Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Väyrynen met with Commissioner Mandelson about roundwood duties

Press release 250/2007
19 November 2007

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen met with Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson in Brussels on Monday, 19 November. The topic of their talks was the Russian export duties levied on roundwood, which is one of the key issues in the process of Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Mandelson stated that the Commission expects Russia to propose a compromise in the very near future.

Minister Väyrynen said that the issue of export duties on roundwood would be raised during Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen’s visit to Moscow on 27 November; Väyrynen will also take part in the visit. In addition, Väyrynen gave an account of his meeting with Minister for Economic Development and Trade Elvira Nabiullina of Russia, held the previous week. Commissioner Mandelson took a positive view of Finland’s active role in the matter.

Minister Väyrynen is currently attending the meeting of the Council of EU development ministers being held in Brussels. The Council meeting is discussing, among others, economic partnership agreements to be made with African, Caribbean and Pacific states, development policy coherence, and the theme of security and development. The last topic was on the agenda at the joint session of Ministers of Defence and Ministers of Development. The Council meeting continues on Tuesday.

Additional information: Päivi Nevala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, mobile tel. +358 40 753 4375