Ministers to discuss EU-Ukrainian association's consequences for Russia in Brussels on September 7
BRUSSELS. Aug 5 (Interfax) - The European Union, Russia and Ukraine will hold trilateral ministerial talks in Brussels on September 7 to address Russia's concerns over the effects of an EU-Ukraine association and free trade area agreement, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade said on its website on Wednesday.
"Trilateral talks will continue. The joint expert report will be the basis for a trilateral meeting at the ministerial level in Brussels scheduled for 7 September 2015," the statement reads.
Trilateral technical talks were held at the level of experts on June 4-5 and July 7-8, the agency said. Three areas were discussed: technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary issues, and customs cooperation.
The aim of these negotiations is to ensure further progress in practical decisions regarding Russia's concerns over the implementation of the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement, the European Commission said.
"Whilst the joint expert report still contains divergent positions, some progress was made especially in the areas of technical regulations and customs, although difficulties remain in the so called sanitary and phytosanitary field," the communique reads.