Russia threatens Georgia and Ukraine with "protective measures"

Russia will take protective measures to protect its market if the European Union (EU) Association Agreement made with Georgia and Moldova has a negative impact on the Russian marketplace, says Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev demanded Russian leaders make an urgent decision about protecting Russia’s market over Moldova’s association deal with the EU at a meeting with the Deputy Prime Ministers today.

He said a similar set of measures would also be made against Georgia and Ukraine if their EU Association Agreements had similar negative impacts on the Russian market.

Russian Prime Minister said Moldova’s association deal with the EU would "quite seriously” affect its relations with Customs Union states and a customs trade zone in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The Council of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will debate possible protective measures in trade relations with Moldova on July 16.

Medvedev noted mechanisms of taking such measures were envisaged in regulatory acts of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and the World Trade Organisation.

He said under the association deal, Moldova should introduce quicker European technical regulations and standards which did not meet Russian and Customs Union rules.

Meantime, Georgian and Russian experts are set to meet in Prague, Czech Republic, today to discuss results achieved from the beginning of 2012 as well as future perspectives of Georgia-Russia trade.

The experts will discuss what will change in Georgia-Russia trade relations after Georgia signed the EU association document.

Once the experts provide each other will all needed information, Georgia-Russia special envoys will talk about bilateral trade.