Putin: Customs Union not to be able to come into full power on July 1

The Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will not be able to come into full power on July 1, 2010 as it had been planned. The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has claimed it. BelaPAN notes that the Prime Ministers of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan conducted negotiations that took many hours in Saint Petersburg on May 21. They did not manage to reach an agreement and settle the problems of the Customs Code that had to come into power on July 1. The difficulties concerned the car and aviation industries, customs duties and the import of goods by physical entities for personal use.

According to Putin, the sides agreed to continue the ratification process of the Customs Code on an expert level within the next two weeks.