Alexander Lukashenko meets with Heads of Government of EEC Member States

Trade barriers and withdrawals remain the focus of EEC integration. Alexander Lukashenko paid special attention to issues of the general economy at a meeting with heads of government of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Commonwealth.

The key task of creating common energy markets stumbles over asymmetrical approach to tariffs for the supply of oil and gas, and the issue of calculating customs duties is still open. Alexander Lukashenko urges to take a closer look at the problems and make common decisions.

Fifty countries are interested in Eurasian integration. Formally, there is an agreement on a free trade zone with Vietnam and Iran, documents with India and Singapore are at the elaboration stage, a cooperation agreement has been granted the observer status.

Both business and the state sector are waiting for the general rules of the game in the energy market. The issue of fuel prices is a key issue in any industry. This ultimately affects the prices of goods.

Another important issue that requires common fair solution is distribution of funds received from import customs duties. In different proportions they replenish the budgets of each of the five countries. But the counting methods themselves raise questions.

After the accession of Kyrgyzstan to the EEC, the parties were not able to agree on standards due to the fact that the necessary statistical data on Kyrgyzstan is missing. Therefore, at the summit in Sochi, the leaders agreed to temporarily extend the existing agreements.

Belarus’s proposal is to review the distribution of import duties among the budgets of the five countries every three years. The global economy dictates the digital transformation. The digital agenda is the first priority of the meeting.