Events

MOSCOW, 28 March (BelTA) – The formation of the industrial and agribusiness policies in the Single Economic Space was discussed at the meeting of Prime Minister of Belarus Mr Mikhail Myasnikovich and Minister for Industry and Agribusiness of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mr Sergei Sidorsky in Minsk on 25 March, the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission told BelTA.

According to the source, the Belarusian side highly appreciated the main guidelines developed by the Commission for the sake of working out the industrial policy. The guidelines had been stipulated by a draft resolution of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on the main directions for coordinating the national industrial policies of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation. The draft resolution was approved by the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission on 30 January 2013 and signed by Mikhail Myasnikovich later on. The document will be used as the foundation for discussing the industrial policy for the Single Economic Space at a session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

During the negotiations the sides paid close attention to common approaches in establishing industrial automobile assembly enterprises in the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. The meeting discussed how the subsidies the Russian government made available to agricultural machinery manufacturers can influence the demand for Belarusian agricultural machines in Russia. It was said that such approaches do not match the spirit of integration in the Single Economic Space, said the source.

Sergei Sidorsky informed about the work done in the area of agricultural subsidies and the progress in agreeing the draft concept of the coordinated agribusiness policy of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space member states with relevant government agencies of the parties. The Prime Minister of Belarus remarked that in the initial phase of the implementation of the agreements on state support for agriculture it is important to work out a mechanism to transparently share information about agricultural subsidies and equivalent protectionism measures. It will help enhance the mutual trust of the sides and will become a guarantee of the established openness in merchandise trade.

Mikhail Myasnikovich also assured that Belarus was ready to take further steps to develop the foundation of the agreed agribusiness policy stipulated by the draft concept and will honor all the obligations in this regard.