OREANDA-NEWS. March 5, 2009. Belarus and Russia continue working out an agreement on unified principles of subsidising the industry and the agriculture. The information was released by Deputy Economy Minister Andrei Tur at the national business assembly “No alternative to entrepreneurship development as the way out of the crisis” on March 4.

“The process is in motion. We have started negotiations. I think we will come to terms and make an agreement,” said Andrei Tur.

In his words, the Belarusian and Russian sides have held several meetings to address the matter. “We have underscored several views of ours. At the latest meeting in Minsk there was some advance on the part of the Economic Development Ministry. Because every thing we laid down was based on common WTO guidelines,” remarked Andrei Tur. “But we agreed that we will not consider the subsidies agreement taking into account all views relating to the WTO. We will just create our own legal base to regulate the provision of subsidies within the Union State”.

The Deputy Economy Minister remarked, the Belarusian and Russian sides disagree about several key things the development of the agreement on unified subsidising principles involves. “Citing WTO principles, the Russian Federation suggests limiting agricultural subsidies within 5% of the GDP. Why do we need it? Why should we limit ourselves by specifying the figure in the agreement directly? It is totally unwise,” said Andrei Tur. “As far as industry subsidies are concerned, we are arguing about what forbidden subsidies are”.

Belarus and Russia planned to sign an agreement on subsidies for agricultural producers in 2008. The matter was stipulated by the agreement on trade and economic cooperation between the governments of Belarus and Russia. The agreement was signed in Minsk on March 23, 2007.