Russia makes concessions within the Eurasian Economic Union

The first clarifications and agreements on the implementation of the EEU Customs Code, as well as some ad hoc decisions enabling the access of goods from the EEU states to the Russian market have created prerequisites for a constructive cooperation with Russia. In turn, Belarus has demonstrated readiness to ensure border security of the EEU borders, independently.

The modest economic stabilisation in the EEU states has returned hopes of the leaders of the EEU states for preserving special conditions for their states on the way to gaining access to the world market. The Belarusian authorities hope that Russia’s promise to create unified electricity, gas and oil markets by 2025 would lead to low energy prices for Belarus. Meanwhile, the Russian authorities have not been deceitful, they said that the common market would lead to higher energy prices on the Russian domestic market.

That said, Russia has relaxed some domestic regulations protecting the domestic market from competitors from the EEU states. In particular, she has lifted the ban on advertising of wine and champagne produced in the EEU states. Putin, having assumed the presidency of Russia in the EEU, spoke in favour of lifting the barriers to the common economic space.

Belarus is working to implement the EEU Customs Code, in particular, a draft decree has been prepared further to the CC regulations. The Eurasian Economic Commission has approved a single form for a preliminary decision on the origin of the goods and even filmed a commercial in Belarusian to advertise the CC in Belarus. Customs officers and law enforcement officers have reported about close cooperation with their Russian counterparts.

Hence, cooperation with Russia has strengthened, and Russia has made small concessions to her economic partners in the EEU to approach the presidential elections as the centre of the Eurasian region.