The President of Uzbekistan took part in the EAEU summit

On December 21, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the regular meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg as the head of an observer state, the press service of the head of our state reports.

The current meeting, chaired by President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, was also attended by Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The heads of the EAEU observer states – President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel and President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian – addressed the participants via video message. Indonesian Minister of Trade Budi Santoso also participated as a representative of the invited state.

The agenda included issues of further expanding multilateral trade and economic cooperation, supporting industrial cooperation projects, developing transport, and implementing joint programs in priority areas of cooperation.

At the beginning of his speech, the President of Uzbekistan noted that further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with EAEU countries is a priority area of ​​our country’s foreign economic policy.

Over the past four years of interaction as an observer state, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the Union countries has nearly doubled, approaching $20 billion.

The Cooperation Plan with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) until 2026 is being systematically implemented, including approximately 40 events in areas such as trade, industry, finance, agriculture, transport, and others. The fifth meeting of the joint Working Group is planned for next year in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan actively participates in a number of EAEU sectoral programs in the areas of digitalization of trade and freight transportation, the implementation of e-commerce, and the fight against climate change.

At the current meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, a decision was made to begin negotiations on concluding an agreement on the exchange of information on goods and vehicles moving across the customs borders of Uzbekistan and the EAEU.

“We are confident that cross-border data exchange will enhance the efficiency of customs control, reduce delays, and facilitate the integration of our transport systems into Eurasian corridors,” the head of state emphasized.

The President of Uzbekistan specifically highlighted the priorities for mutually beneficial cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union.

In particular, he called for the gradual elimination of trade barriers in mutual trade. He emphasized the need for enhanced coordination between CIS and EAEU institutions to align approaches to technical regulation, sanitary, and phytosanitary standards. In this context, the leader of Uzbekistan proposed developing a roadmap to eliminate redundant procedures and standardize requirements.

To promptly resolve issues related to differences in technical regulation, certification, and customs administration, it was proposed to create a joint Uzbekistan-EAEU Coordination Group on tariff and non-tariff barriers.

To further expand industrial cooperation, the head of our state proposed jointly developing a list of projects in mechanical engineering, energy, agro-industrial complex, chemical, and other sectors.

In connection with Uzbekistan’s accession to the Eurasian Development Bank, it was proposed to jointly identify strategic areas of partnership and develop a roadmap covering priority infrastructure and green projects, as well as support for small and medium-sized businesses.

Speaking about the development of cooperation in digital technologies, the President of Uzbekistan emphasized that the priority is the digitalization of customs administration and the transition to a seamless freight transportation model.

“We propose developing a roadmap with the Eurasian Economic Commission for the integration of digital platforms, including e-commerce and digital labeling,” the President of Uzbekistan noted.

Uzbekistan is interested in joining the EAEU’s technological platforms, primarily in the areas of biomedicine, new materials, agricultural technology, energy, and robotics.

To stimulate tourism exchanges and ensure the integration of tourism products, the head of state expressed his willingness to participate in the development of an integrated tourism information resource.

Concluding his speech, the leader of our state reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s firm commitment to expanding a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership with the Eurasian Economic Union.