Media reported on “secret proposals” on the Moscow Association of Ukraine and the EU – RBC

The EU flag on the building of the Verkhovna Rada. Archival photo

Photo: TASS

On the “secret proposals”, which allegedly came from the Russian side, Spiegel reported, citing sources in the European Commission. According to the newspaper, the document contains 52 pages of suggestions on the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Ukraine.

The publication does not result in detailed proposals of Russia. According to the source Spiegel, the project “Russia is an attempt to preserve their interests” after the entry into force of the economic articles of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. Source publication argues that Brussels accepted the proposals of Moscow are skeptical because they “put on the EU and Ukraine unilateral commitments” before Russia.

Spiegel reported the letter to European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, the chairman of the Committee on Trade of the European Parliament Benrdtu Lange, in which she describes the proposed Russian variant of settlement of trade relations as “unacceptable».

The Ministry of Economic Development information on “secret proposals” by Russia over the removal of trade risks after the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine EU refutes. According to Deputy Economic Development Minister Alexei Likhachev, “wonder why they called the document a secret, it is completely open, we are working with him and consulting business in many ways,” RIA Novosti reported. Likhachev also noted that he had no information that Moscow’s proposals have been rejected or accepted, since the context of negotiations “does not imply the acceptance or rejection of Russian proposals».

The Association Agreement in Ukraine and the EU was signed in Brussels in June 2014 and entered into force on 1 November 2014. It was planned that from November will earn all the articles of the Association Agreement, including economic (which included the creation of a free trade area between the EU and Ukraine). The Russian side said that if a free trade zone will work in November 2014, Russia will be forced to introduce duties on Ukrainian goods. As a result of negotiations between representatives of the European Commission, Ukraine and the Russian side of 12 September 2014 agreed to postpone the application of the free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine until 31 December 2015.