Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today attended the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, held via videoconference.

The meeting was also attended by President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, President Alexander Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Japarov of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the heads of EAEU-observer nations - President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan and President Miguel Diaz-Kanel Bermudez of the Republic of Cuba, as well as Eurasian Economic Collegium Board Chairman Mikhail Myasnikovich and Honorary Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Addressing the event, Nikol Pashinyan stated:
“Dear Heads of State,
Dear meeting participants,

I am pleased to welcome you to this year’s first meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, and I wish us all meaningful and fruitful work. I am also pleased to welcome Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev, Honorary Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. I would also like to greet the heads of EAEU-observer states, President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan and President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez of the Republic of Cuba.

Dear meeting participants,

I would like to dwell on some issues on our agenda which we believe of great importance for the development of integration processes. We prioritize the formation of a common gas market within the Union. We consider it necessary that not only common approaches to price and tariff setting within the gas market would be agreed in the framework of an international treaty, but also tariffs for transportation of gas from third countries for domestic consumption would be established on the basis of transparency and non-discriminatory approaches.

It is crucial for us to continue with the ongoing efforts aimed at identifying and removing barriers and restrictions to mutual trade. Such work has been implemented throughout the existence of our Union. Despite the existing differences in positions and some objective difficulties on the way to creating a full-fledged single market for goods and services, we continue to search for constructive solutions, which was reflected in the report.

An instrument for adaptation to time-related requirements and challenges is the consistent implementation by EAEU-member states of key macroeconomic policy guidelines in 2021-2022. The pace of recovery of our economies will be largely determined by the effectiveness of the main provisions specified in this document, including the formation of favorable conditions for the recovery of entrepreneurial activity and the expansion of opportunities of the Union’s internal market. I think this point of view is equally shared by our partners.

The formation of common approaches for pursuing a coordinated foreign trade policy that meets the interests of each member state and the entire Union as a whole is a pivotal element in ensuring Eurasian economic integration. Today we can state with confidence that the agreements on free trade and trade-economic cooperation between the EAEU and third countries have shown their relevance.

From this perspective, I would like to reaffirm our readiness to continue the implementation of joint programs and carry out purposeful and consistent work to promote the idea of Eurasian economic integration and increase its international authority. We believe it crucial for us to continue work on forming a legal framework that would safeguard the interests of the Union and its members in global trade.

Armenia reaffirms its commitment to deeper interaction between the EAEU-member states in the field of healthcare, aimed at improving public health, strengthening cooperation and collective strategic partnership in the prevention and control of diseases, as well as defending our common interests in the international arena.

In this context, I would like to highlight the need for developing an action plan to increase the level of supply of strategically important drugs and pharmaceutical substances intended for medicinal use, the production of which must be ensured in the Union. I am confident that further coordinated action in developing cooperation in the field of healthcare and pharmaceutical production will lead to positive results in the future.

I believe that today, as never before, we need to develop mechanisms for financing integration projects by more actively involving state resources and supranational development institutions of the EAEU, including through the creation of Specialized Investment Funds.

In addition, I think everyone will agree that strengthening human capital and technological development are among the key factors in terms of ensuring sustainable economic growth of our economies. In this regard, we need to build up the Union’s human capital in order to create a more reliable innovation ecosystem, including through deeper integration processes in educational, scientific and innovative activities.

Taking into account that the Eurasian Economic Commission currently has limited regulatory tools in the field of education, I suggest elaborating the issue of creating a platform for academic mobility in the field of industry and agro-industry within the EAEU.

I would also like to touch on the Union’s digital agenda, which is of priority importance for Armenia. In this regard, I wish to mention the launch of the Union’s first joint digital project - the unified search system, referred to as “Work without borders,” which will be put into commercial operation on July 1 of this year.

This project will open up new employment opportunities for our citizens both at home and on the territory of the “Five Nations.” Employers will thereby enjoy an expanded list of sites for personnel search, while the member states will see modern and effective digital tools available for the development of the Union’s labor market.

Dear colleagues!

In conclusion, let me thank you all for your work. The dynamics and duration of economic recovery from the shocks caused by the pandemic will largely depend on our willingness to work closely together to develop such new mechanisms and instruments of cooperation as may be necessary in the new conditions.

I am convinced that the result of an equal and mutually beneficial dialogue and well-coordinated actions on the EAEU platform will not be long in coming. Thank you.”