The issue of normalization of trade and economic relations with Russia should be considered at a meeting of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which will be held on November 20, 2013 in St. Petersburg. This was stressed by Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on November 13, 2013.

The Prime Minister said that from January 1, 2014 Ukraine takes the presidency in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The concept of the presidency of Ukraine in the CIS, in his opinion, needs to be adjusted.

“The aim is to create a concept and agenda for the CIS as a generator of economic growth of member countries. Cooperation in the frame work the Community can and has to be a long-term compensation of protracted recession at other export markets,” Mykola Azarov said.

According to the PM, CIS markets are still significantly related by the industrial cooperation, mutual investment, trade in goods of critical and subcritical import. However, each country has its own advantages in global markets, which can by amplify, using the potential of the whole Commonwealth. You just need formulate the agenda rightly and perspective to strengthen competitive advantage. And first of all involve mechanisms of the FTA between the CIS countries.

Thus, among the major issues that will be considered at the next meeting of Council of Heads of Government of the CIS, is the decision on the implementation of the Treaty provisions on FTA among the CIS on October 18, 2011.

“We have principally and substantively raise the question of normalization of trade and economic relations during the meeting of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States,” Mykola Azarov stressed.

The Prime Minister ordered the Ministry of Economic Development together with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, the Ministry of Incomes and Fees, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comprehensively analyze the performance of all provisions of the Treaty and give the Government the appropriate analyzes and suggestions.

“I want that drafting international agreements under the Treaty will be thoroughly analyzed: on the free access to pipeline transportation, free trade in services, phasing out of export duties, agreements on procurement for state needs and more. As well as the implementation of provisions of the Treaty that provide for resolution of disputes on the basis of norms and rules of the WTO. These are: the issue of customs and tax administration, cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary issues, technical regulations, uniform application of special rules, anti-dumping and other protective measures, etc.” Mykola Azarov added.

Prime Minister said that as the practice showed, on a number of the above issues delays or actions that are contrary to the agreements of the individual partners in the transaction were observed. For example, from May of this year the development of agreements on transit pipelines has been blocked. There was a significant complication of customs procedures, in particular, on certificates of origin, unilaterally introduced by the Customs Union, which is not in the interest of all parties of the Treaty.

Mykola Azarov said that given the foregoing, he address to the CIS Heads of Government and Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergei Lebedev with proposal in the framework of the Council to hold multilateral consultations and their results to adopt a consolidated solution that would unblock the implementation of important, fundamental provisions of the FTA.


kmu