EAEU hailed as relevant and attractive integration association

MOSCOW, 18 May (BelTA) – The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is a relevant and attractive integration association, official representative of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Iya Malkina said commenting on the state of cooperation between the EAEU and third countries under the sanctions, BelTA has learned.

“Despite the difficult external environment, the EAEU has established partnerships with new countries. Contacts between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the government of the United Arab Emirates have been formalized. The institutionalizion of relations with Myanmar as an ASEAN member state has begun. Interaction with key integration and interstate associations, such as the CIS, SCO, ASEAN is gaining traction. The Memorandum of Understanding has formalized the dialogue between the EEC and the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia,” said Iya Malkina.

According to her, interaction with the EAEU observer states - Uzbekistan and Cuba – is gaining momentum. “Cooperation with Uzbekistan appears to be the most productive in trade policy, technical regulation, industrial cooperation and transport. An active dialogue between the EEC and the government of Uzbekistan has had a positive impact on trade and economic cooperation. Uzbekistan is the second biggest trading partner of the EAEU among the CIS countries outside the EAEU. Since the EAEU was established in 2015, the trade with Uzbekistan has more than tripled,” the official representative of the EEC informed.

“Trade with the Republic of Cuba is also vibrant. In 2021, the trade of the EAEU member states with Cuba increased by almost 9% and amounted to $169.5 million. It more than doubled last year. Cuba is interested in adapting its laws to the EAEU regulations in certain areas of cooperation and in incorporating certain norms of the EAEU into its legislation. Cuba is keen on deepening cooperation in technical regulation, as well as in trade in medicines and medical devices,” said Iya Malkina.

“Thus, it would not be an overstatement to say that the EAEU is a relevant and attractive integration association, one of the centers of the formation of the Greater Eurasian Partnership,” the official representative of the EEC concluded.