WIREDGOV

Russia's discriminatory customs checks on Lithuanian trucks at its border and threats to ban imports of Lithuanian dairy products, meat and fish were debated by MEPs with Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht on Tuesday evening. MEPs stressed that not only Lithuania, but the whole of the EU was concerned. They called on the European Commission to use all available means to remedy the situation swiftly.

Lithuanian trucks entering Russia in recent months have been stopped by custom officers and subjected to time-consuming checks, causing losses estimated by Lithuanian national association of road carriers at over €2 million per day. The Russian authorities have also banned imports of Lithuanian dairy products, and threatened to ban those of meat and fish, without any official explanation.

MEPs pointed out that these trade-disruptive measures breaches the commitments that Russia gave last year when it joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Some also said the measures could also be seen as part of a wider strategy to torpedo EU Eastern Partnership policy, by intimidating not only countries seeking closer ties with the EU, such as Ukraine and Moldova, but also the EU's Lithuanian Presidency, which is preparing the Eastern Partnership summit to take place in Vilnius in November.

Responding to a plea for EU solidarity from Lithuania's deputy foreign affairs minister Vytautas Leškevičius, MEPs stressed that the Russian measures constituted an "attack" not only on Lithuania, but on the whole of the EU.

Commissioner De Gucht explained that Russia still had not given any explanation for the discriminatory measures applied. He undertook to raise the question in the WTO Council next week and to seek further clarifications with Russia's ambassador to the EU.

Watch the recording of the debate here