m even suggested that Russian foreign trade might increase if EU states adjoined Russia’s borders. Today Russia has reexamined the situation, and more political figures appear to recognize that the external trade barriers maintained by the EU could harm Russia’s economic interests. Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin has voiced concern that the accession of new members to the EU could adversely affect their economic ties with Russia as a result of the introduction of EU standards and trade restrictions. It is estimated that the Russian economy is losing $240 million a year because of present EU trade barriers. Russia faces several limitations in cooperating with the EU, one of which is technical trade barriers, i.e., certification of products, aviation technology, automobiles, machines, chemicals, and dairy products. In addition, there are strict environmental standards, and, therefore, almost all Russian oil refinery plants remain outside the EU market. Moreover, Russian fur exports are also threatened by these barriers. From the point of view of long-term interests (legal and economic infrastructure, the geography of future trade inside Europe, directions of investment flows) Russia can only lose if a new economic and customs barrier emerges along the western borders of the CIS:External trade barriers maintained by the EU could harm Russia’s economic interests. Even now Russia faces EU reluctance to give Russia equal access to the European market. Russia is suffering from EU antidumping policy. After the accession of new members, Russia will face technical trade barriers and will have to meet strict environmental standards when entering the markets of the new members. As the EU extends eastward Russia may lose some of its markets in Central and Eastern Europe. There has already been a rapid and substantial reorientation of CEEC exports toward the EU from former Council of Mutual Economic...
