Opinions & Interviews

Belarus vows to advance Eurasian integration

Sergei Rumas

MINSK, 31 January (BelTA) – Belarus will make every effort to secure further progressive advance of Eurasian integration. Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas made the statement during the session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 31 January, BelTA has learned.

Belarus took over the presidency over Eurasian Economic Union bodies on 1 January in accordance with the corresponding decision of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. “I would like to assure everyone present that the Belarusian side intends to make every effort to secure further progressive advance of Eurasian integration,” the Belarusian head of government underlined.

Attention will be primarily focused on the removal of barriers, exemptions, and restrictions on Eurasian Economic Union markets and on preventing the possibility of emergence of new kinds of barriers. According to Sergei Rumas, one of the tools to achieve the goal will be the enhancement of the supranational competence of the Eurasian Economic Commission primarily in such spheres as technical regulation, the enforcement of sanitary, veterinary, and phytosanitary measures, the organization of government procurement, and the provision of subsidies.

“We still insist it is necessary to enforce an authorization-based procedure for introducing national restrictive measures. Such measures have to be discussed by EAEU bodies first,” Sergei Rumas noted. “We believe that prerequisites for adopting national regulatory acts, which run contrary to goals of the union and create hindrances in mutual trade, can be removed by switching to a unified policy in the spheres of manufacturing sector, agriculture, power engineering, transportation, and other ones.”

According to the prime minister, the achievement of these goals will be furthered by the creation of a common EAEU digital platform for technical regulations and quality infrastructure, a digital environment for working out standards, the transition to digital permits, and the introduction of arbitrage pricing for resolving disputes.

Work to incorporate the Eurasian Economic Union into the system of international relations will be an important part in Belarus’ presidency over EAEU bodies. The presidency will also try to secure more vigorous cooperation with international organizations and associations and the coupling of integration processes in Eurasian space.

Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas also suggested starting the implementation of joint projects to promote EAEU goods and services onto foreign markets, stepping up efforts to jointly develop the transport and logistics infrastructure, including effective participation in Belt and Road initiative projects.

Sergei Rumas urged the sides to interact productively. He said he hopes that truly important and effective results in the course of development of the Eurasian Economic Union will be achieved through joint efforts.

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