Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2012

Natalia Maqsimchook. “Chronicle of EurasianRegional Integration 2011”2011: Data and ReviewsThe EurAsEC Interstate Council also approved Kazakhstan’s list of lower-dutyimports (compared to the common customs tariff) on 409 goods, includingmedicines, medical equipment, cars, raw materials for chemical, light andwoodworking industries, aluminium, paper, etc. The validity period of theserates vary, none going beyond the year 2015.The Russian authorities granted these concessions in 2009 to ensure Kazakhstansigned certain key CU documents; however, Russia is now concerned thatgoods imported into Kazakhstan from other countries at lowered duty rates willappear on the Russian market once the customs barrier is removed.During a meeting of the EurAsEC Interstate Council in Minsk on May 19, 2011,Kazakhstan pledged to introduce state control over the “privileged” productsby July 1, 2011 and made assurances that such goods would not be brought toRussia.Russia’s accession to WTO: Perspective from TbilisiNovember 7, 2011KommersantAs part of negotiations on WTO accession, Russia and Georgia have solved theproblem of monitoring cargo on the Russian border with Abkhazia and SouthOssetia. Georgia refused to agree to Russia’s accession to the WTO unlessRussia submitted information on products coming in to the two republics. OnNovember 3, 2011 the head of the Russian Delegation at the WTO accessionnegotiations Maxim Medvedkov announced that Russia has approved acompromise agreement with Georgia, proposed by Switzerland. Georgiaapproved the compromise on October 27.The issue of observers was a problematic one during the Swiss-mediatednegotiations. The parties agreed to select a special company that will beresponsible for acquisition of data on cargoes at the checkpoints and transferringthe data to Georgia in electronic form. The mechanism and criteria for selectingan operator were not disclosed, but a company is shortly to be selected bySwitzerland. Under the agreement, Georgia will receive information on goodstransported via three trade corridors. The first corridor will run from the riverPsou on the border with Abkhazia to Zugdidi in the west of Georgia. The secondwill lie on the border with South Ossetia from the north side of the Roki Tunnelto Gori in Georgia. The third will be at the Kazbegi-Upper Lars checkpoint, theonly official crossing on the land border between Georgia and Russia.This transfer of border controls to a private company is unique. The US Congressis considering transferring the authority to control the US border with Mexicoto a private operator.VedomostiEurasian Development Bank253