OREANDA-NEWS. March 11, 2011. Moldova has addressed to the WTO to organize consultations with Ukraine over the discriminating conditions of Moldovan brandy sales in the Ukrainian market. The respective inquiry was submitted by Moldova to the World Trade Organization’s secretariat, according to the WTO’s website.

In Moldova’s opinion, the disadvantageous conditions for its production in the Ukrainian market are set by Ukraine’s Law “On the rates of the excise tax on ethyl alcohol and spirits” with alterations of 2008. Ukraine’s Ministry of Economic Development and Trade said this law had expired after the recent entry into force of the new Tax Code. As it was reported earlier, in mid-February 2011 Ukraine addressed to the WTO with a request to hold consultations with Moldova regarding the discriminating, in its opinion, import duty for environment pollution in the amount of 0.8-3 leis for a package of goods containing plastic material or tetra pack package (except for the dairy products).

Deputy Minister of Economy of Moldova Octavian Calmic said earlier Chisinau was ready to start official consultations in the framework of the WTO initiated by Ukraine regarding this problem. At the same time, Octavian Calmic said then, that Moldova would raise a counter-claim to Ukraine regarding collection of excise taxes from Moldova spirits suppliers in Ukraine, exceeding payments of the local producers 2.4 times.

Octavian Calmic emphasized that Moldovan spirits export to Ukraine had reduced to the minimum for the last few years for that reason and totals USD10-15 million a year now. He said Moldova plans to synchronize examination of the problem of collection of the ecological duty from Ukrainian juice and beer producers by Moldova with the problem of high excise taxes for Moldovan spirits.