The CIS is ready to adopt a Free trade agreement on services

On March 18, a regular meeting of the CIS Economic Council was held in Moscow under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov, where various areas of economic cooperation of the CIS member states were discussed.

We remind you that this year the Republic of Kazakhstan has assumed the chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Speaking at a meeting of the Economic Council, Bakhyt Sultanov noted that over the 30 years of the CIS existence, an extensive regulatory framework has been formed, solid experience has been gained in almost all areas of cooperation.

"In the economic sphere, overcoming the negative impact of turbulence in the global economy remains an urgent issue on our common agenda. The implementation of agreed measures in this direction to confidently enter the trajectory of positive growth of national economies and ensure economic stability will be one of the priorities of the Kazakh chairmanship," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The key issue on the agenda was the consideration of the draft Agreement on Free Trade in Services, establishment, activities and Implementation of investments of the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Agreement is scheduled to be signed at a meeting of one of the highest CIS bodies in 2022.

The implementation of its provisions will become an important factor in the development of the free trade zone and the growth of the national economies of the CIS member states. The members of the Economic Council heard information about the use of national currencies of the CIS member states as a factor of strengthening economic interaction between national economies.

Mutual settlements in the national currencies of the Commonwealth member states contribute to the development of their interaction at all stages of the production process of goods and services, as well as at the stage of circulation of created goods, distribution and exchange.

The Council also approved a number of draft documents that are planned to be submitted for consideration at the next meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of Government. In particular, a report on the activities of the Interstate Space Council in 2020-2021 was also heard, and the effectiveness of its work on coordinating cooperation between the CIS member States in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes was noted. The draft Plan of priority measures for the implementation of the Information Security Strategy of the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States for the period up to 2030 was also approved. The members of the Economic Council also approved a draft agreement on the exchange of biological material.

The document provides for the expansion and deepening of cooperation between the veterinary services of the CIS member states, especially for the implementation of joint actions for the early detection of foci of infectious diseases, the development of practices for the exchange of biological material and the replenishment of biobanks of microorganisms of the CIS member states.

The draft Protocol on amendments to the Agreement on the Creation of a Common Scientific and Technological Space of the member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States of November 3, 1995 was approved, the preparation of which was caused by the need to update the provisions of the Agreement in accordance with modern conditions for the development of science, technology, innovation, as well as the best world practices in this field.

The meeting also approved a set of measures for the development of chemical engineering in the CIS member states for the period up to 2030, aimed at establishing cooperation on the development, production and purchase of chemical equipment, as well as the formation of advantages to ensure competitiveness in the foreign market.

In addition, information on the activities of the Intergovernmental Council on the Timber Industry and Forestry in 2017-2021 was considered. Including on the interaction of state forestry management bodies and the forest industry in the Commonwealth, including measures to combat cross-border fires, illegal logging, pests and forest diseases.

By the decision of the Economic Council, the CIS Awards of 2021 were awarded for achievements in the field of quality of products and services. The next meeting of the Economic Council is scheduled for June 10, 2022 in the city of Nur-Sultan.

Source: https://primeminister.kz/ru/news/sng-gotovo-prinyat-soglashenie-o-svobodnoy-torgovle-uslugami-1925219

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