The Armenian government last week approved a bill that gives equal rights to cigarette importers and local manufacturers, reports the Armenian news agency Arka.

On 5 Mai, the Armenian government approved amendments to the domestic market protection law which aim at a stage-by-stage equalization of rates for both local producers and importers till 2014.
This ends a dispute with Ukraine which in 2010 blamed Armenia for creating an unfavorable regime for the import of Ukrainian tobacco and alcoholic products thus breaching WTO rules, prohibit any fiscal or regulatory preferences for domestic products. (pi)