News
04.01.2025
Address by Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus and SEEC Chairman, to Heads of Eurasian Economic Union Member States
On January 1, 2025, the Republic of Belarus assumed the chairmanship over the Eurasian Economic Union's governing bodies for the third time.
Over the past decade, our Union has managed to prove the consistency of the idea of close economic integration, its viability and efficiency. Through joint efforts, we have built up the potential for macroeconomic sustainability and minimized the impact of negative geopolitical factors.
The year 2025 will be a landmark for the Eurasian Economic Union: it consummates five years of implementing the Strategic Directions for Developing the Eurasian Economic Integration and lays the groundwork for a new stage to start and implement the Declaration on Further Development of Economic Processes within the EAEU until 2030 and for the period until 2045 “The Eurasian Economic Path”. For these purposes, we propose to identify the following main priorities, which should be at the center of our common attention in the coming year, with a view to strengthen fruitful integration interaction between the Union Member States.
1. We should focus our joint efforts on developing the technological potential of the EAEU Member States, as well as creating a common space for cooperative interaction in all economic sectors.
For this purpose, we should intensify the implementation of joint projects and programs in the areas of information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, electric transport, microelectronics, robotics and new materials. Cooperation in this field will make it possible to provide a reliable basis for developing partnership relations between the EAEU Member States' enterprises to create new import-substituting production and manufacture joint products under the Eurasian brand.
2. It is proposed to concentrate efforts on developing plant breeding and seed production, and increasing the genetic potential of pedigree farm animals to improve the Union's food security.
3. It is necessary to complete the formation of a common transport space adopting equal (non-discriminatory) conditions and ensuring fair competition, especially in air transportation between our countries. The work should continue to abolish the permit system for all types of international road transportation of goods to and from third countries. It is particularly important to create new and improve existing logistics chains for unhindered cargo delivery, develop “seamless” and safe international transport corridors linking the EAEU Member States.
4. I would also like to draw attention to the need for further purposeful work to equalize the conditions for economic activities and create a common and transparent competitive environment in the Union's internal space. Along with that, the key importance is the efficient completion of establishing the EAEU common energy markets.
5. In the current environment, work should continue to protect the internal market. Such activities should be aimed both at improving customs tariff regulation to equalize economic conditions in the EAEU and at fully protecting the Eurasian market from unsafe products.
It is important to adopt uniform technical requirements based on international best practices and scientific evidence, harmonize national standards and ensure transition to the use of interstate standards.
It is necessary to create controlled conditions for access of imported goods to the internal market, to continue the efficient application of the risk management system in determining the customs value of goods.
In the current economic realities, it may be a well-timed project to create in the EAEU its own exchange system of commodity market indicators for key commodities (oil products, agricultural products, timber products, construction materials, etc.) on the basis of existing information, methodological and technological platforms of the Union countries. We need an incentive for further development of exchange trade and formation of competitive prices for goods.
6. Besides, there is a need to enhance interaction between the EAEU Member States in the field of digital transformation.
In today's context, the level of digital technology development plays a determining role in the countries' competitiveness. The removal of existing digital barriers will be one of the most important objectives. We believe that this work will help achieve a synergetic effect in developing the Member States' economies and the EAEU digital space.
In order to improve the efficiency of the public procurement system, it is proposed to finally settle the issue of mutual recognition of electronic digital signature of the Union Member States and to further promote digital tools in this field.
Due to active development of electronic commerce, there is a need for the Union to separately regulate the activities of marketplaces, while searching for an optimal model to take into account the interests of both the state and electronic trading platforms, sellers and consumers.
7. A new impetus is also needed to develop international cooperation in all its formats, to create additional conditions for promoting the Union's goods in foreign markets.
The interaction between the Member States and regional integration associations related in their statutory objectives and ideology, as well as the partnership development within the concept of an Observer State at the EAEU is an important factor in strengthening the Union's economic potential. Special attention should be paid to practical aspects of coupling the integration potentials of the EAEU, CIS, SCO and BRICS, as well as to developing trade and economic relations with the ASEAN Participating States.
We consider further work on implementing free trade & trade and economic cooperation agreements signed at the EAEU level with friendly countries and intensifying negotiations with promising partners as key practical elements of positioning the Union as an international regional organization successfully functioning on the Eurasian continent.
8. Joint work aimed at complementing the economic track of integration with issues from the social and humanitarian spheres is no less important.
It is obvious that the EAEU further development should be inextricably linked with improving the well-being of the Union Member States' citizens. In this regard, cooperation in the field of health care, education, sports, tourism, culture and other humanitarian spheres should be in the field of our closer attention.
9.Like never before, our countries are required to move to a new level of information exchange to take efficient measures against various destructive resources and aggressive attacks. It seems expedient to develop a consolidated approach to forming a common information space based on respect for our countries' traditional values and the historical and cultural heritage of the peoples.
And, it is beyond argument that we should honorably celebrate a special date in our common history – the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and unite our efforts to ensure peace and fight against Nazism, which is once again becoming a threat to all mankind.
Today it is important to demonstrate to the world community that developing, building the future and achieving prosperity are possible only by respecting each other and complying with the rules of law.
I am confident that the consistent implementation of these areas will contribute to further development of the Eurasian integration and expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.
Over the past decade, our Union has managed to prove the consistency of the idea of close economic integration, its viability and efficiency. Through joint efforts, we have built up the potential for macroeconomic sustainability and minimized the impact of negative geopolitical factors.
The year 2025 will be a landmark for the Eurasian Economic Union: it consummates five years of implementing the Strategic Directions for Developing the Eurasian Economic Integration and lays the groundwork for a new stage to start and implement the Declaration on Further Development of Economic Processes within the EAEU until 2030 and for the period until 2045 “The Eurasian Economic Path”. For these purposes, we propose to identify the following main priorities, which should be at the center of our common attention in the coming year, with a view to strengthen fruitful integration interaction between the Union Member States.
1. We should focus our joint efforts on developing the technological potential of the EAEU Member States, as well as creating a common space for cooperative interaction in all economic sectors.
For this purpose, we should intensify the implementation of joint projects and programs in the areas of information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, electric transport, microelectronics, robotics and new materials. Cooperation in this field will make it possible to provide a reliable basis for developing partnership relations between the EAEU Member States' enterprises to create new import-substituting production and manufacture joint products under the Eurasian brand.
2. It is proposed to concentrate efforts on developing plant breeding and seed production, and increasing the genetic potential of pedigree farm animals to improve the Union's food security.
3. It is necessary to complete the formation of a common transport space adopting equal (non-discriminatory) conditions and ensuring fair competition, especially in air transportation between our countries. The work should continue to abolish the permit system for all types of international road transportation of goods to and from third countries. It is particularly important to create new and improve existing logistics chains for unhindered cargo delivery, develop “seamless” and safe international transport corridors linking the EAEU Member States.
4. I would also like to draw attention to the need for further purposeful work to equalize the conditions for economic activities and create a common and transparent competitive environment in the Union's internal space. Along with that, the key importance is the efficient completion of establishing the EAEU common energy markets.
5. In the current environment, work should continue to protect the internal market. Such activities should be aimed both at improving customs tariff regulation to equalize economic conditions in the EAEU and at fully protecting the Eurasian market from unsafe products.
It is important to adopt uniform technical requirements based on international best practices and scientific evidence, harmonize national standards and ensure transition to the use of interstate standards.
It is necessary to create controlled conditions for access of imported goods to the internal market, to continue the efficient application of the risk management system in determining the customs value of goods.
In the current economic realities, it may be a well-timed project to create in the EAEU its own exchange system of commodity market indicators for key commodities (oil products, agricultural products, timber products, construction materials, etc.) on the basis of existing information, methodological and technological platforms of the Union countries. We need an incentive for further development of exchange trade and formation of competitive prices for goods.
6. Besides, there is a need to enhance interaction between the EAEU Member States in the field of digital transformation.
In today's context, the level of digital technology development plays a determining role in the countries' competitiveness. The removal of existing digital barriers will be one of the most important objectives. We believe that this work will help achieve a synergetic effect in developing the Member States' economies and the EAEU digital space.
In order to improve the efficiency of the public procurement system, it is proposed to finally settle the issue of mutual recognition of electronic digital signature of the Union Member States and to further promote digital tools in this field.
Due to active development of electronic commerce, there is a need for the Union to separately regulate the activities of marketplaces, while searching for an optimal model to take into account the interests of both the state and electronic trading platforms, sellers and consumers.
7. A new impetus is also needed to develop international cooperation in all its formats, to create additional conditions for promoting the Union's goods in foreign markets.
The interaction between the Member States and regional integration associations related in their statutory objectives and ideology, as well as the partnership development within the concept of an Observer State at the EAEU is an important factor in strengthening the Union's economic potential. Special attention should be paid to practical aspects of coupling the integration potentials of the EAEU, CIS, SCO and BRICS, as well as to developing trade and economic relations with the ASEAN Participating States.
We consider further work on implementing free trade & trade and economic cooperation agreements signed at the EAEU level with friendly countries and intensifying negotiations with promising partners as key practical elements of positioning the Union as an international regional organization successfully functioning on the Eurasian continent.
8. Joint work aimed at complementing the economic track of integration with issues from the social and humanitarian spheres is no less important.
It is obvious that the EAEU further development should be inextricably linked with improving the well-being of the Union Member States' citizens. In this regard, cooperation in the field of health care, education, sports, tourism, culture and other humanitarian spheres should be in the field of our closer attention.
9.Like never before, our countries are required to move to a new level of information exchange to take efficient measures against various destructive resources and aggressive attacks. It seems expedient to develop a consolidated approach to forming a common information space based on respect for our countries' traditional values and the historical and cultural heritage of the peoples.
And, it is beyond argument that we should honorably celebrate a special date in our common history – the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and unite our efforts to ensure peace and fight against Nazism, which is once again becoming a threat to all mankind.
Today it is important to demonstrate to the world community that developing, building the future and achieving prosperity are possible only by respecting each other and complying with the rules of law.
I am confident that the consistent implementation of these areas will contribute to further development of the Eurasian integration and expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.
