A wide range of issues of economic cooperation between the CIS member states was considered.
Alexey Overchuk at a meeting of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States
A meeting of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States took place in Moscow. The event was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexey Overchuk.
The parties considered current issues of cooperation between member states of the Commonwealth.
Opening the meeting, Chairman of the Economic Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk emphasized that the CIS states are significant and closest trade and economic partners. Countries maintain unity in the Commonwealth space and ensure development in all key socio-economic indicators.
Next year, the chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States passes to the Republic of Tajikistan. Summing up the preliminary results, Alexey Overchuk noted that in 2024 it was possible to implement a wide range of activities provided for by the Concept of Russia’s Chairmanship in the CIS. As part of the implementation of the concept, more than 100 events at various levels took place, including all meetings of the highest statutory bodies of the Commonwealth planned for this period.
“The key task remains the development of close trade and economic ties. The markets of the Commonwealth countries are traditionally a priority for us. We are steadily developing cooperation and demonstrating economic growth rates that exceed many forecasts. Taking into account modern challenges, within the framework of our chairmanship, we emphasized the need to preserve and transform, as well as strengthen trade and economic ties, ensure food and technological security of the region, strengthen the CIS and its international authority and influence, promote the formation of a unified humanitarian, cultural, educational and scientific space of the Russian Federation and the CIS member states,” noted the Deputy Prime Minister.
During the meeting, the Concept of the phased formation of a common labor market and regulation of labor migration of the CIS member states was approved, which will contribute to the further development of cooperation between the CIS member states in the field of social and labor relations.
The meeting participants heard a report on the activities of the Interstate Council for Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities of the CIS in 2018–2023. Since 2002, in accordance with the decision of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS, work has been underway to create permanent exhibition pavilions of the Commonwealth states at VDNKh. The Interstate Council for Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities plays an important role in this process. The activities of the council contribute to the organization and holding of exhibitions and congress events in the CIS member states of educational orientation and scientific and technical creativity of young people, the development of international contacts, the exchange of best practices and technologies, and the creation of favorable conditions for mutually beneficial trade and economic ties.
The draft Protocol on amendments to the Agreement on the procedure for investigating industrial accidents that occurred with workers while they were outside their state of residence, dated December 9, 1994, was considered.
A set of measures was approved to improve the safety culture in the field of the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which will help improve the institutional framework for the development of the nuclear industry, including providing scientific and technical support to organizations involved in the development of programs for the peaceful use of nuclear technologies, taking into account the recommendations of the IAEA.
At the meeting, information was presented on the implementation of the decision of the CIS Economic Council dated September 22, 2023 on the activities of industry cooperation bodies in the economic sphere in 2018–2023.
The List of priority industries and areas of cooperation for industrial cooperation based on national industrial development strategies has been approved. The document is aimed at uniting the efforts of the CIS member states to stimulate the formation of innovative industrial clusters; scientific research and development aimed at creating new technologies, materials, developing new competencies and skills; on cooperation in the field of professional training, retraining and advanced training of personnel in the field of advanced industrial technologies and the production of innovative products.
Information, analytical and reference materials included information on the implementation of the decision of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS, on the Concept for establishing a coordinated tariff policy in railway transport of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States dated October 18, 1996, and on the Tariff policy of the railways of the CIS member states on 2023–2024 freight years, on the implementation of the action plan for the implementation of the Agreement on cooperation on prevention and elimination of foci of diseases and forest pests in the border areas of the CIS member states dated November 2, 2018, a review of the trade policy of the Russian Federation and information on the use of national currencies of the CIS member states as a factor in strengthening the economic interaction of national economies.
The next meeting of the Economic Council is scheduled to be held in April 2025 in the Republic of Uzbekistan.