Customs Union could start official trade cooperation with ASEAN - EEC
MOSCOW. Sept 1 (Interfax) - The Eurasian Economic Commission's (EEC) minister for trade, Andrei Slepnev, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Le Luong Mihn discussed opportunities for developing cooperation between the unions.
"We gave Secretary-General Mihn a draft memorandum on mutual understanding between the EEC and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As part of the memorandum we wanted to guarantee the systematic exchange of information and experiences in the development of integrated projects and in the regulation of issues in the field of technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and customs administration," the EEC's press service cited Slepnev has saying, based on the meeting.
Also within the framework of the visit to Myanmar, the EEC trade minister attended three consultations of the Economic Ministers of Russia and ASEA, which took place on August 28.
"We are considering ASEAN a strategic partner of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) for economic development and the integration into the Asian-Pacific region and Eurasia [as a whole]," the EEC minister said.
He said trade turnover between the countries of the EEU and ASEAN is growing. For the first five months of 2014, it was 5.8% higher than in the same period in 2013. Talks are underway with one of the ASEAN countries - Vietnam - concerning free trade. The next round is planned for September in St. Petersburg.
"In addition we are analyzing the prospects for concluding such agreements with other members of ASEAN. Joint and coordinated work of the EEU and ASEAN on infrastructure projects, which are making the transport of goods between our countries faster and less expensive, is allowing for the creation of an effective bridge between the West and East. We are ready to cooperate with ASEAN on a whole number of issues, including trade facilitation, the development of a mechanism of a "single window", electronic commerce, integrated construction, food safety and the development of a multilateral trade system," Slepnev said.
