In a joint statement following the Ukraine-European Union summit, it is said that Ukraine and the EU have agreed to resolve the issue of a moratorium on the export of unprocessed timber by applying measures necessary to fulfill the relevant resolution of the Arbitration Commission.

The corresponding statement was published on the President’s website, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

“We have agreed to fully comply with obligations under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA, including by addressing trade irritants such as a timber export moratorium, by applying measures necessary to comply with the relevant Arbitration Panel ruling, and by ensuring that the use of trade protection procedures in all cases is fully comply with WTO standards), as well as continue to discuss and revise ways to improve the implementation of the DCFTA in order to unleash its full potential and further develop and promote bilateral trade,” the document reads.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in February, the European Parliament called on Ukraine to ensure a comprehensive audit of the timber production chain and comply with future decisions of the Arbitration Commission on the case regarding a moratorium on the export of round timber.

In December 2020, the arbitration tribunal recognized Ukraine’s right to restrict the export of unprocessed timber under certain circumstances, while the arbitrators acknowledged that the ban introduced in 2015 should be amended.

Earlier, the council of the Ukraine – European Union association called for the abolition by Ukraine of the moratorium on the export of unprocessed timber.

The ban on the export of unprocessed timber (except pine) has been in effect in Ukraine since November 1, 2015, pine timber – since January 1, 2017 for a period of 10 years.

The EU insists that such a decision is contrary to Article 35 of Association Agreement (Restrictions on Export or Import), according to which neither party shall impose or maintain in force any prohibitions, restrictions or measures of equivalent effect on the import of any product of the other party or the export of any product destined for the territory of the other party.

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