Liberalisation of foreign
trade is one of the key lines of the economic policy of the State, which
improves the country’s position in the system of international division of
labour, expands sales markets, increases productivity and improves wellbeing
of the people.
Given all this, the main
goal for the development of foreign trade activities of the Republic of
Belarus at present is increasing effective cooperation of the country with
the global market. To this end, the following is required: improving the
system of management of foreign trade activities; developing a new export
profile of the country for strengthening of competitive positions of
Belarusian producers in the global markets; speeding the development of
technological, institutional and organisational structures facilitating
mainstreaming of new elements into the integrated production facilities with
modern technological conditions; creating conditions for update and increase
of economic efficiency; developing scientific, production, financial and
industrial associations; optimising trade and payment relations with other
countries; developing international cooperation given account of national
interests and capacities of the country supported by the priorities in the
export strategy and stable economic and legal conditions for the national
participants in foreign trade activities.
The main lines of foreign
economic activities of the Republic of Belarus for the near future include:
- Preservation of the
priority of economic measures of state regulation of foreign trade
activities;
- Fulfilment of
obligations taken by the Republic of Belarus according to international
agreements and exercise of the rights stemming from international
agreements;
- Determination of a new
profile for specialisation of Belarusian economy;
- Development of a
mechanism ensuring expansion of the markets for sale of products,
restructuring of production funds, and increasing of competitiveness of
products;
- Development of
territorial and geographic priorities for foreign trade activities.
Foreign trade
turnover of the Republic of Belarus in
2004 was US$ 30.1 billion, going up by 40 percent against 2003. Trade
turnover with CIS countries made US$ 19.1 billion or 63.5 percent of the
total trade turnover of the country, whereas with other countries it was 11
billion US dollars or 36.5 percent of the total trade turnover. The value of
the foreign trade turnover with CIS countries went up by 41.7 percent and
with other countries by 37.1 percent.
Export
of goods from the Republic of Belarus made about 13,8 billion US dollars,
including US$ 7.3 billion to CIS countries; among it, 6.5 billion US dollars
to Russia and 6.5 billion US dollars to other countries. As a whole the
country’s export in actual prices went up by 38.3 percent; to CIS countries
by 34.2 percent; to Russia by 32.4 percent. Belarusian export to other
countries, outside SIC, increased by 43.1 percent.
CIS countries covered 53.1
percent of Belarusian export, while the Russian Federation had 47 percent of
the total amount. The main types of goods exported by the country in 2004
were: oil products – 24 percent of the total export; potassium fertilisers –
5.5 percent; ferrous metals – 4.6 percent, trucks – 3.9 percent; milk and
milk products – 2.7 percent, tractors – 2.5 percent; and refrigerators and
freezers – 2.3 percent.
Main lines of export,
2004
|
Country |
Scope, US$ million |
Percent of the total export |
Percent of 2003 |
|
Russia |
6 463.0 |
47.0% |
132.4 |
|
Great Britain |
1 147.6 |
8.3% |
122.3 |
|
Netherlands |
924.4 |
6.7% |
223.4 |
|
Poland |
728.8 |
5.3% |
167.8 |
|
Ukraine |
539.8 |
3.9% |
157.1 |
|
Germany |
502.9 |
3.7% |
119.4 |
|
Lithuania |
356.3 |
2.6% |
134.5 |
|
Latvia |
326.0 |
2.4% |
94.7 |
|
China |
301.5 |
2.2% |
185.8 |
|
United States of America |
162.5 |
1.2% |
158.8 |
Import
of goods was worth 16.5 billion US dollars, including 11.8 billion US
dollars from CIS countries; among them, 11.1 billion US dollars from Russia.
Import from countries other than CIS countries made US$ 4.5 billion. The
total import of the Republic of Belarus increased by 41.1 percent. Import of
goods from CIS countries went up by 46.7 percent, including from Russia by
46.6 percent. Import from countries other than CIS countries went up by 29.4
percent. The share of CIS countries in the total Belarusian import was 72.2
percent; Russian goods covered 68.2 percent of the imported goods. The main
imported goods in 2004 were: crude oil and gas condensate – 19.8 percent,
ferrous metals and products from ferrous metals – 7.1 percent, cars – 2.0
percent, steel pipes – 1.4 percent, internal combustion engines – 1.3
percent, parts for automobiles – 1.2 percent, oil products – 1.1 percent,
and medical preparations – 1.1 percent.
The foreign trade balance
was negative at 2.6 billion US dollars, increasing by 981.4 million US
dollars as compared to 2003. The trade balance with CIS countries was -4.5
billion US dollars, including with Russian Federation -4.7 billion US
dollars. The balance with CIS countries was positive at 1.9 billion US
dollars.
Main
lines of import, 2004
|
Country |
Scope, US$ million |
Percent of the total export |
Percent of 2003 |
|
Russia |
11 142.6 |
68.2% |
146.6 |
|
Germany |
1 081.0 |
6.6% |
131.7 |
|
Poland |
475.0 |
2.9% |
136.3 |
|
Ukraine |
544.9 |
3.3% |
150.5 |
|
Italy |
300.5 |
1.8% |
105.8 |
|
United States of America
|
195.1 |
1.2% |
129.9 |
|
Lithuania |
175.6 |
1.1% |
113.8 |
|
France |
165.0 |
1.0% |
141.9 |
|
China |
158.0 |
1.0% |
220.2 |
|
Great Britain |
128.4 |
0.8% |
161.8 |
Accession to the World
Trade Organisation (WTO)
Accession of the Republic
of Belarus to WTO is viewed as an important stage of integration into the
world economy, which will give the country tools for protection and
promotion of its national interests within the system of international
trade.
Accession to WTO sets
before the Republic of Belarus the task to ensure compliance of its economic
legislation with WTO rules and make balanced concessions to trade partners
so as to ensure a more open access of foreign goods, services and
investments to the domestic market. In the process of negotiation the
Belarusian party stems from the need to maintain an adequate potential for
protection of national economic interests after accession of Belarus to WTO.
Given WTO rules, the
following laws have been adopted in 2004-2005: “On Technical Norms and
Standardisation”, “On Assessment of Compliance with the Requirements of
Technical Regulatory Acts in the Field of Technical Norms and
Standardisation”, “On Quality and Safety of Raw Food Materials and Foodstuff
for Human Life and Health”, “On Making of Amendments in the Law “On
Trademarks (Service Marks)”, “On Postal Services”. In 2004, the Law “On
State Regulation of Foreign Trade Activities” was passed. It was developed
taking into consideration international legal commitments of the Republic of
Belarus on unification and harmonisation of its legislation with the Russian
Federation, as well as the norms of WTO agreements. In 2004, WTO rules were
taken into account to pass the following laws: “On Making of Amendments in
the Law of the Republic of Belarus On Customs Tariff” (issues of customs
evaluation), “On Making of Amendments and Additions in the Customs Code of
the Republic of Belarus” (issues related to collection customs clearance
fees).
To take account of the WTO
norms, in 2004 the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Making of Amendments
and Additions to the Law “On Measures for Protection of Economic Interests
of the Republic of Belarus in Foreign Trade of Goods” was passed. The draft
of the Law was analyzed by experts by the WTO Secretariat.
Given the requirements of
the WTO Agreement on trade aspects of the rights to intellectual property
(TRIPS), bills are being drafted” “On Making of Amendments and Additions in
the Law “On Copyright and Related Rights”, “On Making of Amendments and
Additions in the Law “On the Legal Protection of Integrated Microcircuit
Topologies” and “On Patents on Sorts of Plants”.
As of 1 January 2005, the
bilateral Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian
Federation on switching over to VAT collection in mutual; trade using the
principle of the country of destination. Thus, the Republic of Belarus
brought its foreign trade laws in this field in compliance with the WTO
rules, establishing the single principle of indirect taxation in trade with
all countries.
