Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at the meeting
The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session group photo of participants
With Kyrgyz Republic Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov
Restricted-attendance meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session group photo of participants
Delegation heads at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting:
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan;
Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko;
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin;
Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Ulukbek Maripov;
Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin;
Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich;
Eurasian Economic Union observer states:
Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Marrero Cruz (recorded video of speech)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation Julio Garmendia Pena
Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi (via videoconference)
Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
Mr Mamin, colleagues, I am pleased to welcome you to this year’s first Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting. I would like to join in the words of gratitude to Mr Mamin and our Kazakh colleagues for the excellent organisation of the Council meeting and the very high standard of the hosting of the International Digital Forum, which was held for the fourth time and was an excellent platform for discussing the future of our association’s digital development.
On a separate note, I would like to congratulate Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Ulukbek Maripov on the occasion of his appointment to this position and to wish him good luck in his work. This is his first time here. I would also like to greet the heads of government of the observer states, in particular, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and the representatives of Cuba and Moldova.
The year 2020 was not easy for the EAEU countries. Thanks to our coordinated actions, we managed to prevent the unfolding of the worst scenario in our respective economies. Combatting the coronavirus remains an important area of our cooperation. Clearly, creating the proper environment for vaccination throughout the Union will be the decisive factor here. Two vaccines have been officially registered in Russia. The third one is in the process of being registered. Following the President’s instruction, free mass vaccination has begun. We are ready to provide our partners with the support they may need and to share our experience. We are interacting with each one of you in this area.
It is important to take other measures to stop the infection from spreading and to create a proper environment for safe passenger traffic within the union. The Travelling without COVID-19 project has been launched in pilot mode to this end, which we have already mentioned. From February 1, Eurasian Union citizens will be able to use a special application to present negative coronavirus test results when crossing the border.
So far, only Armenia, Belarus and Russia have taken part in the project, but we look forward to expanding this practice. I am sure that this app will help people return more easily and quickly to their everyday activities. They will be able to go to work in another country and to travel.
Colleagues, the coronavirus and its aftereffects, such as increased market volatility and slower economic growth, are not the only challenges that confront our association. Clearly, the spread of this dangerous disease has undermined economic activity in most countries and aggravated existing problems. No one in any country was immune to this misfortune, and neither was the economy. But instead of reconsidering their positions and establishing cooperation to combat the pandemic fallout, unfortunately, some states have been taking advantage of the current situation which could lead to unpredictable, even dangerous consequences.
Economic sanctions and protectionism are getting tougher year in, year out, and trade wars are escalating. Given these circumstances, promoting industrial cooperation and taking state import substitution programmes to the supranational level should be our priorities. This is what President Vladimir Putin suggested doing in his December remarks. We hope that we will be able to start acting upon the agreements in this area soon and focus specifically on common projects for the production of high-tech products.
In the late 2020, the heads of state approved the EAEU Development Strategy for the next five years, and drafted a substantial plan for implementing this document, which, of course, must be agreed upon and adopted. It should include specific steps and clear deadlines, and focus on creating conditions for the advanced development of economies, ensuring comfortable living and working conditions in our countries, and creating a favourable business environment.
We will act in a comprehensive manner across all areas.
In healthcare, we must improve our support for joint initiatives and research projects building on our experience of fighting the coronavirus and implementing innovative solutions that primarily relate to preventing, diagnosing and treating infectious diseases.
In education, plans are in place to create a single information portal. Today, we saw excellent products made by our partners in Kazakhstan. It is important to ensure recognition of professional qualifications in the most popular specialties, as well as academic degrees and titles, throughout the EAEU.
The dissemination of smart energy-efficient technology and the introduction of the green-economy principles are also our priorities which will make it possible to promote scientific and technical breakthroughs and to form a territory of innovation in our Union.
We believe that the EAEU countries should also step up interaction in the sphere of digitalising their respective national economies. We covered this extensively at the forum today and, in particular, noted the initiatives advanced by the EDB Digital Initiative Fund which, I hope, will work hard to this end.
It is also necessary to step up work on converging tax legislation which is important if we want goods, services, capital and labour to move freely.
The tax authorities have accomplished much over the past few years to remove the barriers. We will continue to pursue our policy to broaden the integration in this field. A corresponding roadmap has been developed. We are expecting our partners to comment on it shortly, so that work can get going on this.
The Eurasian Economic Union is always open to dialogue. Russia supports the involvement of individuals, public organisations and the business community, as well as interaction with third countries, international associations and organisations, and stronger cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States. Work is already in progress to link the EAEU with the Chinese Belt and Road project. This is an important stage in building a larger Eurasian partnership, a landscape for joint development.
The EAEU strategy provides the basis for a fundamentally new level of international self-presentation of our integration association, and we should certainly take advantage of this opportunity.
The expansion of the geography of cooperation always helps to boost trade, strengthen interaction in various fields, simplify administrative procedures, and most important of all, this will help to strengthen the EAEU's foothold on the international arena.
Thank you.
Documents signed following Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting:
- Instruction with regard to the mechanism for the application of retaliatory
measures with regard to third party on the customs territory of the EAEU
pursuant to Article 40 of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union of 29 May,
2014.
- Instruction with regard to updating the lists of countries-beneficiaries of the
common system of tariff preferences of the EAEU.
- Decision with regard to the Concept for the development of electronic document
management at sea checkpoints of the EAEU member states.
- Decision with regard to the approval of the Procedure for coordination and
analytical support of livestock selection and breeding carried out in the EAEU
member states.
- Directive
on the macroeconomic situation in the EAEU member states and proposals for
ensuring their sustainable economic development.
- Directive
presenting to the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council a candidate to the Eurasian
Economic Commission Board.
- Directive
regarding the time and venue of the next Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
meeting.
