Energy security, rising protectionism and rule of law: there is no lack of potential areas of friction at the EU-Russia summit, to be held on 18 November in Stockholm. Sweden has also been particularly critical of Russia in recent months, whether on the war in Georgia or human rights violations, to such a point that the Russians refused for a long time to have the summit held in the capital of the country holding the EU Presidency, as is the tradition.

Although the summit will approve the setting up of an early warning mechanism to prevent another gas crisis like last winter’s (see separate article), the EU would also like “clear political assurances from Russia that in the case of a conflict between Russia and a third country, transit and/or export of oil and gas to the EU will not be reduced or interrupted,” according to a preparatory note drawn up by the Presidency. “It would be irresponsible to give guarantees on matters that depend on a third country,” responded the Russian Ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, referring to Ukraine. Russia invites the EU instead to help Kiev pay its Russian gas bills to prevent any further crises. With a view to the Copenhagen conference, the EU will also ask Russia to go “much further” in its proposals, since Moscow has only mentioned a target of a 10-15% cut in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels.

CLARIFICATION ON PROTECTIONISM

Another subject of concern is the rise in protectionist measures taken by Russia in recent months, particularly for the automotive industry. The EU is asking Russia to put a halt to increases in import taxes and the “disproportionate” use of sanitary and phytosanitary rules. President Dmitry Medvedev promised, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum in Singapore, that “these protection measures taken during the crisis period are short-term and will be waived”. The EU is nonetheless concerned about the deployment, on 1 January 2010, of a customs union by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. It fears that the common external tariff for this zone may be based on higher rates than those in force in Russia. “That would worsen market access conditions for European exporters and cause serious damage to several major industries, including automobiles, steel, machinery and the food industry,” notes BusinessEurope in a letter to Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton.

The EU also expects “clarification” from Russia on its World Trade Organisation membership. In June 2009, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin created a sensation by announcing that his country, along with Belarus and Kazakhstan, wished to join the WTO together as a customs union, rather than individually. Since the three countries’ negotiations are not at the same stage, that would cause a “substantial delay,” according to the EU, which will also have implications for the negotiations on the new enhanced partnership agreement between the EU and Russia, part of which concerns trade. Russia is the last major power not to belong to the WTO. “Russia has not lost interest in the WTO but some WTO members no longer wish to see it join,” replied Chizhov.

PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Lastly, the EU will table the question of rule of law, particularly in the Northern Caucasus, in the wake of the killings of several journalists and human rights activists. “We welcome President Medvedev’s remarks on democracy and human rights but they have to be followed by action” because “the human rights situation is troubling” in the country, declared recently Sweden’s European Affairs Minister Cecilia Malmström. The European Parliament awarded its 2009 Sakharov Prize to Memorial, a Russian human rights NGO, one of whose staff members was killed in Chechnya last July.