EEU Intergovernmental council in Kazan: partners open for mutually beneficial and equal cooperation

Eurasian affairs were discussed in Tatarstan today. Kazan hosts the EAEU Intergovernmental Council. Today, the partners in the five countries confirmed that they are open for mutually beneficial and equal cooperation, and signed the document on convergence of technologies and ideas in the real sector.

They also talked about the need to cooperate with existing industries and to create new, innovative ones. All of this will contribute to the recovery of the Eurasian economies and their further growth.

The Belarusian Prime Minister believes that success is in the ability to find a compromise on the priorities of joint integration of the five countries and the national interests.

But it is impossible to move forward without solving problems that have been dragging on for years. The main problem is barriers, exemptions and restrictions on the free movement of goods and services in the EAEU market. The protection of the domestic market is also one of the main topics in Kazan.

The Intergovernmental Council is a good dialogue platform. Solving issues drives business contracts. At the meeting with Tajikistan the day before, it was noted that trade turnover tripled last year. Today we are talking with Uzbekistan. Trade has been increasing in recent years. The dynamics is positive. And this is a market where we sell our equipment, food and medicines.

We are interested in promoting a number of industrial projects in Uzbekistan. And the potential to increase turnover is great. And there are free niches. And this is already a work for business and for the intergovernmental commission.

Today, the common task for everyone in the EAEU is the digitalisation of the economy. This will make it stronger in the world trading system as well as the joint space programme.

Belarus has proposed to develop a biological and sanitary security strategy. E-commerce and a common threshold for duty-free imports were also discussed. The issue is still open, but the Five plans to resolve it. In general, the dialogue in Kazan showed that the partners were ready to hear each other and agree, and this is important for development.