Azarov: EU sets quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products
2011-03-02 15:01:36
The European Union sets quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said at a government meeting on Wednesday.
He recalled that another round of talks between Ukraine and the EU, headed by Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Andriy Kliuyev, on the signing of a free trade agreement had started in Brussels on March 2.
Azarov noted that several recent rounds of talks had been very constructive and that 90% of issues on the signing of the agreement had currently been agreed.
"However, there are some fundamental issues on which Ukraine has a principled position. The EU actually puts a quota curtain for the Ukrainian agricultural industry, for example, for the provision of such services as road transportation. We do not agree to such an asymmetric restriction of access to markets. Our products and services should not be in the reserves. The agreement at any price is not necessary for Ukraine. We realize that a free trade area with the EU can be created this year, but this requires a constructive dialogue," the prime minister said.