The Prime Minister’s speech at the session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the extended session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council held in Yerevan.
The Heads of Government of EAEU member states: Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich are participating in the meeting. The Heads of Government of observer states in the EAEU: Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, and Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Manuel Cruz are also participating in the meeting remotely.
The Prime Minister of Armenia gave a speech, in which he particularly said:
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“Dear members of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council,
Dear participants of the session,
I am sincerely happy for the opportunity to greet you in Yerevan within the framework of the regular session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to thank our Kyrgyz colleagues for their successful presidency in the Union and efforts towards the development of today’s agenda, and wish all of us constructive and fruitful work.
I also welcome the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, and once again confirm our readiness to develop cooperation with observer states by implementing joint programs.
Dear colleagues,
Continuing the discussions we had yesterday on the key issues of the agenda in the narrow format, I would like to draw your attention to a number of topical issues.
Despite the political tension and the difficult socio-economic situation in the world, the Union consistently implements the integration agenda, deepening the cooperation between our countries.
In the face of new and continuing global challenges, in the current year we can confidently record the presence of positive results and trends in the field of mutual trade.
We have achieved serious success in the process of accomplishment of the EAEU. A capacious common market has been created, the indicators of mutual trade have noticeably increased.
Armenia’s trade turnover with EAEU countries in January-August of this year reached about 2.8 billion USD and increased by 74 percent compared to the same period last year. Moreover, the export from Armenia doubled, and the import grew by 58 percent.
At the same time, with all the opportunities provided by the EAEU common market, we also maintain the specificities and requirements of national legislations and, if necessary, in response to new challenges, apply protective measures for our domestic markets.
At the same time, on the way to ensuring the key idea and principle of integration – the full realization of the 4 freedoms in the territory of the EAEU, we are consistently and purposefully moving forward in the direction of eliminating barriers.
In modern realities, the elimination of obstacles is a condition for the stability of the internal market, which does not lose its relevance. This is a continuous process, the efficiency and effectiveness of which in many ways depend on the regulated work of the member states and bodies of the Union, as well as the willingness to find compromise solutions.
I think it will not be superfluous to mention once again that the industrial sector is one of the main sectors of the economic system of the Union.
In the conditions of modern economic challenges, industrial cooperative and the development of joint productions, including in the high-tech sector, will allow our countries to be more competitive.
The development of agreed policies and mechanisms for financing joint cooperative projects aimed at import substitution will become one of the main conditions for the creation of a fully unified market for our own products.
I am sure that the use of the potential of financial institutions and joint efforts in the near future will allow a practical transition to the production of goods demanded in the Union.
Colleagues,
I consider the field of e-commerce to be another important and up-to-date direction, the share of which is constantly growing, because the development of digital platforms in the modern world is an inevitable and constant process. Accordingly, effective fiscal regulation in the field of e-commerce is becoming more and more relevant for us.
In this context, I consider it necessary to adopt the regulations as soon as possible and then discuss the issues that have not been agreed upon in order to form a reliable regulatory system based on the principles of taxation in the country of destination.
Within the framework of the development of the EAEU integrated information system, we stand in favor of modern solutions for the development of information systems and are ready to be actively involved in these processes.
I am sure that the implementation of consistent steps in the IT sector, which are planned by the target program for the development of the Union’s integrated information system until 2027, will serve as a strategic basis for achieving extremely high demand digital solutions.
As for the formation of common branch markets of the Eurasian Economic Union in the energy sector, it becomes not only a matter of fulfilling the provisions of the EAEU Treaty, but also a necessary condition for the realization of the potential of economic integration and the resource platform for the full development of the industry.
In this context, we are ready for a constructive dialogue based on consideration of the interests of all member states of the Union and based on mutual understanding, towards the regulation of some provisions of the draft international agreement on the formation of the common gas market, the implementation of which will allow the member states to fully enjoy the advantages of the common gas market.
Otherwise, the EAEU member states will not be able to use the potential of the common gas market before the bilateral agreements are expired. Of course, this is a very sensitive topic, and we all need to understand the scope of the price horizon, at least in the medium term.
Dear participants of the session,
Today, the issues of greenhouse gas reduction or carbon neutrality have firmly entered not only environmental, but also economic and commercial agendas, dictating the need to rethink the entire model of economic development and accelerate steps towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.
From the point of view of transitioning from the declaratory path to a more practical one, I would like to note with satisfaction the approval of the first package of the cooperation road map of EAEU member states within the framework of the climate agenda.
As a contribution to global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, we voluntarily implement a range of emission reduction measures under the provisions of the Paris Agreement.
Dear colleagues,
In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm the readiness of the Armenian side to actively cooperate with all member states of the Union for the benefit of promoting Eurasian integration.
I am confident that the decisions taken today will contribute to both the further development of Eurasian integration and the improvement of the well-being of our citizens, as well as the implementation of the agreements reached.
Considering that today’s session of the Intergovernmental Council is the concluding session of this year, I express my gratitude for the coordinated and consistent work and effective cooperation in 2022.
Thank you for attention, I pass the floor to the Chairman of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Akylbek Usenbekovich Japarov to conduct the session in an extended format.”
A number of agenda issues were discussed at the extented-format session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, in particular, the target program for the development of the EAEU integrated information system until 2027, the main directions of industrial cooperation within the EAEU framework, the measures implemented in 2021 towards the formation of a common market for gas, oil and oil products. The Council referred to the mutual trade of EAEU countries in 2021, the joint projects implemented in the direction of import substitution, the first set of EAEU measures within the framework of the climate agenda, issues of distribution and registration of import duties between the budgets of EAEU countries in 2021, etc.
Based on the result of the session, a number of documents were signed, including the Agreement on the rules for issuing, circulation and redemption of warehouse certificates for agricultural products in the territory of the EAEU which is aimed at the development of electronic commerce in the Union.
It was decided to hold the next session of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council in February 2023, in Almaty.
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME-MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
