A survey carried out by the Lithuanian Industrialists Confederation in April 2012 showed that 84 percent of its members doubted if Russia's WTO membership would bring them any benefit in the short term. This proved to be true.
Contrary to its commitments to lower import tariffs, Russia has raised tariffs on some products or left them unchanged. The Kremlin has increased tax rates on dairy products to the maximum allowable levels and has kept its import duty on paper and cardboard at 15 percent, despite its pledge to cut it to 5 percent.
"We hope that the Russians will reduce their customs duties, which is what they have promised to do. But we see no changes at the moment," the paper quoted Gintautas Pangonis, the CEO of the paper manufacturer Grigiškės, which exports its products to Russia, as saying.
Russia is also inclined to complain to the WTO because it feels discriminated against. Maxim Medvedev of the Russian Economic Development Ministry says that exporters of around 100 product groups are experiencing some kind of obstacles.
