31.05.2013
No tariff restrictions in Single Economic Space as from 1 January 2015
MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) – By 1 January 2015 when the Eurasian Economic Union is supposed to be launched, all the tariff restrictions, including those in the oil and gas industry, will be removed from the trade between the member states. The statement was made by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as he met with heads of the delegations that are taking part in the session of the CIS Heads of Government Council on 31 May, BelTA has learned.
“We still have a lot of provisos even within the framework of the Single Economic Space, tariff and non-tariff regulations. I have to say that Russia has made a very serious step towards everyone by stating that virtually in 1-1.5 years, by 1 January 2015 at the latest, practically all the tariff restrictions, including those in the oil and gas industry, will be scrapped. However, Russia asked everyone, who is a member and will be invited as an observer, to keep in mind that complete freedom has to be enabled in all areas and we should act together in economic aspects,” stated the President of Belarus.
“But by 2015, by the time of the signing of this union treaty we should implement all the things that has been signed today but don’t work yet. It was a very important arrangement,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.
“We have agreed that the union will be an economic one and the political problems that will impede the development of the union will surely be resolved. Life will pose these problems anyway. We will not be able to limit ourselves to purely economic cooperation because it always demands some additional actions in the area of politics, diplomacy, and defense. We have agreed that we will address these issues step by step,” added the Belarus President.
“We still have a lot of provisos even within the framework of the Single Economic Space, tariff and non-tariff regulations. I have to say that Russia has made a very serious step towards everyone by stating that virtually in 1-1.5 years, by 1 January 2015 at the latest, practically all the tariff restrictions, including those in the oil and gas industry, will be scrapped. However, Russia asked everyone, who is a member and will be invited as an observer, to keep in mind that complete freedom has to be enabled in all areas and we should act together in economic aspects,” stated the President of Belarus.
“But by 2015, by the time of the signing of this union treaty we should implement all the things that has been signed today but don’t work yet. It was a very important arrangement,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.
“We have agreed that the union will be an economic one and the political problems that will impede the development of the union will surely be resolved. Life will pose these problems anyway. We will not be able to limit ourselves to purely economic cooperation because it always demands some additional actions in the area of politics, diplomacy, and defense. We have agreed that we will address these issues step by step,” added the Belarus President.