Experts of the EAEU speaking on countries on the pros and cons of integration into a single economic union

ArmInfo. Russia overcame the  consequences of the economic crisis and embarked on a path of  development that beneficially affected the economies of the countries  members of the Eurasian Economic Union and Tajikistan. The Chairman  of the Association expressed this opinion for Integration and  Development, coordinator of the Eurasian Expert Club Aram Safaryan  during the Yerevan-Bishkek-Astana-Minsk teleconference on the results  of the Yerevan session of the Eurasian inter-Prussian forum.

As proof of his words, Safaryan cited Armenia's economic performance,  according to which the republic recorded growth in all directions  except construction and agriculture. "Taking into account these data,  the forecasts on economic growth of the republic for 2017, from 3.2%  envisaged to reach 4%, may also change," the expert predicted.  According to him, this development will increase the likelihood of  Armenia's involvement in business projects involving the EAEU  countries, which will have the most beneficial effect on the  country's economy in the next two years.

At the same time, Safaryan stressed the need to eliminate technical  obstacles and increase the efficiency of execution of decisions  within the framework of the EAEU. "The EAEU is that integration  platform where all decisions should be taken on a consensus basis,"  the expert concluded.

The economist, member of the Eurasian Expert Club Ashot Tavadyan  stressed the need to develop a unified energy and communication  policy within the framework of the EAEU. So, according to him, in the  absence of a unified transport policy, it will be difficult to talk  about the effectiveness of the Megrian free zone. As for the energy  sector, according to the expert, export duties should be withdrawn  here. He also considered it unacceptable that the calculation in the  energy sector within the framework of the EAEU is carried out in  dollars. "If all these measures are adopted, then by 2019 we will  reach uniform tariffs for gas, which will stimulate the development  of national economies," Tavadyan said.

The positive dynamics of the economies of the EAEU countries after  integration into a single union was also noted by Vladimir Telnov,  deputy director of the Institute for Public Policy of the Nur Otan  Party of Kazakhstan. According to him, this revival is reflected in  the growth of trade turnover, which for the year of 2017 was 28%. He  also stressed the importance of switching to the digital format of  economic management within the framework of the EAEU, which would  lead to an aggregate economic growth of 11% and to the sustainability  and development of national economies.

Zhumakadyr Akeneev, PhD in Economics from Kyrgyzstan, also  highlighted the impact of integration in the EAEU for his country.  According to him, already 2 years after the integration into the  EAEU, the economic growth of Kyrgyzstan was 8%. At the same time, he  did not ignore some wrinkly questions within the integration union,  expressing regret at the refusal of Kazakhstan to sign a road map for  the transportation of heavy vehicles. According to the expert,  Kazakhstan's refusal to sign the document was a complete surprise.  "Meanwhile, within the framework of the EAEU there should be no such  tensions and all issues should be resolved on a consensus basis," the  expert stressed.  The head of the department of innovative economy of  the International University Vyacheslav Mitso (Minsk) in his turn  focused on the need to develop public statistics within the framework  of the EAEU.  "We need to create an alternative to Eurostat,  meanwhile, currently there is no single public statbase in the EAEU  area," he said, stressing that the implementation of the digital  economy format within the framework of the EAEU should begin with  this. He also criticized the fact that the share of industry in the  turnover within the framework of the EAEU is only 1.7%. "As it was  1.7%, it remains, which means that we are not moving forward, but a  large share is in the energy sphere," - said the expert, while  admitting that after joining the EAEU, the economy of Belarus has  also intensified. "In the first 7 months we achieved those indicators  of economic growth that were envisaged in the annual calculation," he  concluded.

The Eurasian intergovernmental council held a meeting in Yerevan  yesterday with participation of the heads of the ministries of  Russia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The agenda of  the heads of government included issues in the field of information,  the functioning of domestic markets, trade, agro- industrial complex,  energy and infrastructure. Among the key topics is discussion of the  Procedure for Elaboration of Initiatives in the Implementation of the  Digital Agenda of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Action Plan ("road  map") for the elimination of exemptions and restrictions on the  internal market of the EAEU for 2018-2019. The participants of the  meeting will consider some issues of forming the system of  information exchange within the framework of the general electric  power market of the EAEU. The agenda also includes the issue of  discussing the action plan (road map) for the implementation of the  Guidelines and the stages of implementing the coordinated  (coordinated) transport policy of the EAEU member states for  2018-2020.