OREANDA-NEWS. May 4, 2012. Belarus may opt to list the existing restrictions on Ukrainian beer imports as early as May 2012.

Chief of Belarus’ Belgospischeprom state food industry concern Ivan Danchenko made a statement to that extent on April 21.

Belarus introduced the restrictions in late 2010 due to dumping prices set by Ukrainian manufacturers. Back then the Cabinet of Ministers of Belarus adopted a resolution introducing beer import licences and a minimum price threshold for imported Ukrainian beer. As a result, Ukraine’s beer sales in Belarus shrank from USD 18 million in 2010 to USD 6 million in 2011.

In April 2012 a Ukrainian delegation visited Minsk to attend a round of consultations with the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, Belgospischeprom and the State Customs Committee. The parties agreed minimizing bilateral trade restrictions and indicated the most sensitive commodities.

The final decision on easing bilateral trade is due in May.