Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Khalilova / Delays in the development of proposals on the import of goods tariffs, which may be offered to member-countries of the World Trade Organization, may affect bilateral negotiations and delay the next round of negotiations of the Azerbaijani Government with the WTO working group to a later date (scheduled for December), a source in the government said.
Postponement of Azerbaijan's membership to the WTO can be linked to the adoption of dual obligations of the country, because current conditions should be effective by the completion of Doha round (negotiations on liberalization of the world trading)
Though the working group for tariff obligations devised proposals on low customs rates two months ago, they are yet to be submitted to the relevant ministries and departments for unification.
The tariff policy is one of the key issues in the negotiation process with the EU and US. Bilateral negotiations had been planned for October. The Azerbaijani Government intends to protect local production and to define rates for importing agriculture commodities. Earlier Azerbaijan proposed the maximum rate on agriculture at 50 to 80% and average - 23%. The maximum tariffs on industry production made up 30 to 50% and the average -15%. The new proposals have not been announced.
Azerbaijan has to stand up for its interests before WTO member-countries, Turkey, US and the EU. The EU is the biggest agricultural exporter in the world and proposes to decrease the rates offered by Azerbaijan.
The agrarian sector is a strategic sphere for the country from the point of view of security; therefore, the country should stand up for its interests during negotiations.
The import customs rate of15% is used upon the final product and 0.5% for raw materials. Rates are not imposing upon raw materials in world practice.
Azerbaijan has developed proposals on the maximum and average customs rates to protect the local market in joining the WTO, Azizaga Huseynov, the chief of the Department on regulation of customs rates of the State Customs Committee and head of the Task Group on tariffs, reported to Trend Agency. The proposals have already been submitted to the WTO's Secretariat. The aim is to keep the existing rates, Huseynov said.