As Mikhail Mishustin noted, during the existence of the EAEU, the volume of mutual trade between the participating countries increased by 90%. Photo: Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS
On Thursday Mishustin arrived in the Armenian city of Tsakhkadzor, where a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held.
Next year, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will be 10 years old. The association includes 5 countries: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
On the agenda of the current meeting there was only one topic: the strategic directions for the development of the EAEU until 2030 and 2045.
As Mikhail Mishustin noted, during the existence of the EAEU, the volume of mutual trade between the participating countries increased by 90%. In the first six months of this year, industrial production in the union grew by almost 3% compared to the same period last year, while unemployment fell by 11%.
– It is already necessary to lay a solid foundation for future joint actions. The Eurasian Economic Union should become a self-sufficient macro-region. And at the same time attractive and open to other partners,” said Mishustin.
Among the priorities, Mishustin mentioned the formation of common markets for services and investments in the EAEU countries, the dissemination of technological and industrial potential, the improvement of air and rail communications and the creation of a comfortable environment for the life of the people.
Mishustin pointed out that the EAEU countries are fully self-sufficient in gas, oil, petroleum products and electricity.
“It is important to jointly develop geological exploration and the necessary infrastructure for a stable and uninterrupted supply of these resources to people and companies,” the Prime Minister noted.
Mishustin paid special attention to the development of agriculture. Currently, the EAEU ranks third in the world in production of wheat, potatoes and livestock products.
– The production of agricultural products is constantly increasing. At the end of last year growth reached almost 9.5%, in the first half of this year it was close to 3%, said Mishustin.
Mishustin stated that the “five” countries will continue to act as reliable suppliers of agricultural products for the internal and external markets.
Mishustin called on the EAEU partners to take a more active part in building the Greater Eurasian Association, the idea of which was put forward by Vladimir Putin.
– The implementation of this strategic initiative will allow the creation of a common economic space for egalitarian cooperation around the union, a broad integration contour, as well as an extensive network of trade agreements. It will be possible to solve large technological problems more efficiently. Establish production chains,” said Mishustin.
Russia also insists on the development of a common space for payments in the EAEU based on national currencies. Mishustin noted that most of the mutual agreements are already made in national currencies.
– 80% of the banks in the five states are connected to the financial messaging system. We propose to develop a common space for payments on the basis of national currencies. Implement the Eurasian rating system. In this way we will improve the investment climate, increase the security of the settlements and the stability of our economies,” said Mishustin.
The prime minister said that in December it will be held in St. Petersburg.
meeting of the Eurasian Supreme Economic Council with the participation of the presidents of the “five” countries, where initiatives in key areas of the development of the EAEU will be considered.
