Statements for the press by Mikhail Mishustin and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich following a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Statements for the press by Mikhail Mishustin and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich following a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Mikhail Mishustin’s statement for the press following a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Statements for the press by Mikhail Mishustin and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich following a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Excerpts from the
transcript:
Mikhail Mishustin: Colleagues, media representatives,
I would like to once again thank our Kazakhstani friends for these well organised events and for the warm reception.
The first meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in 2023 is now over. We constructively discussed all topical issues and exchanged assessments regarding the overall situation in the Eurasian Economic Union and the efficiency of measures we are taking to make our economies more resilient in the face of the sanctions pressure.
We have outlined our plans for promoting integration, with due consideration for the external factors.
In 2023, Russia, as the chair of the EAEU governing bodies, intends to make the maximum effort to unlock the integration potential of our association. We will work on high-priority areas as set forth in a message to all member states by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Of course, we are counting on the support of all our partners in this connection.
I will briefly comment on the results of the meeting.
First, I would like to highlight industrial cooperation that is probably a high-priority issue. All of our countries intend to implement joint projects in this significant area. This includes high-tech production facilities as well.
In late 2022, we agreed to launch a mechanism to provide supranational subsidies for these initiatives. This year, we are set to completely formalise the relevant regulatory documents so the process can develop faster. We hope that, following this process, we will also start selecting the first recipients of these subsidies.
The creation of a system for financing these projects will accelerate technological development and will help launch joint ventures in strategically important sectors with EAEU support. This will also allow the smaller economies to take a more active part in developing new technologies.
We reviewed food security issues and measures to boost staple food self-sufficiency during a separate discussion.
According to some estimates, this year the EAEU is to expand agricultural production by over 20 percent, in dollar equivalent, compared with 2020.
We are now completely meeting domestic demand for these products. We can and will further develop export mechanisms, including under the Eurasian Agro-Express project. Although this project was launched less than 12 months ago, about 500,000 tonnes of freight have already been exported, due to faster railway service.
We are studying the possibility of involving new countries in the project and lifting restrictions on deliveries to China. The commission’s members have submitted the relevant proposals. This, too, will make a substantial contribution to expanding the export potential of our agricultural producers.
We need to make closer our positions on creating common energy markets; we see this as a key element for the development of Eurasian integration, especially today when many countries are hard pressed for energy resources due to global turbulence. Apart from meeting the domestic demand of the member states, we can help friendly countries by balancing our interests.
Regulations for using power transmission services have been approved. This will facilitate non-discriminatory national access of common market participants to interstate power transmission grids under intra-EAEU power trade agreements.
Work is still underway to digitalise the economies of the member states. Modern technologies and modern solutions open up additional opportunities for businesses and make it possible to avoid excessive red tape in the foreign economic sphere. We exchanged opinions on this subject at the international digital forum. During the council meeting, we agreed to expedite our work on an integrated information system in the union.
Mikhail Myasnikovich and I discussed the details of this, and we find it necessary to fully use its resources for launching seamless interaction between our authorised agencies even in the simplest matters. Most importantly, we must help our people realise the four EAEU freedoms, specifically, the free movement of goods, services, capital and human resources. We need to minimise the administrative impact of obtaining these freedoms by the people living in our union.
Today, our colleagues from the five union states communicated in a very friendly atmosphere. We demonstrated a common understanding that all of our decisions should aim to invigorate practical cooperation in all economic spheres.
Each EAEU member state addresses the task of developing Eurasian integration in a highly responsible manner. This integration can only develop with mutual respect and by meeting each other halfway.
We see that our partners see eye to eye with us, and we will work together towards the priorities laid out by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
Mikhail Myasnikovich: Mr Mishustin, media representatives,
This year the Russian Federation holds the chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union governing bodies. And I would like to thank Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin for chairing excellent meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council these days.
This year is certainly a critical one. Over the course of this year, we need to adopt 57 international treaties and regulations, most of them already thoroughly prepared, in order to ensure unconditional compliance with the strategic directions of our integration by 2025. It is not an easy job. Many treaties are ready and signed, and are awaiting ratification by the parliaments of the Eurasian Economic Union member states.
I would like to inform you that the Eurasian Economic Commission Board has already started implementing the tasks outlined in the address by President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council Vladimir Putin to the heads of the union member states during Russia’s EAEU chairmanship in 2023.
It is natural to ask what is new about the work of the Eurasian Economic Union in the current period. What’s new is that we have already embarked specifically on project cooperation. Mr Mishustin spoke about this. The rules of access to interstate power transmission services have been approved. There has been a very constructive exchange of views on the draft document that would create a common gas market. And, in addition, the macroeconomic situation in the Eurasian Economic Union countries and proposals to ensure sustainable economic development have been reviewed quite seriously.
Of course, there are difficulties in foreign trade, but they are largely offset by the growth in mutual trade. The growth amounted to 13.4 percent on last year’s rather high level. As for cooperation ties, they have grown even more, by 15.7 percent.
The commission’s proposals on a mechanism to promote economic development have been approved. And we believe that the smart and effective use of our countries’ potential allows us to ensure that the total gross domestic product of the Eurasian Economic Union will increase annually by 4.5-5.5 percent, maintaining the internal stability of the economy, as Mr Mishustin reported.
I would like to say that the Chairman of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and the host party created favourable conditions so that we could discuss not only the issues on the Intergovernmental Council’s agenda, but also have many constructive exchanges of views on fundamental issues related to digitalisation and industrial cooperation. Indeed, very important issues have been discussed, that may be beyond experts’ competence to solve. That is why the value of the Intergovernmental Council meeting lies in the totality of all the decisions taken.
And, of course, we will be preparing for a large event, the Intergovernmental Council meeting, which is scheduled for 7-9 June in Sochi. There are also plans to hold a large, ambitious exhibition. We invite everyone to prepare for this event and to engage in it as much as possible.
Mikhail Mishustin: Thank you very much. All the best.
