15 April 2009

Russia’s Decision to Raise Import Tariffs for Flat-Panel Televisions

On 7 April, the Russian government announced that its current 10 percent tariff rate for flat-panel televisions would be lifted to 15 percent.

This highly regrettable move runs counter to the spirit of the WTO Agreement to which Russia is currently seeking to accede, as well as the agreement at the first G20 Finance Summit last November, and subsequently echoed at the second such summit in April this year, not to take protectionist measures over the next year but rather to promote world trade and investment.

The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) strongly desires the Russian government to respect its G20 commitment and the spirit of the WTO Agreement in reversing its decision to lift the import tariff rate in question, instead maintaining policies that promote free trade.