Belarus to join WTO before 2026 – government
<p> MINSK, Jan 6 - PrimePress. The government of Belarus plans to bring the national legislation in line with the commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and accede to the WTO before 2026, according to the government action plan for the period to 2025 approved by Council of Ministers’ resolution No.758 of December 24, 2020 posted on the National Legal Internet Portal. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, Belarus applied for the accession to the WTO in 1993, and has accelerated the required internal procedures in recent years. Belarus expected to complete the accession talks at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference held on June 8-11, 2020 in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan), which was canceled due to the pandemic. After the presidential election in Belarus on August 9, 2020 and the crackdown on peaceful protests that followed, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and their allies imposed sanctions against Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, and some companies associated with them. The position of these is of essence in the WTO. </p> <p> </p> <p> The action plan envisages the formation of a full-fledged economic union within the Eurasian Economic Union and expansion of trade and economic cooperation with China, in particular, as part of the planned bilateral agreement with China on free trade in services and investments. </p> <p> </p> <p> Agreements on free trade in services and investments are also planned with Turkey, Singapore and other countries, and free trade agreements with Israel, Egypt and India. </p> <p> </p> <p> The government also plans negotiations with Indonesia, Mongolia, Algeria and the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. </p> <p> </p> <p> The government of Belarus expects exports to reach $50 billion in 2025. In January-October 2020, Belarus’ exports of goods and services amounted to $29.854 billion, including goods worth $22.786 billion. In 2019, exports of goods and services totaled $41.966 billion, including goods worth $32.315 billion. End </p>
2021-01-07
Primepress
MINSK, Jan 6 - PrimePress. The government of Belarus plans to bring the national legislation in line with the commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and accede to the WTO before 2026, according to the government action plan for the period to 2025 approved by Council of Ministers’ resolution No.758 of December 24, 2020 posted on the National Legal Internet Portal.
As previously reported, Belarus applied for the accession to the WTO in 1993, and has accelerated the required internal procedures in recent years. Belarus expected to complete the accession talks at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference held on June 8-11, 2020 in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan), which was canceled due to the pandemic. After the presidential election in Belarus on August 9, 2020 and the crackdown on peaceful protests that followed, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and their allies imposed sanctions against Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, and some companies associated with them. The position of these is of essence in the WTO.
The action plan envisages the formation of a full-fledged economic union within the Eurasian Economic Union and expansion of trade and economic cooperation with China, in particular, as part of the planned bilateral agreement with China on free trade in services and investments.
Agreements on free trade in services and investments are also planned with Turkey, Singapore and other countries, and free trade agreements with Israel, Egypt and India.
The government also plans negotiations with Indonesia, Mongolia, Algeria and the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.
The government of Belarus expects exports to reach $50 billion in 2025. In January-October 2020, Belarus’ exports of goods and services amounted to $29.854 billion, including goods worth $22.786 billion. In 2019, exports of goods and services totaled $41.966 billion, including goods worth $32.315 billion. End