Belarus president to host EAEU videoconference summit
The meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will take place in the format of a video conference under the chairmanship of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 19 May. Earlier the meeting was to take place in Minsk, however, in the light of the recent unfavorable epidemiological situation the leaders of the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) decided to discuss the agenda remotely, BelTA has learned.
According to the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), ten issues are on the agenda, including the main guidelines of the EAEU macroeconomic policy for 2020-2021, international activities of the EAEU in 2019, the annual report of the EEC on the state of competition in cross-border markets and measures taken to curb violations of general competition rules in 2019.
It is expected that the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will approve the strategic areas of the development of Eurasian integration until 2025.
“The list of measures and mechanisms (330 positions) laid down in the document is in fact a roadmap for further development of integration. It provides for further development and signing of 13 international treaties, more than 60 EAEU regulations, introducing about 25 amendments and additions to the EAEU Treaty, and amendments to the national laws of the EAEU member states,” the EEC said.
The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council held an extraordinary videoconference session on 23 April to discuss the strategic areas of the development of Eurasian economic integration through 2025. On three issues, the Intergovernmental Council adopted the proposals developed by the EEC Council on 20 and 22 April. In particular, the parties coordinated positions on liberalization of international road transportation, flexible mechanisms for targeted economic development and cooperation in healthcare. The remaining issue of tariff formation for gas services in the EAEU common gas market will be resolved at the level of heads of state.
The members of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the program on gradual liberalization of road transportation of goods by carriers registered in one of the EAEU states between the points located on the territory of another EAEU state.
Also on the agenda is a protocol to amend the EAEU Treaty in part of clarifying the EEC staffing mechanism.
About a month ago, on 14 April, the EAEU heads of state held a video conference. Then the main topic was the situation in the countries and cooperation during the pandemic. In his speech, Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized the importance of maintaining transit traffic. He also spoke in favor of preserving the practice of concerted decisions and common rules to regulate foreign trade, which are the core of the union's functioning. The president also added that it was necessary to take effective measures aimed at deepening industrial cooperation.
