page 22)?
Answer:
Thisprovision isnotsector-specific. According toArticle 5oftheLawonIncome andProfit
Taxes ofEnterprises, Associations andOrganizations, profits ofenterprises gained fromanincrease
inexport oftheirownproduction aresubject toprofit taxratesreduced by50percent.
Question 125:
Please provide more details onthedirect support payments tothemost needy households and
theextra-budgetary Support Fund forAgriculture which hasbeenestablished tocover themost
urgent financial needs oftheagricultural sector. What arethecriteria forthese? Does Belarus
provide anyother domestic support measures totheagricultural sector, forexample, structural
adjustment measures (page 23)?
Answer:
Ontheextra-budgetary fundforagriculture, seeReply 123.
Aidtopeople inneedisrendered through thepayment ofallowances; issueoffreefoodcoupons;
direct payments forhousing andcommunal services through anon-cash housing subsidy; repayments
formedicines, medical aid;rendering aidinpurchasing fuel,incultivating personal plots, inlaying-in
thefodder; repairing ofthehouses; rendering freefoodstuffs; repayments foreducation.
AccordingtoProvisionofthePresidentoftheRepublicofBelarusNo.251rpof29August1996
onRendering Financial Support toLarge Families, thefinancial support wasrendered tolargefamilies
inorder toshare expenses concerning thepupils ’preparation forthenewschool year. Thisfinancial
support wasrendered tofamilies consisting of3andmore children under theageof18andinthecase
ofincome permember notexceeding 1,102,982 Belarusian roubles forthesecond quarter ofthecurrentWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page35
year. Families withlowincome werepaidinamount of500,000 Belarusian roubles perchild. More
than230,000 children received thissupport. Total expenses accounted for118,300 billion Belarusian
roubles.
Question 126:
TheBelarusian Government hasdescribed thesituation intheagricultural sector as"difficult
butnotdesperate". Substantial agricultural subsidies, including theraising ofstage purchasing
prices forkeyproducts andtheprovision ofpreferential loans, represent anotinsignificant
proportion oftheBelarus budget. What proportion oftheBelarus budget istargeted toproviding
assistance totheagricultural sector?
Answer:
In1995 theMinistry ofAgriculture received more than2,400 billion roubles intheform of
budgetary loans andcredits. Budgetary appropriations totheagricultural sector ofeconomy in1995
accounted for6percentofthebudgetary expenditures (7.8percentin1994). In1996theagricultural
sector istoobtain 3,600 billion roubles.
5. Policies Affecting Foreign Trade inOther Sectors
(a) Textiles régime
Question 127:
CanBelarus confirm thattextile export quotas arelimited toexports totheEuropean Union and
nottoother countries (page 23)?
Answer:
Yes.
V. TRADE-RELATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REGIME
1. General
(a) Intellectual property policy
Question 128:
How doesBelarus intend torespect therules oftheTRIPS Agreement having nolegislation on
intellectual individual property rights?
Answer:
Belarusian legislation onintellectual property rights inforce before 1996 (Part IVCopyright
oftheCivilCode) didnotfullycorrespond totheinternational norms ofintellectual property protection.
However, thenewLawonCopyright andRelated Rights, which wasadopted bytheSupreme Council
andsigned bythePresident on16May1996, conforms totheBerne andRome Conventions aswell
astotheTRIPS Agreement. Thelawentered intoforce on15July1996.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page36
Question 129:
IntheIntroduction, Belarus liststheintellectual property rights (eg.patents onindustrial designs
andinventions, trademarks, service marks) where itactually grants national andm.f.n. treatment.
Does thismean thatnational andm.f.n. treatment islimited tothese listed rights? Ifthisisthe
case, howdoesthisintend toimplement Article 3and4oftheTRIPS Agreements?
Answer:
Theword “include ”wasmeant toindicate thatthelistprovided wasnotexhaustive. Infact,
allintellectual property rights arecovered bynational andmost-favoured-nation treatment. See
Reply 131.
Question 130:
Arethere anylegislative provisions ontheprotection against unfair competition?
Answer:
Yes.TheLawonOpposing Monopolistic Activity andonDevelopment ofCompetition, which
wasadopted bytheSupreme Council on10December 1992, regulates organizational andlegalaspects
ofrestraining andpreventing monopolistic activities, andisintended tocreate favourable conditions
forthedevelopment ofcompetition withaviewtoensuring boththeefficient functioning ofcommodity
marketsandtheprotectionofconsumerrights.TheestablishedMinistryofEntrepreneurshipisauthorised
tocontrol theimplementation oftheprovisions ofthislawandinvestment. Authorities andeconomic
operators areobliged toobserve theministry ’sregulations, which aresubject toappeal, otherwise a
finemaybeimposed (e.g.economic operators could bepenalized, bydecision ofacourt, withafine
ofupto10percentoftheirlastyear’sincome).
Question 131:
Belarus isrequested toprovide details onwhat criteria were usedtocalculate thefeeslisted in
table 9ofAnnex I.Does fullnational treatment apply forfees? Docompanies have thechoice
ofpaying either theminimum salary percentage ofthefixed fee?
Answer:
Patent fees arefixed through Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.126of
21February 1996. Current feesarelisted inTable 9(Annex 1toWT/ACC/BLR/1). National treatment
doesnotapplytopatentfees,i.e.Belarusianresidentspayaminimumsalarypercentagewhereasresidents
ofother countries payafixed fee.
Question 132:
How, andwithin what timeframe, would Belarus propose toimplement theobligations under
theAgreement onTrade Related Aspects Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (page 23)?
Answer:
Belarus expects tobeableinpractice toimplement fullytheobligations under theAgreement
onTrade Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights within areasonable period uponitsaccession.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page37
Question 133:
What steps willBelarus takeinregard toobligations under theTRIPS Agreement relating to
enforcement ofintellectual property rights inBelarus?
Answer:
Aspecial body(theCommittee onCopyright andRelated Rights) fortheprotection ofcopyright
andrelated rights hasbeenestablished andauthorized tocontrol theimplementation ofintellectual
property legislation.
(c) Membership ofinternational intellectual property conventions
Question 134:
HowwillBelarus guarantee thestandards oftheintellectual property rights stipulated intheTRIPS
Agreement before accepting theConventions defining these standards within thenextfiveyears
(page 24)?
Answer:
Belarus isaparty totheWorld Convention onCopyright andRelated Rights (1952). In
accordance withthePartnership andCooperation Agreement of6March 1995, Belarus hasundertaken
tojointheBerne Convention onProtection ofLiterature andArtWorks (Paris 1971) andtheRome
Convention onProtection ofRights ofPerformers within thenext5years.
Atpresent, theCommittee onCopyright andRelated Rights andtheMinistry ofForeign Affairs
arestudying theprocedural aspects ofjoining theabove Conventions.
Since thenewLawonCopyright andRelated Rights isbased ontheBerne andRome
Conventions, Belarus already guarantees thestandards ofintellectual property rights stipulated inthe
TRIPS Agreement.
Question 135:
Inthelistofagreements which Belarus hasundertaken tojoinwithin thenextfiveyears, the
reference totheMadrid Agreements should read "Protocol relating totheMadrid Agreement
concerning theinternational Registration ofMarks (Madrid 1989)"
Answer:
Thepoint isdulycovered.
Question 136:
Does Belarus intend tojointheNiceAgreement concerning theInternational Classification of
Goods andServices forthepurposes oftheRegistration ofmarks (Geneva 1977, amended 1979)
andtheBudapest Treaty ontheInternational Recognition oftheDeposit ofMicro-organisms for
thepurposes ofPatent Procedures (1977, modified in1980)?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page38
Answer:
Belarus intends tojointheNiceAgreement concerning theInternational Classification ofGoods
andServices forthepurposes ofRegistration ofMarks (Geneva 1977, amended 1979) in1996. The
possibility ofjoining theBudapest Treaty ontheInternational Recognition oftheDeposit ofthe
Micro-organisms forthepurposes ofPatent Procedures (1971, modified in1980) isbeing studied.
Question 137:
Weunderstand thatBelarus is,inter alia, notaparty totheBerne Convention, theRome
Convention onProtection ofRights ofPerformers, andtheConvention fortheProtection ofPlant
Varieties. Wewould beinterested inmore detailed information onhowprotection isafforded
inthese areas bypresent Belarus law.
Answer:
Onthesubject matter oftheRome andBerne Conventions, please seeReplies 128,132and
134.Onthesubject matter oftheConvention fortheProtection ofPlantVarieties, please seeReplies 146
and147.
2. Substantive Standards ofProtection
(a) Copyright andrelated rights
Question 138:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopy oftherelevant provisions oftheCivil Code
includingtheamendmentsmentionedinWT/ACC/BLR/landexplaininmoredetailhowacopyright
(related right) isprotected?
Answer:
Belarus hasprovided acopyoftherelevant provisions oftheCivilCode totheWTO Secretariat.
Since theLawonCopyright andRelated Rights hasentered intoforce, itisapplied toallworks and
objects onwhich copyright andrelated rights arenewly established.
Question 139:
What isthestate ofplayconcerning thedraft lawoncopyright andrelated rights submitted to
theSupreme Council? Ifthelawhaspassed, could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopy
andexplain inmore detail (beyond WT/ACC/BLR/l) themain elements ofthedraft? Does it,
forexample, foresee rental andlending rights? How doesitprotect databases?
Answer:
SeeReply 128.TheLawonCopyright andRelated Rights foresees rental andlending rights.
Databases areprotected bytheLawonCopyright andRelated Rights infullaccordance withthe
provisions oftheBerne Convention.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page39
(b) Trademarks, including service marks
Question 140:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopyoftheLawOnTrademarks andService Marks
asadopted bytheSupreme Council on5February 1993?
Answer:
AcopyoftheLawonTrademarks andService Marks isprovided totheWTO Secretariat in
theRussian andEnglish languages.
Question 141:
Does thelawalsocomply withtheother relevant provisions oftheTRIPS Agreement beyond
Article 16asmentioned inWT/ACC/BLR/1?
Answer:
Yes.
(c) Geographical indications, including appellations oforigin
Question 142:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus givemore details about thestate ofplay?
Answer:
Work isongoing. Acorresponding draftlawisscheduled forconsideration bytheSupreme
Council in1997.
(d) Patents forindustrial designs
Question 143:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopy oftheLawonPatents forIndustrial Designs
adopted bytheSupreme Council on5February 1993 andexplain themain elements (beyond
WT/ACC/BLR/l)?
Answer:
AcopyoftheLawonPatents forIndustrial Designs hasbeensubmitted totheWTO Secretariat.
Itfollows thepattern ofsimilar lawsofWTO Member States. Further clarification willbeprovided
onspecific questions.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page40
(e) Patents forinventions
Question 144:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus explain inmore detail howitsLawOnPatents forInventions
functions? Does thelawcomply withtherelevant Articles oftheTRIPS Agreement? How does
itimplement Articles 30and31oftheTRIPS Agreement onlicensing?
Answer:
Certain exceptions totheexclusive rights conferred byapatent inaccordance withArticle 30
oftheTRIPS Agreement areprovided forbytheLawonPatents forInventions andbytheResolution
oftheSupreme Council of5February 1995 onOrder ofEntry intoForce oftheLawonPatents for
Inventions. Fordetails, please refertothetextsoftheLawandResolution which havebeenprovided
totheWTO Secretariat. Please note, inparticular, Point 6oftheResolution aswellasthefollowing
articles oftheLaw:
- Article6."Actionsnotacceptedasinfringementofexclusiverightonemploymentofinvention".
- Article 7."Right offirstuse".
- Article 25."Compulsory licence".
- Article 27."The employment ofinvention forwhich theapplication isfiledinperiod ofits
provisional protection".
Asregards other usewithout authorization thatmight bepermitted under Article 31ofthe
TRIPS Agreement, theLawonPatents forInventions permits some ofthese usesunder certain
circumstances, specifically:
- Paragraph (b):Article 25(1) oftheLawonPatents forInventions deals withtheemployment
ofinventions inthecaseofnational emergency. TheLawdoesnotstipulate thepermission
ofinvention useifanapplicant hasfailed toobtain apermission from therightpossessor on
reasonable terms.
- Paragraph (e):Article 7oftheLawonPatents forInventions provides foraconcession ofrights
onsuchemployment onlywithregard tothefirstemployment right.
- Paragraph (f):Article 25oftheLawprovides forsuchuseonlyincases ofnatural disasters.
- Paragraph (h): Articles 25and27oftheLawandPoint 6oftheResolution provide for
remuneration forsuchuseincasesofnatural disasters, employment overaperiod ofprovisional
protection validity, andinvention employment before thedateoffiling anapplication forpatent.
- Paragraph (j):Article 25oftheLawregulates theissues ofdispute settlement relating to
remuneration.
- Paragraph (l):Article 23oftheLawregulates onlygeneral issues ofgranting apermission
oninvention employment oncontract terms incases when apatent isusedbyother physical
orlegalpersons.
Question 145:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopy ofthislaw(adopted bytheSupreme Council
on5February 1993)?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page41
Answer:
Acopyofthislawisprovided inRussian andEnglish.
(f) Plant variety protection
Question 146:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus explain theprotection anddescribe thescope ofitsLawOn
theProtection ofVarieties ofPlants inrelation tothescope ofitspatent law?
Answer:
TheLawonProtection ofVarieties ofPlants wasadopted bytheSupreme Council on
13April 1995 andentered intoforce on1July1995.
Inaccordance withtheLaw, aplantvariety shallbegranted legalprotection where thevariety
isnew,distinct, uniform, andstable. Thevariety shallbedeemed tobenewif,onthedateonwhich
anapplication forthegrantofaplantpatent isfiled, nopropagating orharvested material ofthecreator ’s
heir.
Apatent fortheplant created byasalaried employee shallbegranted totheemployer ifthey
haveentered intoacontract thatsoprovides.
Thefollowing actsinrespect ofpropagating material oftheprotected variety shallrequire
authorization oftheowner oftheplant patent:
- production orreproduction (multiplication);
- conditioning forthepurposes ofpropagation;
- offering forsale;
- saleorother marketing;
- exporting;
- importing;
- stocking forthepurposes mentioned above.
Therights oftheowner oftheplant patent shallnotextend to:
- actsdoneprivately andfornon-commercial purposes;
- actsdoneforexperimental purposes;
- actsdoneforpurposes ofbreeding other varieties.
Theexamination ofanapplication shallrelate toformandtosubstance. Theformal examination
isperformed bythePatent Office, thesubstantive examination bytheStateCommission. Intheevent
ofdisagreement withtheexamination decision, theapplicant hastherighttoappeal totheAppellate
Board. Intheevent ofdisagreement withtheruling oftheAppellate Board, theapplicant mayappeal
before thecourts within aperiod ofoneyearfollowing thedateonwhich itwasreceived.
ThePatent Office shall, within aperiod ofsixmonths following thedateonwhich thedecision
togrant aplant patent istaken, publish theparticulars oftheplant patent initsofficial Bulletin.
Throughout theperiod ofitsvalidity, aplant patent shallbedeclared nullandvoidwhen it
isestablished:WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page42
- thattheconditions ofpatentability astonovelty anddistinctness oftheprotected variety were
notcomplied withatthetimeofthegrant oftheplant patent;
- thattheplant patent wrongly names thecreator ortheplant patent owner.
Opposition tothegrant oftheplantpatent shallbeconsidered bytheAppellate Board. Disputes
arising frominfringements oftheplantpatent legislation shallbewithin thejurisdiction ofthedistrict
(ormunicipal) courts, theMunicipal Tribunal ofMinsk, theregional courts, theSupreme Courts of
theRepublic ofBelarus andtheeconomic courts.
Question 147:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus provide acopyofthislaw,approved bytheSupreme Council
on15April 1995?
Answer:
Acopyofthislawisprovided inRussian andEnglish.
(g) Layout designs ofintegrated circuits
Question 148:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus bemore specific about theactual protection?
Answer:
Layout designs ofintegrated circuits areprotected asasubject ofthecopyright. Therefore
itsprotectionmechanismissimilartotheprotectionmechanismofanyotherintellectualpropertysubject.
Question 149:
What isthetimeframe forthenewdraft lawtobeapproved?
Answer:
AdraftLawonLayout Designs ofIntegrated Circuits andadraftLawonProtection ofUtility
Models arebeing elaborated bythePatent Office andaretobesubmitted totheSupreme Council for
consideration attheendof1996.
(h) Requirements onundisclosed information
Question 150:
Could theGovernment ofBelarus explain howthegeneral norms ofcriminal andcivillawprotect
undisclosed information? How does thisprotection compare with Article 39oftheTRIPS
Agreement?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page43
Answer:
Theprotection ofundisclosed information conforms toArticle 39oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Thegeneral norms oftheCriminal Code protect theundisclosed information byestablishing criminal
responsibility foritsdisclosure.
Thelegislation alsoregulates theorder ofcompensation forfinancial damage caused byillegal
disclosure.
(i) Other categories ofintellectual property
Question 151:
How areutility models presently protected?
Answer:
Atpresent, there isnoprotection ofutility models under Belarusian legislation. Formore
information, please seeReply 149.
Question 152:
What isthestate ofplayofthelegislative process concerning thedraft lawontheprotection of
utility models?
Answer:
SeeReply 149.
4. Enforcement
(a) Civil juridical procedures andremedies
Question 153:
Arethecivilprocedures before thecourts oftheRepublic ofBelarus inconformity withthegeneral
obligations ofTRIPS Article 41ss.?What aretheconditions ofaccess tothecourts forforeigners?
Arethere anyspecial conditions thatdiffer from those provided forintheParis Convention or
theTRIPS Agreements
Answer:
Thecivilprocedure before thecourts isinconformity withthegeneral obligations ofArticle 41
oftheTRIPS Agreement. Inaccordance withArticle 393oftheCivil Code, foreigners (both natural
persons andlegal entities) haveaccess tothecourts onthesame footing asnationals. There areno
special conditions which contradict theParisConvention ortheTRIPS Agreement. SeealsoReply 154.
Question 154:
Which arethecivilprocedures andremedies available (beyond WT/ACC/BLR/1)? Doforeigners
enjoy thesame treatment asBelarusian nationals? How dotheycompare withArticles 42to49
oftheTRIPS Agreement?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page44
Answer:
According toArticle 99oftheCivilCode oftheRepublic ofBelarus, acitizen hastheexclusive
righttobeincharge ofhisabilities toproductive andcreative work.
Inaccordance withArticle 136oftheCivilCode, theowner ofarightcanrequire theelimination
ofanyinfringement ofhisrights.
According toArticle 495oftheCivil Code, when acopyright orrelated right isinfringed,
theauthor or,afterhisdeath, hisheirsorother persons mentioned inArticle 478maydemand recovery
oftheinfringed right(e.g.anotice oftheinfringement isinserted inapublication inprintorelsewhere)
oraprohibition ofwork publication anddistribution.
Iflosses arecaused totheauthor orhisheirsbycopyright infringement (Article 211), theauthor
orhisheirs havearighttodemand compensation.
According toArticles 557and558oftheCivil Code, foreign citizens andpersons without
citizenship enjoy thesame rights asBelarusian nationals. Exceptions canbeestablished bylegislative
acts.
Furthermore, according toArticles 393and394oftheCivilProcedural Code, foreign citizens
andpersons without citizenship mayappeal tolegalcourts oftheRepublic ofBelarus andenjoy equal
civilproceduralrightsasBelarusiannationals.Foreignersmayspeakinlegalcourtspersonallyorthrough
theirrepresentatives.
(b) Provisional measures; administrative procedures andremedies; special border measures
Question 155:
Areprovisional measures provided forinthecivilandcriminal procedures? Ifnot,what isthe
intended timetable forintroducing them?
Answer:
Thecivilandcriminal legislation doesnotprovide forprovisional measures. Atpresent, there
isnotimetable forintroducing anyprovisional measures.
Question 156:
Doborder measures existfortheprotection ofintellectual property rights?
Answer:
TheLawonCopyright andRelated Rights contains anarticle thatprovides fortheprotection
ofintellectual property incaseofmovement ofgoods across theborder. TheLawprovides for
corresponding procedures concerning thesuspension bythecustoms authorities oftherelease ofthe
infringing goods bothintocirculation andforexportation from theterritory ofBelarus.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page45
Question 157:
Does theGovernment ofBelarus intend toprovide forprovisional measures (Article 50ofthe
TRIPS Agreement), administrative procedures andremedies (Article 49oftheTRIPS Agreement)
andborder measures (Articles 51to60oftheTRIPS Agreement)?
Answer:
Onprovisional measures andborder measures, please seeReplies 155and156.TheLawon
Copyright andRelated Rights provides foradministrative procedures andspecial measures applied
onthebasis oftheAdministrative Code articles.
(c) Criminal procedures
Question 158:
Which arethecriminal procedures andpenalties available against infringements ofintellectual
property rights? Doforeigners enjoy thesame treatment asBelarusian nationals? How dothese
procedures andpenalties compare withArticle 61oftheTRIPS Agreement?
Answer:
Article138oftheCriminalCodeprovidesforcriminalproceduresandpenaltiesforinfringement
ofintellectual property rights. Remedies include finesorimprisonment foraperiod ofupto2years.
Onthestatus offoreigners, please refertoReply 154.Belarusian legislation doesnotprovide forsuch
remedies astheseizure, forfeiture anddestruction oftheinfringing goods orrelated materials. The
existing criminal norms areregarded asasufficient deterrent.
5. Laws, Decrees, Regulations andOther Legal ActsRelating totheAbove
Question 159:
Does Belarus consider thecurrent domestic legalframework tobesufficient fortheadequate and
effective protection ofintellectual property rights? How does Belarus propose tocover any
deficiencies?
Answer:
Inaddition tothelawsalready adopted, Belarus iselaborating other provisions onprotection
ofintellectual property rights (please seeReply 149). After that,thedomestic legalframework will
beconsidered tobesufficient fortheadequate andeffective protection ofintellectual property rights.
Question 160:
What isthecurrent status ofwork onthelawoncopyright? Further information isrequired on
thecontent ofthislaw.
Answer:
SeeReply 139.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page46
Question 161:
When willspecific legislation beadopted fortheprotection oflayout-designs ofintegrated circuits?
Answer:
SeeReplies 148and149.
Question 162:
When willthenewlegislation fortheprotection ofgeographical indications beadopted?
Answer:
SeeReply 142.
Question 163:
Arethe"economic courts", acting asappellate bodies forappeals against administrative decisions
relating toindustrial designs, judicial authorities within themeaning ofTRIPS Article 62.5? What
istheir position within thejudicial orquasi-judicial system?
Answer:
Inaccordance withtheLawonPatents forInventions (Articles 15and18),theLawonPatents
forIndustrial Designs (Articles 11,12and15),theLawonTrademarks andService Marks (Articles 11
and24),adecision bythecommission ofexperts regarding theissuing ofpatents and/or registration
oftrademarks canbeappealed intheAppellate Board. TheAppellate Board decisions canbefurther
appealedinthePatentCourtswhichiscurrentlybeingestablished.Disputesarisingfromtheinfringement
ofthecorresponding legislation arewithin thejurisdiction ofmunicipal courts, regional courts orthe
Supreme Courts.
Question 164:
How doesthelawonpatents provide forthegrant ofcompulsory licences?
Answer:
Please seeReply 144.
Question 165:
Aretheresults ofclinical testsorother information disclosed under TRIPS Article 39.3likewise
protected?
Answer:
Yes.
Question 166:
Arethere anyindications when thenewdraft lawwillbeinforce?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page47
Answer:
SeeReply 128.
VI. TRADE-RELATED SERVICES REGIME
1. General
Question 167:
Belarus isrequested toprovide theWorking Party assoonaspossible withasubstantial initial
offer onservices intheGATS framework, binding liberal market access conditions andnational
treatment guarantees onanm.f.n. basis forforeign service suppliers.
Answer:
Belarus willengage inbilateral negotiations onitsspecific commitments when theWorking
Party reaches anadvanced stage initsexamination oftheforeign trade régime ofBelarus. Atpresent
theState programme ondevelopment ofservices sector isbeing elaborated.
2. Policies Affecting Trade inServices
(a) Government departments, agencies, professional associations
Question 168:
IsBelarus aparty toanyagreement concerning mutual recognition ofprofessional qualifications?
Answer:
Belarus isapartytotheUNESCO Convention ontherecognition oftraining courses certificates,
higher education diplomas anddegrees intheStates oftheregion ofEurope (Paris 1979).
Further, Belarus isasignatory totheMultilateral CISAgreement onCooperation intheSphere
ofLabour Migration andSocial Security ofMigrated Workers signed on15April 1994; byvirtue of
thisagreement, Belarus recognizes professional qualification certificates issued intheCISStates.
AnAgreement between theRepublic ofBelarus andtheRussian Federation onthemutual
recognition andequivalence ofeducation certificates anddegrees wasconcluded on27February 1996.
Question 169:
Belarus isrequested tosubmit adetailed description ofitsregulations applying tothefieldof
professional services.
Answer:
Activities inthefieldofprofessional services including conditions ofaccess andtreatment of
foreign suppliers inspecific sectors arecurrently regulated byanumber oflegalactswhich havealready
beenorarebeing submitted totheWTO Secretariat.
Thefollowing legalactsapply toprofessional services:WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page48
- LawonLegal Status ofForeign Nationals andPersons without Nationality of3June1993;
- LawonPrinciples ofState Civil Service of23November 1993;
- the"Provisional Regulation onProcedure ofIssuing Permissions (Licences) forProviding
Certain Services Activities" approved byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.386of
16October 1991 asamended byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.573of
22September 1992;
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.832of10December 1993 OnMeasures onthe
Regulation ofExternal Migration ofLabour;
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.456of21August 1995 OntheListofActivities
whose Performance Requires aSpecial Permit (Licence) andtheListofOrgans Issuing Such
Permits (Licences);
- LawonEnterprises intheRepublic ofBelarus of14December 1990.
Thefollowing legalactsapply toprofessional services ingeneral:
- LawonInvestment Activities intheRepublic ofBelarus of29May1991;
- LawonEmployment ofPopulation oftheRepublic ofBelarus of30May1991;
- LawonForeign Investment intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus of14November 1991;
- LawonJoint-Stock, Limited Liability andAdditional Liability Companies of9December 1992.
Fordetailed information, please refertothese legaltexts. TheGovernment ofBelarus stands
ready toprovide additional information onspecific questions.
Question 170:
Areforeigners granted freemarket access andnational treatment? Ifnot,what arethespecific
limitations? Donational requirements apply toother activities other thanattorney andnotary
services?
Answer:
National requirements alsoapply toemployment inthecivilservice which isreserved for
Belarusian nationals (theLawonPrinciples ofState Civil Service). Formore information, see
Section VI.3. ofWT/ACC/BLR/1.
Question 171:
Does Belarus intend tosubmit asubstantial offer onprofessional services intheframework of
theGATS, binding liberal market access conditions andnational treatment guarantees onanm.f.n.
basis forforeign service suppliers?
Answer:
SeeReply 167.
Question 172:
How doesBelarus goabout recognition ofqualifications? Does ithave, andifso,withwhom,
agreements and/or arrangements fortherecognition ofqualifications? Who isthecompetent
body/bodies inthisfield?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page49
Answer:
Thecompetent bodies inthefieldofprofessional qualifications aretheMinistry ofEducation,
theMinistry ofEconomy andtheMinistry ofLabour. Forinformation onagreements ontherecognition
ofqualifications, seeReply 168.
Question 173:
IsBelarus prepared tousephase-in arrangements intheservices sector where reforms arenot
yetcomplete, committing itself tofurther liberalisation within agiven timeframe?
Answer:
Given theweakness ofthepresent regulatory framework formost services, phase-in
arrangements willberequired forcommitments onliberalization intheservices sector.
Question 174:
Specifically inthefieldoftransport, could Belarus explain thecurrent régime applicable forthe
establishment ofroadhaulage operators wishing to(i)operate independently and(ii)toprovide
multimodal transport services inBelarus?
Answer:
Therégime applicable totheestablishment ofroadhaulage operators withrespect toregistration
requirements isidentical totheestablishment inanyother sector (seeWT/ACC/BLR/1 and,formore
details, theLawonForeign Investment intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus).
According toResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.456of21August 1995, roadhaulage
issubject tolicensing bytheMinistry ofTransport andCommunications. Theprecise conditions and
requirements forobtaining alicence arelaiddown inResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.386
of16October 1991 asamended byResolution No.573of22September 1992 (allsubmitted tothe
WTO Secretariat).
(c) Qualification requirements andprocedures, licensing andregistration requirements
Question 175:
Please provide adetailed listoftheservices activities subject toqualification, licensing and/or
registration requirements, andexplicate thecriteria andrequirements tobefulfilled inorder to
begranted alicence.
Answer:
Theservices activities subject tolicensing andthebodies responsible forissuing licences are
listed inResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.456of21August 1995. Theprocedure ofissuing
licences isregulated bytheProvisional Regulation onProcedure ofIssuing Permissions (Licences)
forProviding Certain Services Activities approved byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.386
of16October 1991. Copies ofthesedocuments havebeenprovided totheWTO Secretariat. Fordetailed
information, please refer tothese legal texts. TheGovernment ofBelarus stands ready toprovide
additional information onspecific questions.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page50
Question 176:
Arethose criteria andrequirements compatible withGATS Article VI(i.e.administered ina
reasonable, objective andimpartial manner; based onobjective andtransparent criteria, such
ascompetence andtheability tosupply theservice)? Docertain qualification, licensing or
registration requirements entail anelement ofquantitative market access restriction, suchasa
limitation onthenumber ofsuppliers allowed inagiven sector oraneconomic needs test?
Answer:
TheGovernment ofBelarus believes thatthese criteria andrequirements arecompatible with
GATS Article VI.Qualification, licensing orregulation requirements donotimply quantitative market
restrictions.
Question 177:
Areinsurers active inlifeinsurance allowed tooffer non-life insurance aswell? Arelicences
necessary intheinsurance sector inBelarus? Arelicences valid exclusively foroneorseveral types
ofinsurance activities?
Answer:
Licences arenecessary intheinsurance sector inBelarus. They arevalid exclusively forone
typeofinsurance activity. According totheLawonInsurance, insurers active inlifeinsurance are
allowed tooffer non-life insurance aswell.
Question 178:
Doesasystem oflicensing existinthetransport sector andintheother service sectors inBelarus?
Answer:
Railway transport enterprises areincluded inalistofenterprises, organizations andproperty
which arenotsubject toprivatization. Theabove-mentioned listwasapproved byResolution ofthe
Supreme Council No.2414-XII of16June1993 OnEnterprises (Associations), Organizations and
Property notSubject toDestatization andPrivatization.
Therailway system inBelarus isState-owned andprivatisation ispresently notforeseen.
Forlicensing requirements forpassenger andcargo roadtransport, seeReply 175.
Forlicensing requirements intheservices sector ingeneral, seeReply 175.
Question 179:
Could Belarus provide additional information concerning allforms ofsubsidies affecting trade
inservices?
Answer:
Thisinformation isnotavailable, mainly duetotheverylimited coverage ofthestatistics on
trade inservices (seealsoSections II.3.andII.4.ofWT/ACC/BLR/1).WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page51
Question 180:
What istheBelarusian regulatory system concerning temporary entry ofnatural persons forthe
purpose ofprovision ofservices?
Answer:
Temporary entry andstayofnatural persons forthepurpose ofproviding services isregulated
bytheLawonLegal Status ofForeign Citizens andPersons without Citizenship intheRepublic of
Belarus. Abusiness visaisissued forupto90daysonthebasis ofaninvitation issued byanylegal
person (i.e.anadministrative, economic orcommercial structure orpublic organization). Subject to
permission oftheConsular Department oftheMinistry ofForeign Affairs, amultiple entry visamay
beissued foruptooneyear.
Employment visas areissued bytheConsular Department oftheMinistry ofForeign Affairs
ifanemployer hasalicence oftheState Migration Service oftheRepublic ofBelarus. Seealso
Reply 183.
Question 181:
How isthemarket offoreign labour force regulated inBelarus? Does aspecific quota for
employment offoreign nationals exist inBelarus? Isissuance ofawork permit, ifsuchexists,
subject toaneconomic needs test?
Answer:
Themarket offoreign labour force isregulated bythefollowing legaldocuments:
- LawonEmployment intheRepublic ofBelarus;
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.832of10December 1992OnRegulation ofForeign
Labour Migration;
- theLawonLegal Status ofForeign Citizens andPersons without Citizenship regulates issues
oftheentrance offoreign nationals forthepurpose ofemployment.
There isnospecific quota fortheemployment offoreign nationals. However, given therising
unemployment inBelarus, employment offoreign labour depends ontheprospective employer
demonstrating thatasufficient labour supply doesnotexistlocally. SeealsoReply 180.
Question 182:
HasBelarus signed anyinternational agreement concerning employment offoreign labour?
Answer:
TheRepublic ofBelarus hassigned theCISAgreement onCo-operation intheSphere of
Employment ofForeign Labour which isbased onthemain documents oftheUNonhuman rights,
andontheILOprinciples.
Question 183:
Howisatemporary entry andstayofexecutive andsenior managers asaform ofintra-corporate
transferees regulated inBelarus?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page52
Answer:
SeeReply 180.Inforeign enterprises with100percentforeign capital, executive andsenior
managers maybeemployed withnospecial permission fromtheStateMigration Service oftheMinistry
ofLabour. Specialists ofordinary professions maybeemployed onthebasis ofalicence issued by
theState Migration Service oftheMinistry ofLabour.
(d) Monopolies andexclusive service suppliers
Question 184:
With regard tothetelecommunications sector, could Belarus explain further thecurrent situation
within themarket byfilling outtheattached table (Annex A)explaining thecurrent situation
vis-a-vis themain actors, thestatus ofinfrastructure, andthestatus ofliberalization inthesector?
Answer:
Arequired tableisattached.
(g) Capital transactions affecting thesupply ofservices
Question 185:
Could Belarus explain ingreater detail thecriteria fordeciding whether acapital export bya
legal person isinthenational interest ofthecountry?
Answer:
There arenospecific criteria fordetermining whether capital exports bylegal persons suit
thenational interests. Such decisions aretaken onacase-by-case basis upon submission ofallthe
documents listed inRegulation oftheNational Bank No.302of1April 1994 OnOrder ofCarrying
outCurrency Transactions related toCapital Movement. SeealsoReply 192.
3. Market Access andNational Treatment
(c) Limitations onparticipation offoreign capital
Question 186:
Establishment ofrepresentative offices: please specify thecriteria andrequirements tobefulfilled
inorder tobegranted anauthorization bytheMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations.
Answer:
Establishment ofrepresentative offices isregulated bytheProvision OnOrder oftheProcedure
ofEstablishment andActivity ofForeign Representatives, Organisations andtheirSubsidiaries inthe
Republic ofBelarus approved byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.242of21June1991.
Anenterprise wishing toestablish arepresentative office should apply totheMinistry ofForeign
Economic Relations andpresent thefollowing documents:
- anapplication;
- guarantee paper;
- acopyoffoundation documents;WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page53
- atrade register extract (oranyother documents ofStateregistration issued bytheauthorised
body oftheapplicant ’scountry).
Thedocuments aretobelegalized andtranslated intoRussian orBelarusian language. The
onlyrequirements forregistration aresubmission ofthedocuments andpayment ofafee.Adecision
onregistration must betaken bytheMinistry within onemonth ofthedateonwhich alldocuments
aresubmitted.
Question 187:
Could Belarus provide details oftheregistration process andtherequirements forregistration
ofjointventures andwholly-owned foreign enterprises asalegalperson bytheMinistry ofForeign
Affairs?
Answer:
Inaccordance withArticle 9oftheLawonForeign Investment intheTerritory oftheRepublic
ofBelarus, theMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations registers enterprises withforeign investment.
Thefollowing documents aretobesubmitted fortheregistration ofbothforeign-owned enterprises
andjointventures:
- anapplication;
- certified copies offoundation documents (induplicate);
- forlegalpersons alegalised trade register extract (translated intoBelarusian orRussian), or
anyother registration document from thehome country oftheapplicant; fornatural persons
acopyofthepassport;
- proof ofpayment ofaregistration feeof8minimum salaries.
Question 188:
Could Belarus givedetails ofhowanauthorization toestablish arepresentative office isobtained
from theMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations andanyrequirements thatneedtobefulfilled?
Answer:
SeeReply 186.
(d) Measures providing forlessthannational treatment
Question 189:
Foreign natural persons have theright offreeaccess totheservices market andaresubject to
Belarusian labour regulations -could Belarus clarify whether aspects ofthese regulations might
bedifficult forforeign natural persons legal entities tomeet?
Answer:
SeeReplies 180and181.Labour market regulations werenotdesigned tocause anyproblems
toforeign nationals.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page54
Main services sub-sectors
Question 190:
Could youplease giveabriefdescription ofthesituation inthemain services sub-sectors (according
totheW120list), specifying inparticular themarket access ofnational treatment restrictions
prevailing ineachsub-sector.
Answer:
Allcurrent market access restrictions andexceptions from national treatment arelisted
exhaustively inWT/ACC/BLR/1. Fordetailed information onthree important services sub-sectors,
seeReply 191.TheGovernment ofBelarus stands ready tosupply additional information onother
specific sub-sectors thatmaybeofinterest toWorking Party members.
Question 191:
Please provide information onaregulatory framework withrespect tothefollowing service sectors:
(i)securities market, (ii)tourism, (iii)construction sector.
Answer:
Thefollowing legislative actsapply tothethree sectors:
(i) Securities
- LawonSecurities andStock; allother regulations arebased onthislaw.
- Rules onSecurities Registration andIssue intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus issued
bytheMinistry ofFinance on15November 1995.
- Requirements totheContent ofaSecurities Issue Prospectus issued bytheState Inspection
onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on19November 1992.
- Unified Requirements toSecurities Market Professional Participants, Stock Exchange, their
Managers andEmployees issued bytheStateInspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance
on30March 1994.
- Provisional Procedures forLicensing Professional andExchange Activities onSecurities issued
bytheState Inspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on31March 1994.
- Provisional Unified Standard Rules onSecurities Operations, Record-keeping andAccounting
issued bytheState Inspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on29July1993.
- Procedures forAttestation ofSecurities Market Professional Participants approved bythe
Ministry ofFinance (No.81of10July1996).
Thelicensing ofprofessional activities onsecurities iscarried outbytheState Inspection on
Securities oftheMinistry ofFinance. Themainsubstantial condition forissueofalicence isasuccessful
passofanexamination withtheStateInspection onSecurities. Professional activity without alicence
isnotallowed. SeealsoReply 197.
(ii) Tourism
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.386of16October 1991OnLicensing Regulation,
amended byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.573of21September 1992.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page55
- Order oftheMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations No.04/10 of15January 1992 On
Intermediate Activities inForeign Trade Operations Licensing.
- Order oftheMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations No.06/15 of7October 1992OnIssue
ofLicences onCarrying outInternational Tourist Activity.
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.456of21August 1995 OntheListofActivities
whose Performance Requires aSpecial Permit (Licence) andtheListofOrgans Issuing Such
Permits (Licences).
InDecember 1995 theMinistry ofForeign Economic Relations oftheRepublic ofBelarus
elaborated theInstruction onOrder ofIssueofLicences onCarrying outInternational Tourist Activity.
With theestablishment oftheMinistry ofSports andTourism, State regulation functions in
thesphere oftourism weredelegated tothisMinistry. Inaccordance withResolution oftheCabinet
ofMinisters No.453of10July1996, theMinistry haselaborated theInstruction onOrder ofIssue
ofPermissions (Licences) onCarrying outTourist Activities intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus.
Resolutions oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.456,No.346andNo.101wereamended. The
Ministry haselaborated Provisional Rules onActivities intheSphere ofTourism intheTerritory of
theRepublic ofBelarus which aretobeadopted upon publication ofthecorresponding Resolution of
theCabinet ofMinisters.
(iii) Construction
- LawonMotor-roads of2December 1994:
- LawonInvestment Activities intheRepublic ofBelarus of29May1993;
- Resolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.386of16October 1991OnLicensing Regulation,
amended byResolution oftheCabinet ofMinisters No.573of22September 1992.
Additional questions onfinancial services
Question 192:
Belarus indicated thataspecial authorization from theNational Bank forcapital exports bylegal
persons isgranted ifthetransfer isintheinterest ofthecountry. Under theGATS (seeinparticular
Article XIandfootnote 8toArticle XVI), capital transfers related tospecific commitments shall
notberestricted andshould thusnotbesubject tosuchanational interest test.CanBelarus indicate
whether itnevertheless intends tomaintain theauthorization requirements?
Answer:
Apermission bytheNational Bank isrequired onlyforcapital exports byBelarusian legal
persons. Thisrestriction isconsidered necessary duetotheserious balance-of-payments situation
(cf.Article IIGATS). Once Belarus undertakes specific commitments regarding tradeinservices (see
Reply 167), Belarus willexamine carefully whether therestriction canbelifted totheextent necessary
inorder nottoaffect thecommitments undertaken.
Inaccordance withArticle 15oftheLawonBanks andBanking Activity, theNational Bank
oftheRepublic ofBelarus issues apermission tosaleandpurchase resources outside Belarus. These
activities arecarried outbycommercial banks.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page56
Question 193:
CanBelarus explain itsgeneral statement thatforeign investors aregranted national treatment,
when, ontheother hand, foreign participation ininsurance companies islimited to49percent?
Isthisceiling applied inanon-discriminatory way?
Answer:
Foreign participation ininsurance companies isoneofseveral exceptions tonational treatment
(seeReply 28fordetails). Theceiling of49percentininsurance companies (Article 6oftheLaw
onInsurance) isapplied inanon-discriminatory way.
Question 194:
Wewould welcome further information withrespect totheestablishment offoreign institutions:
Isacquisition ofalocally established company permitted, andifso,doanyrestrictive
measures apply, suchas,forexample, aceiling onforeign participation?
Doanyceilings apply onforeign shareholding injoint-venture banks?
Aremerchant banks permitted? TheMemorandum onlyrefers tocommercial banks;
Willforeign financial institutions bepermitted toopenbranches ineachofthesub-sectors
without prior establishment ofalocal subsidiary inBelarus (direct branching)?
Answer:
(i) Foreign investors mayparticipate intheprivatization ofStateenterprises under thefollowing
conditions:
- when State enterprises aretransformed intojoint-stock companies, theforeign share isnot
limited;
- when foreign investors acquire shares injoint-stock companies fromablock ofshares owned
bytheState, thenforeign participation islimited totheblock ofshares belonging totheState
minus whatever share theState wishes tomaintain tosafeguard itsinterests intheparticular
company.
(ii) Themaximumforeignshareinbankswithmixedcapital(jointventure)is49percent.However,
wholly foreign-owned banks (i.e.with100percentforeign capital) mayalsobeestablished inBelarus.
(iii) Under present Belarusian legislation, thereisnodistinction between merchant andcommercial
banks.
(iv) Foreign banks arepermitted toopenbranches without priorestablishment ofalocalsubsidiary.
Question 195:
Representative offices onlygetatime-limited authorization which maybeprolonged after three
years. Docomparable restrictions apply tolicensing ofother forms ofestablishment, such as
branches andsubsidiaries?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page57
Answer:
Representative offices getatime-limited authorization which maybeprolonged inregular
intervalsofthreeyears.Similarrestrictionsdonotexistforotherformsofestablishmentsuchasbranches
orsubsidiaries.
Question 196:
CanBelarus provide further information withrespect tothecurrently applied régime asregards
cross-border trade: iscross-border trade permitted, canforeign banks andinsurance companies
provide services inBelarus without prior establishment asasubsidiary orbranch?
Answer:
Inthepresent legislation there arenospecific limitations tocross-border measures.
Under present Belarusian legislation, foreign insurance companies arenotallowed torender
services inBelarus without prior branch orsubsidiary establishment. With respect tobanking, see
Reply 194.
Question 197:
TheMemorandum doesnotcontain anyspecific information withregard tosecurities activities.
Could Belarus provide further details about theexisting régime inthissector, namely asregards
market access andnational treatment, anditspossible binding intheGATS? Could Belarus also
clarify qualification requirements, licensing andregistration procedures? (Dothese conditions,
determined atministerial levelthrough orders andinstruction -provide legal security?)
Answer:
Thefollowing legislative actsapply tothesecurities market:
- LawonSecurities andStock of12March 1992 (asamended on28June1996); allother
regulations arebased onthislaw;
- Rules onSecurities Registration andIssue intheTerritory oftheRepublic ofBelarus issued
bytheMinistry ofFinance on15November 1995;
- Requirements totheContent ofaSecurities Issue Prospectus issued bytheState Inspection
onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on19November 1992;
- Unified Requirements toSecurities Market Professional Participants, Stock Exchange, their
Managers andEmployees issued bytheStateInspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance
on30March 1994;
- Provisional Procedures forLicensing Professional andExchange Activities onSecurities issued
bytheState Inspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on31March 1994;
- Provisional Unified Standard Rules onSecurities Operations, Record-keeping andAccounting
issued bytheState Inspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance on29July1993.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page58
Thelicensing ofprofessional activities onsecurities iscarried outbytheStateInspection on
Securities oftheMinistry ofFinance. Themainsubstantial condition forissueofalicence isasuccessful
passofanexamination withtheStateInspection onSecurities. Professional activity without alicence
isnotallowed.
Securities circulation (shares andobligations) intheRepublic ofBelarus isregulated bythe
LawonSecurities andStock. Thislawalsoregulates professional activities onsecurities licensing,
registration, issue andcirculation procedures.
Theregistration ofsecurities issue, except forStateandNational Bank securities, isconducted
bytheStateInspection onSecurities oftheMinistry ofFinance. Toissuesecurities, commercial banks
musthaveapermission oftheNational BankoftheRepublic ofBelarus. Theissueofcommercial banks
certificates ofdeposit andbillsistoberegistered withtheNational Bank anddealtwithonthebasis
ofitsRegulation No.615of9October 1995. SeealsoReply 191.
LicensingofprofessionalactivitiesonsecuritiesiscarriedoutbytheStateInspectiononSecurities
oftheMinistry ofFinance.
According totheexisting regulations ontheprocedure ofcarrying outcurrency operations
related tocapital movement, allsuchcurrency operations, including fornon-residents, arecarried out
onlyonthebasis ofaNational Bank licence andconducted through theBelarusian banks indicated
inthelicence.
Quotas onsecurities import andexport aredetermined annually bytheCabinet ofMinisters
andNational Bank resolutions. SeealsoReply 191.
VII. INSTITUTIONAL BASE FOR TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH THIRD
COUNTRIES
2. Economic Integration, Customs Union andFreeTrade Area Agreements (pages 30-31)
Question 198:
AnAgreement onaCustoms Union between Belarus andtheRussian Federation wassigned on
6January 1995. What isthecurrent situation oftheimplementation ofthisagreement? What
does"theharmonization, inter alia,oflegislation affecting foreign trade" exactly mean?
Answer:
"Harmonization"offoreigntradelegislationmeansthatthepartiestotheAgreementEstablishing
aCustoms Union adopt uniform national rulesontariffs andnon-tariff measures affecting foreign trade.
Question 199:
Belarus hassigned several agreements within theframework oftheCISwhich canberegarded
aseconomic integration agreements. What isthelevelofthisintegration? Inwhich wayarethose
agreements inaccordance withArticle XXIV ofGATT?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page59
Answer:
Thebasic instrument ofCIScountries integration isanagreement onafreetrade area. The
agreement signed on15April 1994 within theCISframework isregarded asastarting point for
progressive economic integration. Theagreement provides for:
- cancellation ofcustoms duties andfees;
- elimination ofobstacles tothefreetransfer ofgoods andservices;
- creation anddevelopment ofasystem ofmutual settlement andpayment fortradetransactions;
- co-ordination ofthetrade policy inrespect tothirdcountries;
- co-ordination oftheeconomic policy totheextent necessary toachieve theobjectives ofthe
agreement.
TheAgreement creates afreetrade areaamong theCISStates inaccordance withArticle 24
ofGATT 1994.
Question 200:
Belarus hasconcluded freetrade agreements withRussia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan andMoldova.
There isnotsuchanagreement withGeorgia andAzerbaijan. What aretheeconomical relations
between those countries andBelarus? AndwhyareArmenia andKazakhstan notmentioned in
thelistoftrade andinvestment agreements?
Answer:
Bilateral freetrade agreements between Belarus andtheRussian Federation, theUkraine,
UzbekistanandMoldovaweresignedin1992and1993.Thesebilateralagreementshavebeensuperseded
bythemultilateral FreeTrade AreaAgreement signed on15April 1994 byallmember States ofthe
CIS,including Azerbaijan andGeorgia (seeReply 199).
ArmeniaandKazakhstanaremembersoftheAgreementonCooperationinInvestmentActivities
of24December 1993 between the12CISmember States. ThisAgreement wasinitially signed for
aperiod of5years andwillbeextended automatically foranother 5years subject tomutual consent.
Question 201:
Please specify whether andtowhat extent thecited bi-,plurilateral andeconomic integration
agreements cover trade inservices.
Answer:
None oftheeconomic integration agreements covers trade inservices.
Question 202:
Itisnoted thatKazakhstan hasnotbeenincluded inthelistofcountries withwhich Belarus has
atrade agreement (Annex 6).What isthereason forthisomission?
Answer:
Trade relations withKazakhstan areregulated bytheCISFreeTrade Area Agreement of
15April 1994. TheRepublic ofKazakhstan isalsoaparty totheAgreement onaCustoms Union ofWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page60
20January 1995andtotheAgreement between Republic ofBelarus, Republic ofKazakstan, Republic
ofKyrgyzstan andRussian Federation onCloser Integration inEconomic andHumanitarian Areas,
signed on29March 1996
Question 203:
DotheFreeTrade Agreements withMoldova, Ukraine andUzbekistan gobeyond theprovisions
oftheFTA withtheCIS? Please provide details.
Answer:
These agreements provide forarégime similar totheCISFreeTrade Area Agreement and
were concluded attherequest ofthese countries toregulate thetrade régime bilaterally.
Question 204:
Please provide theWorking Party withthetexts ofallFTAs towhich Belarus isaParty.
Answer:
Texts arebeing submitted totheWTO Secretariat.
Question 205:
Towhat extent doesBelarus believe thatitisa"Customs Territory" within theWTO definition
given itsparticipation inaCustoms Union withRussia andKazakhstan?
Answer:
Belarus regards itself asasovereign State withaseparate customs territory, possessing full
autonomy intheconduct ofitsexternal economic relations aswellasinother matters covered inthe
WTO Agreements.
Question 206:
Please provide theWorking Party withthetextoftheCustoms Union Agreement andallrelated
legislative andadministrative acts.
Answer:
ThetextoftheAgreement Establishing aCustoms Union between theRepublic ofBelarus
andtheRussianFederationhasalreadybeensubmittedbytheRussianFederationtotheWTOSecretariat.
Question 207:
PleaseprovidedetailedinformationonthetimetableforeseenintheCustomsUnionforharmonising
legislation affecting foreign trade. How willfuture amendments ofnewlegislation bedealt with
bytheCustoms Union? How doesBelarus intend toproceed intheWorking Party discussions
inthelightofthiscommitment toharmonize legislation?WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page61
Answer:
Uptonowthere hasbeen noprecise schedule fortheharmonization oflegislation. The
Agreement Establishing aCustoms Union onlystipulates theconditions andcriteria thathavetobe
metinorder toproceed toafurther stageofintegration. Nevertheless, Belarus andRussia holdregular
consultations todiscuss theirWTO accession negotiations andtotakeintoaccount relevant provisions
tobereflected innational legislation.
Question 208:
Candetails oftheBelarus/Russia Customs Union beprovided? Forexample, within what time
frame isitintended thattheUnion beachieved (page 30)?
Answer:
SeeReplies 198and207.WT/ACC/BLR/2
Page62
ANNEX A
QUESTIONNAIRE ONREGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Table 1. Institutional Actors intheTelecommunications Market
Regulatory
BodiesMinistry ofCommunications andInformation Technology
oftheRepublic ofBelarus
Operators
Licensed for
Fixed NetworksPSTN:
State corporation
BELTELECOMAlternative Infrastructure:
NoCable TV:
No
Operators
Licensed for
Mobile
NetworksAnalogue: Belarusian-
Holland jointventure
BELCEL
GSM: No
DCS 1800: No
Paging (local) :RRTPC;
SOLID Co.;
Belarusian-Former
Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia jointventure
VESSO-BEL;
Enterprise KVARC;
MDF COMMUNICATION
jointstock Co.;MOBILE
COMMUNICATIONS joint
stock venture; OMISS
COMPANY LtdRDSM
Ltd
RRTPC (RDS standard)Satellite:
State corporation
BELTELECOM
Main
Competitors for
ServicesVoice Telephony:
NoData Communications:
21licences havebeengrantedVPN:
Equipment
ManufacturersNetwork Equipment:
NoTechnical Equipment:
BELELECTROPRIBOR Co.;
Corporation INTEGRAL;
Corporation PROMSVYAZ;
TERMOPLAST works;
DUPLET jointventure;
MEGOM works; MPOVT;
ELECTRONICA worksWT/ACC/BLR/2
Page63
Table 2. Status ofInfrastructure
2.1. Configuration
Fixed Networks Common usenetworks
Departmental networks
Radio-Based Networks Wireless radio broadcasting networks
Wire radio broadcasting networks
Mobile landradio networks
2.2. Regulation
Telecommunications
Infrastructure
(Monopoly/Competition)Monopoly exists onPSTN, long-distance andinternational
communications (ROA -Beltelecom). Licences aregranted on
PABX construction andmaintenance (84licences)
UseofAlternative
Infrastructures for
Telecommunications,
e.g.motorways, railways,
electricity utilities,
oilindustryTechnological electrical networks oftheMinistry
ofTransport andCommunications (motorways,
railways) arenotusedtoletthrough thecommon use
telecommunications traffic. Departmental networks areconnected
tothecommon usenetworks (PSTM). There isaproject of
construction ofatechnological communications linealongside
“Yamal-Europe ”main gaspipeline.
Theissue ofitspossible useforletting through
thetelecommunications traffic isbeing negotiated
UseofCATV networks
fortelecommunicationsNotused
Table 3. Status ofLiberalisation -Services
Reserved Services Long-distance andinternational communications services
Liberalised Services:
FixedThere isapossibility toliberalise services rendering
attheleveloflocaltelephone networks
which areconnected tothecommon usenetwork (PSTN)
Liberalised Services:
MobilesLocal networks
Paging networks
Liberalised Services:
SatellitesNotatthemoment. Limited liberalisation atthelevelofsatellite
VSAT systems creation ispossible inthefuture. Atpresent, an
application foralicence onrendering satellite communications
services isexamined
Table 4. Announced Liberalisation
Infrastructure andServices Thesharing andpartial privatization ofthestatecorporation
BELTELECOM isnotenvisaged