Русский
The Eurasian Economic Union is processing a package of applications for a new ‘observer’ status, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin.
He stated that “the EAEU is preparing to broaden the range of partners. The five member states—Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia—are processing a package of applications from potential observers. There are several applications for observer status, and they are being considered in accordance with the Eurasian Economic Union procedure. A consensus agreement of all five members is required.“
Observer status for the EAEU is a non-voting format, but does allow the attendance of meetings of EAEU bodies by invitation. It is a preliminary stage for countries to examine how the EAEU works prior to committing to a full application for a free trade agreement.
Approval of the applications will ensure a smooth later transition to the EAEU. Successful applicants will be able to study the rules of the common market in detail, develop joint economic projects, and strengthen contacts. An application from Nicaragua is already being discussed. Pankin added that “Nicaragua is not the only one; it is part of the application package. We shall see what happens next and will have discussions with our partners.”
Several countries already have free trade agreements with the EAEU. These include Vietnam, Iran, Serbia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Mongolia, while China has a non-preferential arrangement. India, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, and Cambodia are actively in negotiations or consultations with the EAEU to finalize their respective trade deals. Typical agreements reduce 85-90% of all tariffs on traded goods to zero between the EAEU members and the related partner state.
