EEC Board member hopes Russian restrictions on Armenian products will be resolved soon

Alexander Subbotin, the Eurasian Economic Commission’s (EEC) Board member responsible for technical regulation, has said intensive work is under way to remove barriers facing Armenian producers in the Eurasian Economic Union’s common market.

Speaking at a press conference on “Ensuring Product Safety in the EAEU Market” on 22 October, Subbotin addressed Russia’s restrictions on Armenian products. He said the issue was being discussed by the relevant EEC departments and through the minister responsible for trade barriers.

Subbotin said an application had been submitted to the Commission at Armenia’s request to enable a more detailed and substantiated examination of whether the measures had been applied correctly.

“We are actively involved in the work coordinated by the minister responsible for trade barriers. An active negotiating process is also under way at the bilateral level,” he said.

The minister noted that the parties’ positions differed: one maintained that the measures had been applied correctly, while the other argued that the inspections had been conducted incorrectly. Nevertheless, Subbotin expressed hope that the issue would be resolved soon.

“There has never been a case where we failed to find common ground and reach an agreement,” he stressed.

He said the EAEU Treaty provided for temporary restrictions to protect public safety. It contained an article allowing such measures to remain in place until the countries clarified the situation.

Subbotin added that producers acting in bad faith by supplying poor-quality products would be removed from the market, as access to high-quality, safe products was in everyone’s interest.

“However, conscientious, honest producers will remain and continue trading,” the minister concluded.

Russia has restricted imports of numerous products from Armenia since June 2026. Those restrictions remain in place.