HC Deb 19 April 1994 vol 241 c448W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the major contents of the proposed agreement between Russia and the European Union.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The main features of the draft partnership and co-operation agreement under negotiation between Russia and the European Union are:

  1. (a) Regular political dialogue (including at Head of Government level).
  2. (b) Limited trade concessions. These consist of the granting of most favoured nation treatment and the abolition of quantitative restrictions accompanied by safeguard provisions. It sets the eventual goal of a possible free trade area between Russia and the EU. Progress towards this goal will be reviewed in 1998.
  3. (c) Sectoral cooperation in areas such as the approximation of laws, funded by technical assistance through the TACIS scheme.
  4. (d) The draft also allows for future evolution of the agreement and for its suspension in the event of either side failing to fulfil its obligations.