Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Session: It Was Not an Ordinary One

• 05.24.2016, 17:49
• Lilia Amirkhanyan
•  EEU,  "Insight" Analytical Center

On May 20 the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session took place.

If we try to shortly summarize the results of the session then they can be divided into three main margins. Those are - united energy market, the formation of the joint customs code and the issues related to the deepening of connections between the Eurasian Union and China.

First, two decisions are the issues connected with the internal affairs of the Union and during the time in this or that way they will undergo transformations - unifying for the member states. This, of course, does not undermine their importance and meaning for the member states. Just the contrary, in practice they have "legitimizing" role for the Eurasian Union as an economic integration union. To put it otherwise, the mechanisms of the economic union are employed, which, of course, will have a positive impact on the economies of the member states. In this case the increase in the joint trade turnout and the rise of the accessibility to the energy markets for the states with no oil resources are expected. The latter especially refers to Armenia. It should be stated that the final agreements on those decisions will be reached during the session of the government heads of the Eurasian Union member countries that is to take place in Minsk.

Meanwhile the deepening of the relations with China deserves special attention as a premise for the development of the the Eurasian Union's foreign policy. In the official statement it is noted that the  relations with China to be established refers to trade, as well as to large infrastructure projects and investments. It is not excluded that by large infrastructure projects "The Silk Road" is meant, in which Armenia can also participate, especially, if one takes into consideration the results of high-level visit of by the RA President in 2015.  

In any case the agreement on the Eurasion Union-China relations will be presented at the end of May during the meeting to be held in Astana, in which the heads of member state countries will participate.

In this sense Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session that took place in Yerevan can hardly be considered another one in a series of the meetings. By a comprehensive estimation it can be named a driving meeting for the Eurasian Union.