Russia will protect its market in case of EU association with Georgia and Ukraine

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev demanded to take an urgent decision on protection of Russian market over Moldova’s association deal with the European Union, the Russian prime minister said at a meeting with the deputy prime ministers on Monday.
“With due account of the factor of time and Moldovan parliament’s ratification of this document (the Association Agreement) and further ratification by EU parliament we should take a decision to this effect as quickly as possible,” the prime minister noted.
Medvedev noted that mechanisms of taking such measures are envisaged in regulatory acts of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and the World Trade Organisation.
“Naturally, such issues should be settled in debate with our partners in the Customs Union,” the prime minister noted.
Meanwhile, Moldova’s association deal with the European Union will affect quite seriously its relations with the Customs Union states and a customs trade zone in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the prime minister said.
“It is obvious that this will affect it [Moldova] quite seriously in trade and economic relations with other participants of international ties, including the Customs Union states and member states of the CIS Free Trade Zone Treaty,” he said.
Medvedev recalled that Moldovan parliament had ratified the Association Agreement with the European Union several days ago.
The prime minister noted that under the association deal Moldova should introduce quicker European technical regulations and standards which did not meet Russian and Customs Union rules. “European produce re-export under the brand of Moldovan products is also quite possible to the Customs Union states. Other consequences that we do not feel now may follow,” Medvedev noted, adding that in this situation it was needed to scrutinise all possible risks and take measures to ensure reliable protection of Russian market, primarily agrarian market.

Moldova’s association with the European Union will affect greatly its relations with the countries of the Customs Union and the CIS customs trade zone, he added.
The Council of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will debate possible protective measures in trade relations with Moldova on July 16, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
“As for possible protective measures in trade relations with Moldova the issue will be considered at a council’s meeting on July 16,” Shuvalov said, noting that specific materials had already been submitted for debate.