BISHKEK (TCA) — A meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan on August 9.
The meeting was attended by prime ministers of Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev said that during five years of its functioning, the Eurasian Economic Union has achieved considerable results. There was a breakthrough in the strengthening of the Union’s positions in the international arena. This is proven by the existing free trade zone with Vietnam, signed agreements [on free trade zones] with Iran and China, and ongoing negotiations with Singapore, India, Egypt, Serbia, and Israel, the press service of the Kyrgyz Government reported.
The meeting considered 15 issues of further development of integration processes, increasing trade and economic cooperation, and removing barriers in the EEU market. The parties celebrated the 25th anniversary of the idea of Eurasian integration put forward by the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and the 5th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union, the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
The Heads of Government exchanged views on the regulation of the alcohol and financial markets, distribution of import customs duties within the EEU.
Kazakhstan Prime Minister Askar Mamin said that given the prevailing conditions in the global economy, in order to have a positive effect on the growth of the economies of the EEU countries, special attention should be paid to the development of industrial cooperation. This direction should become one of the main economic tasks on the common agenda of the EEU.
One of the effective tools for the development of entrepreneurship, employment and economic growth may be a joint program for the development of the “economy of simple things.”
“This sector can give an increase in gross product of up to 1.5% of GDP,” Mamin said and suggested developing a digital map of the distribution of industrial enterprises across the Union countries.
The Kazakh prime minister noted the high potential of the EEU for integration into the international transport network. Along with measures to simplify customs procedures for transit through the territory of the member countries, the EEU Unified Transit System currently being developed as an effective tool.
It was also proposed to use the capabilities of the Astana International Financial Center. To enhance cooperation in this area, a Plan of joint activities between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the AIFC for 2019-2021 was signed in the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the EEU and AIFC.
