WRITTEN QUESTION E-3311/01 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Russian membership of the WTO.
Date: 2001-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Russia, World Trade Organisation, international relations, the EU's international role

C 229 E/12

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

The Swedish authorities were therefore obliged to postpone the adoption of the two notified drafts until
11 January 2002 and 14 January 2002 respectively. Given that the Community’s activities had not been
completed by these dates, the standstill obligations lapse and the Swedish authorities are thus able to
finalise at national level the legislation whose adoption had been postponed, and move on to adopting the
technical regulation.

The Commission therefore considers that the Swedish Government could not adopt the drafts in question
before these dates without infringing its obligations under Community law, particularly the procedure laid
down in Directive 98/34/EC.

(1) OJ C 29 E, 30.1.2001.
(2) OJ L 204, 21.7.1998.

(2002/C 229 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3311/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Subject: Russian membership of the WTO

The occasion of the most recent Davos World Economic Forum, which was, for the first time ever, held in
Moscow, was used by the Russian President to intensify Russia’s campaign for integration into the global
economy.

Russian membership of
the present government’s economic
modernisation policy, and the Russian President visibly showed a certain impatience on the subject at the
World Economic Forum.

the WTO is one of

the priorities of

Can the Commission explain the EU’s position on the matter? Does the Commission consider that Russia’s
aspiration to become a WTO member is likely to be satisfied in the foreseeable future, recalling that the
Russian President has complained that his country is being asked to fulfil conditions which have not been
applied to other countries?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2002)

The Union fully supports the objective of Russian membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on
commercially-viable terms. Negotiations for Russia’s accession have been taking place for some years, but
the Russian Government’s current programme of economic reform and other legislative changes have
certainly given new impetus to the process. Following the Union/Russia Summit on 3 October 2001, the
Commission has taken further concrete initiatives to support an acceleration of negotiations. Accordingly,
the Union has undertaken to present Russia with a comprehensive set of requests by the end of 2001.
These will provide a basis for further intensive bilateral negotiations and they will also feed into the
preparation in Geneva of a first draft of the report of the WTO Working Party that is considering Russia’s
accession request.

The Commission considers that any deadline for the completion of the WTO accession process would be
inherently arbitrary; what is more important is that the Union remains fully engaged in the process,
including through the provision of technical assistance that will help Russia achieve the capacity to
implement and enforce the obligations of WTO membership. The terms of Russia’s accession to the WTO
will be determined by negotiations in the WTO Working Party. The outcome of these negotiations cannot
be predicted with accuracy at this time.

The Member of the Commission in charge with Trade had the opportunity to explain a number of these
points to the Russian Minister for Trade, Mr German Gref, during his visit to Moscow on 5 December
2001. The Commission looks forward to maintaining the current impetus towards Russian accession: it is
strongly supportive of Russian efforts.