The European Union and Russia have signed an agreement allowing Moscow to ship more steel products to European countries, an EU official in Moscow told journalists today.
The official said the deal concerned exports of selected Russian steel products, but gave no further information.
In a separate statement, Russia's Economy Ministry said the agreement would allow Russia to ship a guaranteed $50 million in steel to the European Union next year.
The quota has been relaxed by 115,000 tonnes for this year and 117,000 tonnes for next year.
The original export quota, introduced as part of a July 2002 agreement between Moscow and the European Union, was 1.214 million tonnes last year and 1.235 million tonnes this year.
Moscow has been concerned EU expansion into traditional Russian markets in Eastern Europe next year would harm its steel producers if they did were not allowed to sell more steel to the wealthy trading bloc - Russia's biggest trade partner.