The meeting’s agenda covered a wide range of topics dealing with economic cooperation among CIS member states.
Alexei Overchuk takes part in the CIS Economic Council meeting
Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk took part in the meeting of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States, held in Moscow on 23 June
The agenda included several topical items dealing with trade and economic cooperation among CIS member states.
The participants reviewed the main macroeconomic targets and economic development indicators for the CIS member states in 2022. This analysis is expected to serve as a reference point for devising and carrying out initiatives designed to ensure macroeconomic stability, generate economic growth, expand foreign trade, as well as ensure the stability of government finances and financial markets within the CIS.
The meeting also included a performance report of the CIS Council of the Heads of Customs Services for 2018-2022. Established in 1993, this body coordinates practical cooperation between CIS customs agencies on the key aspects of the customs policy. Its creation elevated cooperation between CIS customs agencies to a whole new level. The Council marks its 30th anniversary in 2023.
Also on the agenda was a performance report of the CIS Transport Coordination Meeting for 2010-2022. The core mission of this meeting is to facilitate the emergence of a common transport space formed by CIS member states and streamline the operation of sea, road, and inland water transport in conjunction with other kinds of transport as per the concepts and programmes for improving their organisational structure, creating the necessary conditions for the transit of goods, environment protection, and also improving transport safety for passengers and cargo. In 2010-2022, the meeting and its affiliated bodies focused on drafting international treaties and coordinating proposals regarding their priorities in terms of transport development, while also carrying out several transport projects across the CIS, and holding sectoral conferences and forums on developing transport hubs within the CIS.
Meeting participants discussed updating the list of joint measures in response to emerging challenges of 10 June 2022. In line with the initiative proposed during the meeting of the Economic Council on 17 March 2023, the CIS member states, together with CIS bodies responsible for industry-specific cooperation and the CIS Executive Committee extended the list, specifically, with measures focused on ensuring the economic stability of the CIS member states and strengthening mutually beneficial relations in such key areas of the economy as transport, commerce, agriculture, and information and communication technologies.
The parties approved drafts of the digital transformation concept for the fuel and energy sector in the CIS countries and the priority action plan to implement the concept, developed by the CIS Executive Committee in cooperation with the National Research University Moscow Power Engineering Institute. According to the draft concept, the CIS members will focus on the following primary objectives of digital transformation in the fuel and energy sector: shaping a common vision of digital transformation; expanding mutually beneficial cooperative links; and creating, developing and implementing digital platforms in the sector. The draft plan specifies actions required to develop inter-state cooperation in the digital transformation of the oil and gas industry, the coal industry, the electric power industry and nuclear energy. It is expected that the above documents will contribute to the development of information infrastructure supporting digital platforms and technology for cultivating competences for the further development of the fuel and energy sector in the CIS countries. The documents will be submitted for consideration to the CIS Council of Heads of Government.
The meeting participants also reviewed a draft concept of the CIS Forum of Regions, created by the CIS Council of Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation and the CIS Executive Committee. The concept outlines the primary goals, objectives and principles of the CIS Forum of Regions, the forum’s organisational structure and funding.
The CIS Forum of Regions, to be attended by most regions of the member states, will give an additional impetus to strengthening and developing overarching cooperation between the interested regions, and will facilitate creating a fundamentally new system of interregional and cross-border links and relations in the interests of integrating the economic potentials of the CIS member states.
The meeting participants also considered the concept for the development of the library and information space based on the border libraries of the CIS member states, as well as an action plan for implementing it. Both the concept and the plan were drawn up by the CIS Council of Interregional and Cross-Border Cooperation jointly with the CIS Executive Committee. The concept defines the goals and principles involved in the development of the library space, with specific measures for its implementation indicated in the action plan for 2023-2030. The concept will create conditions for strengthening interregional and cross-border cooperation between libraries of CIS member states in promoting information resources and providing library and information services to the multi-ethnic populations in border areas.
The Economic Council approved a 2023-2030 priority action plan for the concept of cooperation between the CIS member states in using renewable energy sources of 20 November 2013. The plan has been drafted with account taken of the accumulated experience, modern realities, and new important objectives facing the industry. The document includes measures designed to analyse the state of the renewable energy sector and forecast its development, as well as to monitor the existing regulatory and legal framework and measures to introduce green energy support mechanisms in CIS member states, including green certificates, to create and update a unified register of developers and producers of energy equipment for the renewable energy sector in the CIS, etc. The plan will further promote collaboration between CIS member states in the said area, ensuring the renewable energy sources’ contribution to the energy mix in the transition to low-carbon development.
The participants in the meeting also considered a long-range plan of joint exploration, use and protection of the mineral resources of the CIS member states for 2023-2030. The plan was drafted to create a highly effective, innovative system geared to exploring and restoring mineral resources that ensures the attainment of the goals set at the present stage and in the long term. The plan will enable the geological services in the CIS member states to step up cooperation, and jointly address complicated scientific and practical tasks. It will also help CIS geologists and researchers to acquire experience and skills in the area of geology and subsurface management.
It was also proposed that the CIS should have a base institution to train customs personnel, with the Russian Customs Academy (RCA) recommended as such an organisation. The RCA prioritises promoting international cooperation and training specialists for the CIS customs services.
