Russia was accused of violating international trade obligations.
The world trade organization upheld the EU’s position in the dispute with Russia over import duties.
As noted, the EU at the end of October 2014 appealed to the WTO with a lawsuit against Russia, accusing the recovery of high tariffs on such goods as paper, cardboard, palm oil and its fractions, refrigerators and freezers.
The WTO panel broadly supported the EU in a dispute over tariffs imposed by Russia on imports of certain agricultural and industrial products. The members of the panel decided that 11 of 12 of the measures being debated at the time of establishment of the panel is not consistent with the obligations of Russia to the WTO.
It is reported that this is the first decision of the WTO panel against Russia since its accession in 2012.
Note, the EU insisted that Moscow’s actions had a negative impact on exports worth 600 million euros annually. European officials assured that the dispute has no political overtones.