Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session

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Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow on 21 December. The heads of state focused on the measures to protect the market after the Ukraine-EU free trade zone agreement comes into effect on 1 January 2016.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, not only Russia but other EEU member states are concerned about the issue. The Russian side has been discussing the problem with the European Union. No agreement has been reached so far, the EEU heads of state were informed. “This is why a situation may evolve when Ukrainian products are substituted with the imports from the European Union while Ukrainian products flood our territory,” he said. Another consideration is more alarming. If a European Union product is imported into Ukraine with zero customs duties, then it can be sold across the entire Commonwealth of Independent States due to the relevant free trade agreement unless this market is protected.

Within half a year digital declarations will be introduced for commodities that will be transported to the Eurasian Economic Union. A similar system is already in place in Belarus-Russia trade. It can be used as the reference point in the EEU.

Besides, the session focused on the integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative. The EEU expects to start the harmonization of the roadmap of cooperation between the member states and with the Chinese partners in H1 2016. The roadmap may be approved in Q3 2016.

At the end of the summit Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that the heads of state managed to agree on all issues on the agenda and signed corresponding international documents.