Development of Russian copper industry under the conditions of the World Trade Organization membership

Abstract

The article concerns the influence of the obligations undertaken by Russian Federation upon the World Trade Organization accession, on the development of the national copper industry. The main aim of the research is to evaluate if the overall concepts of positive influence of the WTO accession on Russian metallurgy are true for the copper industry. The article reveals the analysis of the factors that determine the development of the stated industry as well as the risks that come from the changes of the business environment. The overall influence of the market drivers on the industry is considered in order to support the assumption that the factors specific for the copper industry can significantly compensate the forecasted general positive influence of the WTO accession on nonferrous metallurgy and moreover: the associated risks will lead to unbalancing of the industry development in the middle and long term perspective. In this regard, as the results of the research the authors expect that the industry development will depend on the world copper market situation even to a greater degree. The copper market in its turn has been following the downwards trend in the last years. The results of this work can be applied to the production strategy development by the companies of the industry as well as become a basis of the analysis of regional economic systems stability.