On 23 October, the European Commission published a report on significant government-induced distortions in the economy of Russia. The factual report prepared for the purpose of the EU’s trade defence proceedings focuses on Russia’s macro-economy, the main production factors, such as labour and energy, used in all manufacturing processes, and certain specific sectors of the economy, including steel, aluminium, and chemicals.

This report is the result of thorough research and provides fact-based evidence that sustained distortions have been hampering the level playing field in the Russian economy, notably restricted access to public procurement, conditional sourcing of raw material including timber and logs, significant export restrictions for wood products (duties, quotas, licensing), and government subsidies in the timber industry. The Woodstock Consortium welcomes the Commission’s findings as these are all important issues that need to be addressed to ensure EU producers and consumers alike continue to enjoy fair trading conditions.