The Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine has obtained applications for holding talks on the revision of customs duties from 31 countries as a part of trading between members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ministry told Interfax-Ukraine on December 14, 2012.

The ministry said that as of December 14, 2012, the ministry received applications from the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the European Union, Egypt, India, Iceland, Canada, China, Colombia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, the United States, Turkey, Uruguay, Croatia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Japan.

"After the submission of the official notification to the WTO, Ukraine has held working meetings with the interested sides and meetings at the level of delegation heads during which additional explanations and answers were given were initiated and held in Geneva," reads the report.

The ministry said that under the WTO rules, talks on the revision of agreements are to be completed within a 60-day period if the talks are held on only one goods item or a small group of items.

"A longer period of time could be given by WTO members if the talks are held on a large number of items [Annex I, Article XXVIII: 4, GATT – 1994]. The practice of holding negotiations between WTO members, which used Article XXVIII of GATT – 1994, shows that the process could take a certain period of time," reads the report.