Shuvalov visit to focus on preps for accession to WTO.

BRUSSELS, November 24 (Itar-Tass) - Preparations for Russia's
accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be the focus of
attention here on Wednesday during the visit of Russian First-Vice-Premier
Igor Shuvalov, Vladimir Chizhov, Permanent Representative of Russia at the
European Union (EU), has told Itar-Tass. The Russian delegation also
includes Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina.
Chizhov said, "Provision is made for (Shuvalov's) meetings with Jose
Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, EU
High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Karel de
Gucht, EU Commissioner for Trade."
Nabiullina told journalists in Geneva on Tuesday that in Brussels the
Russian delegation "is to discuss matters concerning export duties, in
particular". "Russia is in the concluding stage of negotiations for
accession to the WTO. Matters that preclude its accession can be settled
in the coming months," she pointed out.
EU officials are discontended by Russia's duties on the export of raw
timber, in particular. Those duties render the export of this raw material
disadvantageous and stimulate the development of the woodworking industry
in Russia while leaving the European industry "on short rations".
The process of negotiations for Russia's accession to the WTO has been
going on for 17 years now. Joining the WTO will enable Russia considerably
to streamline trade relations with most countries in the world.
Specifically, talks on a new basic agreement on cooperation between Russia
and the EU proceed from the assumption that by the time the agreement
enters into force, Russia will be a WTO member. This makes it possible
considerably to ease the text of the document to avoid duplication of WTO
norms in it.
The WTO comprises 153 countries. Ninety-five percent of world trade
turnover is carried out on the strength of WTO norms.

.FC to hear info by health minister, consider over 20 bills.

MOSCOW, November 24 (Itar-Tass) - The Federation Council (FC) upper
house of the Russian parliament, at its plenary meeting here on Wednesday,
will hear information from Tatiana Golikova, Minister of Health and Social
Development. During the Government Hour session, she will tell the FC
members about the implementation of the national project Health.
The House is to consider more than 20 bills, among them that on
"Customs Regulation in the Russian Federation (RF)". The bill abolishes
the Customs Code and establishes the peculiarities of customs regulation
in line with the norms of the Customs Union. The document, more than 600
pages in size, thoroughly sets out the principles for the movement of
goods across the border and inside the country, the rules of determination
of a commodity's country of origin, and the application of procedures in
the Customs Union.
The FC members are to discuss a package of amendments to the Tax Code
of the RF. It refers, in particular, to the indexation of the rates of
excise taxes on alcoholic products, to an increase in the tax on the
mining of economic minerals, and the collection of taxes and dues from
natural persons.
The House is to pass a bill on compulsory health insurance, and
examine a bill on the transfer of religious property, state- or
municipally-owned, to religious organizations. It is planned to establish
the ultimate age for state civil employees -- 60 years. Changes in the Law
on the Election of State Duma Members will make it possible to increase
the number of candidates from political parties on the Federal ticket from
three to ten.
The FC members are to decide on a number of personnel policy matters,
including the powers of House members and relieving Deputy
Prosecutor-General Ernest Valeyev of his duties in view of his retirement
on pension.

.EU official to brief Europarliament on EU-Ukraine summit.

STRASBOURG, November 24 (Itar-Tass) - Catherine Ashton, the European
Union (EU) Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, will make
a statement at a plenary session of the Europarliament on Wednesday about
the results of the EU-Ukraine recent summit, the organization's spokesman
has told Itar-Tass.
The widely representative international forum, in which European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, EU President Herman van Rompuy,
and Head of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich took part, ended in Brussels on
Tuesday. Participants in the summit fixed a tentative date for the signing
of an agreement on association and on a Free Trade Area.
The European parliamentarians are to evaluate systemic reforms in
Ukraine and thoroughly analyze the political processes in the republic
following the elections to local government bodies. It is expected that a
respective resolution on the situation in the country will be adopted on
November 25.
Officials in the EU's top legislative body pointed out that special
attention during the upcoming discussion would be devoted to matters
relating to cooperation between the EU and Ukraine. At the same time, the
EU is still concerned about possible violations of the freedom of speech
and the freedom of assembly in the republic.
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