Russia and the EU were set to begin talks on a new cooperation deal at the Russia-EU summit in Helsinki November 24, but the negotiations were vetoed by Poland over Russia's ban on its meat exports and Moscow's refusal to sign the Energy Charter.
Russia has been unwilling to ratify the charter, which was drawn up as a mechanism of cooperation between Western and Eastern Europe on energy issues and signed at The Hague in 1991, as the document would force it to give foreign investors free access to the country's oil and gas deposits and export pipelines.
Sergei Chernyshev, head of the department for foreign economic relations with the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, said he believed the agreement could be prolonged but its legal basis of trade and economic relations between Russia and the EU should be changed in view of Russia's possible accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"That is why we [Russia and the EU] agreed that the new agreement should be renewed to make it real for the coming day," Chernyshev said.
He said the new agreement should first of all focus on synchronization of taxation, customs and other legislation, as well as of unification of technical, veterinary and phytosanitary requirements between Russia and the EU.
Chernyshev added that non-economic aspects of cooperation between Russia and the EU should also be reflected in the new agreement on such issues as foreign policy, interior and exterior security, scientific research and innovations, as well cultural and social issues.
"The new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement should principally differ from the existing agreement and create a new level of trust for mutual investments," Chernyshev said.
