Prime Minister Askar Mamin attended the meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in a narrow and extended composition, where he put forward a number of initiatives to address pressing issues of economic integration in the EAEU.

Askar Mamin focused on the need for accelerated approval of amendments to the Procedure for removing barriers initiated by the Kazakh side, which will accelerate the process of considering appeals up to three months.

“Today, a register of agreed obstacles is being maintained. It contains 68 obstacles. We started this registry three years ago with 60. Instead of lowering this indicator, unfortunately, we are increasing it every year, creating ever new barriers or delaying their removal,” Mamin said.

The head of the government of Kazakhstan proposed by the end of 2021 to fully transfer the public procurement carried out in the EAEU countries to the electronic format.

“Ensuring participation in government procurements held in electronic formats through the mutual recognition of electronic digital signatures is one of the goals of developing the government procurement market,” Mamin emphasized.

The prime minister of Kazakhstan came up with an initiative to work out amendments to the EAEU Agreement regarding compensation for damage to business in violation of the general rules of competition.

“Today, in accordance with the EAEU law, in the case of a fine being imposed on a business entity in violation of the general rules of competition, fines must be transferred to the budget of the country where the business entity who committed the violation is registered. At the same time, the injured party is deprived of the possibility of compensation for damage,” said Mamin.

The head of the government of Kazakhstan noted the need to strengthen joint work within the EAEU on the development of the digital economy and modern high-tech areas, as well as the development of joint tactics to combat pirated products.

The meeting participants reviewed the progress in preparing the draft Strategic Directions for the Development of Eurasian Economic Integration until 2025, removing barriers within the functioning of the EAEU internal market, integrating national information systems, introducing a settlement and clearing system for transferring import customs duties in national currencies between EAEU member states , preparation of a draft agreement on the regulation of the alcohol market, the formation of an ecosystem of digital transport corridors of the EAEU and other issues.

As a result of the meeting, relevant decisions, orders and instructions were signed.

The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Council will be held on April 9-10, 2020 in Minsk.