MINSK, 31 January (BelTA) – Belarus hopes that the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will achieve substantial progress in the next five-year period, Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told journalists after a session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty, BelTA has learned.
The new Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) chaired by Mikhail Myasnikovich is to start its work on 1 February. “We have entered the second five-year period in the EAEU development, and Belarus hopes that we will make tremendous progress in building a full-scale economic union. This goal has been set by Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko,” Sergei Rumas said.
The tasks, that Belarus sees as the most important ones in the EAEU development, include switching to a unified policy in manufacturing sector, agriculture, power engineering, transportation, and other ones, completing work to form common energy and transport markets of the EAEU, creating a common financial market, and introducing a single policy in application of veterinary, sanitary, and phytosanitary measures.
Plans are in place to enhance cooperation between the EAEU and international organizations and associations, jointly develop transport and logistics infrastructure, and participate in projects of the Belt and Road initiative. The EAEU also intends to negotiate liberalization of trade regimes with third countries.
Activities in the social sphere will focus on employment and protection of the workforce, cooperation in education and healthcare, promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Sergei Rumas expressed hope that the EAEU member states will support Belarusian initiatives during its presidency over the EAEU bodies.
“I believe that making the EAEU a full-scale economic union, which is free from exemptions and restrictions in mutual trade in goods and services and has a strong manufacturing, agribusiness, export, and investment potential, is the result expected by citizens of the EAEU member states,” Sergei Rumas stressed.
He noted that the session featured a serious discussion about the burning issues concerning the EAEU development. Progress was made in matters regarding removal of barriers in the EAEU market and in strategic areas of the Eurasian integration through 2025. The session also touched upon operation and protection of the EAEU domestic market, customs regulations, cooperation in transport and manufacturing, improvement of financial and payment relations.
All decisions taken at the session are expected to be put into practice and to have a tangible economic effect on development of all EAEU member states, Sergei Rumas stressed.
