Will Azerbaijan low bound-tariffs in the negotiations with the WTO?

Potential partners of Azerbaijan on the World Trade Organization (WTO) are waiting for the country's new proposals on tariffs for industrial and agricultural products, told reporters Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev. According to him, the most active in this issue show US, EU countries and Norway.

The president has repeatedly voiced a problem in the way that the task of the national government in the negotiations on WTO membership is a maximum protection of local businesses and, above all, manufacturers. Azerbaijan is in the process of accession to the WTO so far offered an average rate of primary-Bound tariffs (to be applied after the entry into the organization) at the level of 13.2%, the average rate of final payment (after a transitional period) - at the level of 11.7%.

In addition, the average tariff on agriculture was proposed by Azerbaijan at the level of 14.1%, while in developed countries the figure is 22.8%, in developing countries - 12.7 percent. By the way, the average tariff in the country is 9.4% - 9.6% in the developed world, 17.7 percent - in the underdeveloped countries. Bound-fare  is the maximum rate of customs duty on the import of certain goods, recorded in the country's obligations under the WTO, which cannot be changed by the importing country unilaterally.

Azerbaijan has been observer at the WTO since 1997, when, and a working group on Azerbaijan under the WTO secretariat was set up. The government started negotiations with the WTO member countries in 2004, and currently it is in the process of negotiations with 19 countries.

Negotiations and protocols were signed with Turkey, the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. On the stage of signing  are protocols  of China and Moldova. --17D-