In a tit-for-tat move, Ukraine is introducing special import duties on a range of Belarussian products, including candy and lightbulbs, through 2017, the Uryadovy Kuriyer newspaper reported Wednesday. ?
Belarussian candy and dairy products will be subject to a 55.29 percent duty, while beer, tires and refrigerator equipment will be hit by a 60.05 percent duty.
The charges will come into effect within 10 days of being published, the report said. ?
Earlier this year, Belarus made imports of beer from countries outside the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia subject to licensing. Ukrainian brewers said the measure was discriminatory and that the Belarussian authorities had told them to more than double the retail price of their beer, which would have priced out most customers in Belarus.
Belarus is one of the biggest suppliers of dairy products to Ukraine. Nearly half of the milk and cream Ukraine imported in the first half of 2014 came from Belarus, at a cost of $1.3 million.
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