Belarus may join WTO by end of 2017

Беларусь можа ўступіць у Сусветную гандлёвую арганізацыю да канца года

Belarus may join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of this year, Chairperson of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Uladzimir Ulahovich said on Belarus-1 on the evening of January 22.

It will be possible to say more after another round of Belarus-WTO negotiations, Ulahovich added.

Belarus is sticking to the main WTO’s principles now because the Eurasian Economic Union is based on the same principles, he noted. The only thing Belarus still needs to do is accept transitional measures to protect the financial institutions and agriculture the way it is done in the other WTO member states.

The next round of Belarus-WTO negotiations is appointed for January 23-26. The Belarusian delegation will be headed by senior deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrei Yeudachenka. Furthermore, official Minsk is planning to conduct bilateral negotiations with more than 10 WTO member states.