News

During his working visit to Geneva on March 25-26, Andrey Slepnev, Minister in charge of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission met with the heads of the United Nations Office in Geneva, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Center (ITC) to discuss prospects for dialogue and coordination of efforts to overcome common challenges.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan and Andrey Slepnev noted the significance of the results of collaboration in the areas of sustainable development, regional economic integration, macroeconomic policy, trade facilitation, competition policy and consumer protection. As a result of the meeting, a new three-year cooperation program was approved and an agreement was reached to develop an open and constructive dialog on such topical issues on the international agenda as trade aspects of the climate agenda and regulation of electronic commerce.

During the conversation with UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean, the EEC Minister in charge of Trade expressed interest in continuing contacts to develop effective solutions at the regional level and to coordinate actions, including on the digitalization of international transport corridors and ensuring the compatibility of various components of the digital infrastructure emerging in the region. A new cooperation plan until 2026 was also agreed upon at the meeting.

Andrey Slepnev stressed that "strengthening cooperation in the areas included in the Program of Cooperation with UNCTAD and Cooperation Plan with UNECE for the next three-year period 2024-2026 will contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the provisions of the Declaration on Further Development of Economic Processes within the Eurasian Economic Union until 2030 and for the period until 2045, the "Eurasian Economic Path".

The EEC Minister in charge of Trade and Director General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala discussed the outcomes of the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference held in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in February this year. Andrey Slepnev informed the head of the WTO about the implementation of the trade policy of the Eurasian Economic Union in the conditions of reorientation of trade flows and against the background of increasing risks of fragmentation of the global economy and trade.

"Clear rules and boundaries for the application of climate regulation measures must be developed at the international level to prevent trade restrictions and fragmentation. Such rules should be developed on the basis of agreements already in place within the multilateral trading system, including the basic principles of non-discrimination, openness, efficiency and transparency," noted the EEC Minister in charge of Trade.

At the meeting with Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Center, the EEC Minister in charge of Trade stressed the importance of bringing together key international organizations and regional groupings to develop common approaches to addressing climate change, which would include, inter alia, a dialogue among trade policymakers aimed at ensuring transparency of measures and removing possible barriers. ITC and EEC agreed to "synchronize their watches" in various areas of mutual interest, including digitalization of trade.

Andrey Slepnev discussed with Tatyana Valovaya, Head of the United Nations Office in Geneva, the general objectives of EEC's interaction with UN system organizations in light of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and the Eurasian Economic Path Declaration.