Sooronbai Jeenbekov tells how to improve efficiency of EEU

"Effectiveness of the Eurasian Economic Union depends on the ability to create equal competitive conditions both between its members and with third countries," the President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov said at the jubilee meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in an expanded format in Nur-Sultan city (Kazakhstan).
He congratulated the participants of the meeting on the fifth anniversary of the Eurasian integration and expressed his gratitude to all who work for the full functioning of the Union.
"Summing up the five-year period today, we must fairly evaluate the work of these people. We will sign the decision on awarding the medal "For Contribution to Development of the Eurasian Economic Union," the head of state said.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov stressed the special role of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in the creation of EEU and added that the accession of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to the union expanded the boundaries of the Union and increased its attractiveness for other states.
He said that despite the impact of the global economic challenges, formation of the union continues. Today, the EEU is positioned as a rapidly growing integration association. It is important to keep the growth trend. For these purposes, it is necessary to further advance priority areas.
The president named implementation of the digital agenda as one of the directions.
"We already have some results. It is necessary to continue creation of common digital processes for business and the public sector. We welcome the joint efforts of the state and business on implementation of the digital agenda of the union until 2025. As part of this vector of development, I have declared 2019 in the Kyrgyz Republic as the Year of Regional Development and Digitalization of the Country," Sooronbai Jeenbekov said.
He also stressed the importance of formation of a single labor market.
"I am convinced that signing of a pension provision agreement will be a big step towards achieving equality of the workers of the union. I consider it necessary to continue work on creating favorable conditions for the workers by improving the legal framework of the EEU," the head of state said.
He also called elimination of obstacles in the domestic market of the Union not less important direction.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov outlined that the effectiveness of the Union depends on the ability to create equal competitive conditions both between its members and with third countries.
"However, there is an increase in the number of barriers and restrictions. In this regard, the Kyrgyz Republic stands for systematic work to eliminate them," said the president.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov stressed that cases of criticism against Kyrgyzstan for concealing customs duties became frequent recently, and therefore expressed interest in the transparency and objectivity of customs control at the external borders of the union.
"I propose to conduct " a triple "customs control with the participation of representatives of interested parties from among the countries - participants of the EEU and the Eurasian Economic Commission," he said.
The results and conclusions of the joint control should be open to the general public. Such a procedure could remove the claims of one state to another.
Sooronbai Jeenbekov The head of the Kyrgyz Republic recalled that he had repeatedly outlined the need to improve the institutional system of EEU and increase its efficiency. In this regard, he spoke in favor of strengthening the powers of the Eurasian Economic Commission as an effective supranational body of the Union.
"I would also like to draw your attention to a pressing issue related to a significant gap between the economies of the EEU member states. The tendency to maintain the gap between the countries of the Union may adversely affect the development of Eurasian integration as a whole. We need to find a consensus solution on strengthening the economies and ensuring their harmonious development and convergence. I propose to entrust the commission with an analysis of various support and development mechanisms of states with small economies and to prepare concrete proposals for the introduction of such a mechanism in our union," said Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
He proposed to consider the feasibility of creating a body regulating the general electric energy market.
"The emergence of new areas of regulation requires effective management, respectively, creation of new union bodies. Taking into account its electric power potential, the Kyrgyz Republic is ready to host such a body," the head of state stressed.
In conclusion, Sooronbai Jeenbekov reiterated the need to consolidate joint efforts in order to achieve common goals on creation of a strong, reliable and prosperous union.