The basic positive aspects of the Russian accession to WTO

/. Today. The conditions of the Russian products and services access to the basic international markets are worsened. More than 90 discrimination measures are applied against Russian products and services, the overall damage to the Russian economy is estimated in $3-4 bin. The access on the international markets becomes a problem of the economic safety of the country.

After. Russia will be able to negotiate on the improvement of the access conditions for the Russian products and services on the global markets — tariffs reduction, restrictions removal. Russia will get the access to the WTO judicial system and the opportunity of the compulsory decisions execution.

2. Today. Russia is isolated from the participation in the
development of new rules of international trade. As a result
the new accepted trade decisions can threat the strategic
interests of the country.

After. Russia will be able to take part in the development of new rules of international trade with its current and strategic interests.

3. Today. The EU expansion, Eastern European and Baltic countries
accession to the EU will worsen the access conditions on the
markets of these countries.

After. Russia and EU countries will act in the frameworks of one trade system, it will provide the access for the Russian products on the traditional markets.

4. Today. The Russian legislation is inconsistent and complicated. It
interferes with the normal development of the economic activity,
attraction of the foreign investments.

After. The participation in WTO assumes the stability of the legislation based on the multilateral standards. It essentially raises the attractiveness of the state for the foreign investments.

5. Today. The states of Russian Federation frequently apply the
measures interfering the normal economic exchanges.

After. According to the WTO standards norms, the participant country should result all legislation, including the legislation at the regional level, in conformity with the general and specific WTO obligations.

6. Today. The lobbying of the interests of the separate companies
and groups can become the serious problem for government and
parliament.

After. The participation in WTO will essentially reduce the lobbying opportunities since. Russia will be restricted by the rigid obligations, including the obligation on non-discrimination.

7. Today. The Russian customs policy, as well as the policy of the
regulation of the market access, has inconsistent and complicated
character.

After. The participation in WTO will subordinate the policy of

the regulation of the market access to the strict international

rules. 8. Today. The integration of Russia and other CIS countries is extremely slow. Nowadays it is under the threat because of the accession to WTO of Georgia and Kirghizia, and also Ukraine and other CIS countries intention to join WTO.

After. The Russian participation in WTO will promote the

strengthening of the relations within the framework of CIS on

the basis of the agreements on free trade and creation of the

customs union.

Alongside with positive aspects of the Russian integration to the

system of the international trade on the basis WTO rules, there are

also some questions widely discussed by the domestic economists and

various mass media and considered as negative consequences of the

WTO accession: