MINSK, 18 March (BelTA) – Belarus' Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko and Member of the EEC Board – Minister in charge of Industry and Agriculture Artak Kamalyan have discussed cooperation in manufacturing and agriculture between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, BelTA has learned.
The heads of state of the EAEU adopted strategic guidelines for the development of Eurasian economic integration until 2025 at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in December 2020. These guidelines include sections about the manufacturing industry. In addition, the EAEU is set to discuss another fundamental document: the cooperation priorities in manufacturing until 2025. According to Igor Petrishenko, the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission and manufacturers of the EAEU countries will rely on this document in their work. “We actively support all kinds of cooperation in the manufacturing industry. It is important that our joint products are sold on the markets of third countries. In order to promote this kind of cooperation, it is necessary to use appropriate financial instruments, like those available at the Eurasian Development Bank,” he said.
The deputy prime minister also commented on the establishment of a common scrap metal market in the EAEU. “This is very important for our metallurgy enterprises. There are certain problems related to the saturation of this market. Nevertheless, it should function as a self-sufficient element in the Eurasian Economic Union market. There should be no barriers, obstacles. Our businesses should have the necessary access to resources. It is important to ensure a proper competitive environment in this sector,” he stressed.
Igor Petrishenko urged to create a powerful Eurasian food market, strengthen cooperation between the EAEU countries in the agricultural sector. In his opinion, this will give a great boost to Eurasian economic integration.
The parties also discussed new instruments to promote cooperation in manufacturing, which could help intensify the industrial development of the EAEU countries. “One of the proposed initiatives is the creation of an academic mobility fund, which will allow scientists, educators and students of our countries to share best practices and knowhow. We also have proposals in terms of stabilizing the sugar beet production complex,” Artak Kamalyan told reporters.
