ArmInfo. Armenia is ready for active interaction with the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union in the interests of further promoting Eurasian integration. This was announced by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan at the meeting of the Eurasian intergovernmental council in Almaty on 2 February.
According to his words, according to the press service of Armenian Government, the Eurasian Commission conducted a serious analysis to fix the macroeconomic situation in the countries of the union, mutual trade and the isolation of those proposals, the joint promotion of which will be in line with ensuring sustainable economic development. "Indeed, in January-November of 2017 in Armenia, we recorded an increase in the volume of mutual trade with the member states of the EAEU by approximately 25% compared to the same period in 2016. According to our forecasts, these figures will be even higher in the annual section. The same period saw the growth of export deliveries from Armenia to the market of the EAEU countries by 40.4%, as well as of imports by 18.9%.
Compared to the previous year, our economic activity index is 7.7% and we expect that GDP will be about the same level, "Karen Karapetyan said.
The head of the Armenian government considers it necessary not only to consolidate this trend, but also to continue efforts towards broader industrial cooperation, with an emphasis on joint innovation projects. It is also important to keep the focus on eliminating the barriers still available on the common market, to provide the necessary prerequisites for doing business in the conditions of unified rules for healthy competition and efficient use of logistics and transport and communication capabilities. "I spoke about the expansion of the markets, and in this context I want to inform you that the free economic zone started operating at the Armenian-Iranian border at the end of last year, we believe that this FEZ is a good platform for the business of the EAEU countries, which is interested in the output on the Iranian market. We are very open in this regard and are ready to cooperate not only on the rights of placing capital in the free economic zone but also in joint investment cooperation.I hope that the multiplier effect of operating FEZ will give a new round of development of our economies ", the RA Prime Minister said.
The Prime Ministers of the EAEU countries in a narrow format discussed issues related to the digital agenda of the EAEU, as well as the obligations of the participating countries in the functioning of the internal market. During the discussion in the enlarged format, questions were presented concerning the macroeconomic situation in the EAEU member states and sustainable economic development, mutual trade, industry and agro-industrial complex, workers' pensions. Following the meeting, a number of documents were signed. It was decided to hold the next meeting of the Eurasian intergovernmental council in April in the Russian Federation.