YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has adopted an active and initiating policy in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Albert Babayan, deputy minister of economic development and investments, said in an interview to ARMENPRESS, summarizing Armenia’s 2018 in the EAEU and talking about the expected actions in 2019.

The deputy minister said in 2018 Armenia showed great activeness among the EAEU states. The evidence of this are Armenia’s figures recorded during the year and the range of issues raised.

“In January-October 2018 Armenia’s overall export to other countries increased by 11.7%, and that to the EAEU member states – by 22.6%. It’s worth to state that the export this year to the EAEU states has increased to almost all states of the Union except Kyrgyzstan. For instance, the export to Belarus increased by nearly 90%, Kazakhstan – 2 times, Russia – 22.6%, an export decline has been registered only to the Kyrgyz market (46%). This year was also distinguished with the fact that 2 free trade agreements have been approved by the government which have been submitted to the Parliament for ratification. The one is the trade-economic interim agreement with Iran and the next one is the trade-economic agreement with China. According to the interim agreement with Iran, almost 360 types of goods from Armenia and the EAEU remaining states must be exported to Iran at reduced or frozen customs duties. The quantity of these goods from Iran to the EAEU states comprised nearly 502”, Babayan said.

The deputy minister noted that at the moment free trade agreements with Serbia, Singapore and Egypt are in process. The first two of them will get their solution in 2019, but the first discussions for free trade agreement with Egypt will launch in January 2019.

Armenia has voiced several issues within the EAEU some of which have been solved, and the discussions for the rest continue.

“The customs duty of rice imported to Armenia from the third countries should have increased by 3% starting from 2019. Armenia, using the fact that the EAEU states have free trade agreement with Vietnam, managed to receive share for rice from Vietnam and with the consumer volume which was consumed by Armenia, in other words, we have tried to neutralize the increase of customs duty of that rice and expect that no price increase will take place.

In this second half Armenia has sent 4 issues to the EAEU in order to receive their solutions, the decision of one of these issues has already been signed, and the rest are in process. One of these issues relates to tablets, mobile phones exported to Russia”, he said.

The deputy minister added that the second issue is linked with the Republic of Belarus. The export of alcoholic drinks and tobacco from any country to Belarus is linked with certain restrictions.

As for Armenia’s 2019 activities in the EAEU, Albert Babayan said the country will continue implementing its policy.

“Armenia has adopted an active, initiating policy within the EAEU, in other words all issues or unequal conditions which face our business, are presented, and the government makes consistent efforts for these issues to be solved. Future development declaration within the EAEU was signed in December within the frames of which an action plan must be developed to outline the EAEU’s future development directions”, the deputy minister said.

Interview by Norayr Shoghikyan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan