Today, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the extended session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council held in Yerevan.

The heads of governments of EAEU member states: Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Roman Golovchenko, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Akilbek Zhaparov, Chairman of the Collegium of the Eurasian Economic Commission Mikhail Myasnikovich, as well as the heads of governments of observer states in the EAEU are participating in the meeting. Abdullah Aripov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Manuel Cruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, online.

The Prime Minister of Armenia delivered a speech in which, in particular, he noted:

"Dear members of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council,

Dear participants of the session,

I am sincerely happy for the opportunity to greet you in Yerevan within the framework of the regular session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, I would like to thank our Kyrgyz colleagues for their successful presidency in the Union bodies and efforts toward developing today's plan. I wish all of us constructive and fruitful work.

I also welcome the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Nigmati Aripov, and once again confirm our readiness to develop cooperation with observer states within the framework of implementing joint programs.

Dear Colleagues,

Continuing the discussions we had yesterday on the critical issues of the plan in a narrow format, I would like to draw your attention to several topical issues.

Despite the political tension and the difficult socio-economic situation in the world, the Union consistently implements the integration agenda, deepening the cooperation between our countries.

In the face of new and continuous global challenges, in the current year, we can confidently record the presence of positive results and trends in the field of mutual trade.

We have achieved profound success in the process of establishing EAEU. A spacious common market has been created, and the indicators of mutual trade have noticeably increased.

Armenia's trade turnover with EAEU countries in January-August reached about 2.8 billion US dollars and increased by 74 percent compared to last year. In addition, the export from Armenia increased by two times, and the import by 58 percent.

At the same time, with all the opportunities provided by the EAEU common market, we also maintain the specificities and requirements of national legislation and, if necessary, apply protective measures for our domestic needs in response to new challenges.

At the same time, on the way to ensure the critical idea and principle of integration - the full realization of the four freedoms in the territory of the EAEU, we are consistently and purposefully moving forward in the direction of eliminating barriers.

In modern realities, removing obstacles is a question of the stability of the internal market, which does not lose its relevance. This is a continuous process, the efficiency and effectiveness of which depend on the regulated work of the Union member states and bodies of the Union, as well as the willingness to find compromise solutions.

I think it will not be superfluous to mention once again that the industrial sector is one of the main sectors of the economic system of the Union.

In modern economic challenges, industrial cooperation and the development of joint productions, including in the high-tech sector, will make our countries more competitive.

The development of agreed policies and mechanisms for financing joint cooperative projects aimed at import substitution will become one of the main conditions for creating a unified market for our products.

I am sure that using the potential of financial institutions and joint efforts shortly allow a practical transition to producing goods in demand in the Union.

Co-workers,

I consider the field of e-commerce to be another critical and up-to-date direction, the share of which is constantly growing because the development of digital platforms in the modern world is an inevitable and constant process. Accordingly, effective fiscal regulation in e-commerce is becoming more and more relevant for us.

In this context, I consider it necessary to adopt the regulations as soon as possible and then discuss the issues that have not been agreed upon to form a reliable regulatory system based on the principles of taxation in the destination country.

Within the framework of the EAEU integrated information system development, we stand in favor of modern solutions for the development of information systems. We are ready to be actively involved in these processes.

I am sure that the formation of consistent steps in the IT sector, which are planned by the target program for developing the Union's integrated information system until 2027, will serve as a strategic basis for achieving extremely high-demand digital solutions.

As for the formation of common branch markets of the Eurasian Economic Union in the energy sector, it becomes not only a matter of fulfilling the provisions of the EAEU Treaty but also a necessary condition for the realization of the potential of economic integration and the resource platform for the full development of the industry.

In this context, we are ready for a constructive dialogue based on consideration of the interests of all member states of the Union and based on mutual understanding towards the regulation of some provisions of the draft international agreement on the formation of the common gas market, the implementation of which will allow the member states to enjoy the advantages of the common gas market fully.

Otherwise, EAEU member states will not be able to use the potential of the common gas market until the bilateral agreements are concluded. Of course, this is a sensitive topic, and we all need to understand the scope of the price horizon, at least in the medium term.

Dear participants of the session,

Today, the issues of greenhouse gas reduction or carbon neutrality have firmly entered both environmental and economical and commercial agendas, dictating the need to rethink the entire economic development model and accelerate steps toward a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

From the point of view of transitioning from the declaratory path to a more practical one, I would like to note with satisfaction the approval of the first package of the cooperation road map of EAEU member states within the framework of the climate agenda.

As a contribution to global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, we voluntarily implement a range of emission reduction measures under the provisions of the Paris Agreement.

Dear Colleagues,

In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm the readiness of the Armenian side to actively cooperate with all member states of the Union to promote Eurasian integration.

I am confident that the decisions taken today will contribute to the further development of Eurasian integration and the improvement of the well-being of our citizens, as well as the implementation of the agreements reached.

Considering that today's session of the Intergovernmental Council is the concluding session of this year, I express my gratitude for the systematic and consistent work and practical cooperation in 2022.

I thank you for your attention and will pass the floor to the chairman of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, Akilbek Usenbek Zhaparov, to conduct the session in an extended format."

Several agenda issues were discussed at the session of the expanded structure of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, in particular: the target program for the development of the EAEU integrated information system until 2027, the main directions of industrial cooperation within the EAEU framework, the measures implemented in 2021 towards the formation of a common market for gas, oil and petroleum products. The Council referred to the state of mutual trade of the EAEU countries in 2021, the joint projects implemented in the direction of import substitution, the first set of EAEU measures within the climate agenda, the issues of distribution and registration of import duties between the budgets of the EAEU countries in 2021, etc.

As a result of the session, several documents were signed, including the Agreement on the rules for issuing, circulation, and redemption of storage certificates for agricultural products in the territory of the EAEU, aimed at developing electronic commerce in the Union.

It was decided to hold the next session of the EAEU intergovernmental council in February 2023 in Almaty.