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Major Ukrainian brewery suspends exports to Belarus over license requirement

Ukraine's major brewery Obolon has suspended exports to Belarus until uncertainty over the licensing of beer imports clears up, a spokeswoman told BelaPAN.

She explained that the brewery did not want its Belarusian partners to incur losses if a shipment of Obolon was suddenly stopped at the border.

The Council of Ministers, by its April 18 directive, made imports of beer from countries outside the Customs Union subject to licensing.

The new rules, which require importers of beer to obtain a license from the government, will be in force between May 1 and October 31, 2014.

The licenses will be issued by the trade ministry after they are approved by the Belarusian State Food Industry Concern (Beldzyarzhkharchpram).