24 February 2017, Friday, 15:00 103

European Business Association Committee Head Tsyprik: No Sense In Imposing Export Duties In Place Of Moratorium On Timber Export

The head of the woodworking and furniture sector committee of the European Business Association Bohdan Tsyprik finds no sense in imposing export duties in place of the moratorium on the export of unprocessed timber, favours its preservation.

He said this in an interview for Ukrainian News Agency.

Most of the bill's positions concern state registration of the contract, and the proposed rate of export duties is just nominal and will not influence the amount of raw material taken away from the country.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, draft law No.6035 was registered with the Verkhovna Rada, proposing to lift the moratorium on the export of timber in the rough and impose an export duty of 15% of the customs value but at least EUR 5 per cubic metre; 15% for firewood and chippings but at least EUR 3 per cubic metre.

The document also contains a requirement of state registration of foreign economic contracts for the export of these products.

From January 1, 2017, the moratorium on export of timber in the rough, imposed in autumn 2015, spread onto pine.

Ambassador Hugues Mingarelli, the Head of the European Union Delegation in Ukraine, says that this ban is contrary to Ukraine's commitments within the World Trade Organization and the free trade area.

The EU calls the abolition of the moratorium on timber export one of the conditions for provision of the second tranche of macro-financial assistance of EUR 600 million.