Business news

MINSK, 14 December (BelTA) – Brussels will play host to the third round of the dialogue on trade between the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission on 18 December, spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik told a press briefing on 14 December.

The agenda of the meeting envisages the discussion of trade and economic cooperation, including the use of non-tariff measures to regulate foreign trade, the development of bilateral cooperation in standardization, and the participation of Belarus in the economic dimension of the Eastern Partnership.

Taking part in the meeting on Belarus’ behalf will be representatives of the Agriculture and Food Ministry and the State Committee for Standardization.

Dmitry Mironchik noted that regular meetings allows the parties discuss the formation of a bilateral framework for trade relations, outline Belarus’ specific expectations from the EU in the trade and economic sector and coordinate mechanisms for cooperation in removing barriers in bilateral trade. The first two rounds of the dialogue took place in Minsk in 2016 and 2017.

The fourth meeting of the Belarus-EU coordination group will be held in Brussels on 19-20 December. The group was established in 2016 to develop a well-structured political dialogue on a wide range of bilateral cooperation between Belarus and the EU. There are plans to discuss Belarus' participation in the Eastern Partnership initiative, human rights, the current state and prospects of sectoral cooperation, interaction within the framework of the EU's international technical assistance programs, and citizens' mobility.

The Belarusian delegation at the event will be led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko.