13 October
About 450 representatives of Belarus’ legal entities participated in the seminar organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and National Centre for Marketing and Price Study, Republican Unitary Enterprise.
Current issues of foreign economic activity in the framework of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan were highlighted during the seminar for managers and specialists of Belarusian enterprises that was held in Minsk Concert Hall on October 12, 2011. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and National Centre for Marketing and Price Study, Republican Unitary Enterprise.Current issues of foreign economic activity in the framework of the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan were highlighted during the seminar for managers and specialists of Belarusian enterprises that was held in Minsk Concert Hall on October 12, 2011. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and National Centre for Marketing and Price Study, Republican Unitary Enterprise.
Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, the most important integration project in the former Soviet Union, starts on January 1, 2012. “This is a historic event both for these countries and all former Soviet republics,” Boris Smolkin, Director of the National Centre for Marketing and Price Study noted at the seminar opening.
The Customs Union of the three countries and common customs territory being formed at the present moment serve as the basis of the would-be economic union. “The main aim pursued when entering the Customs Union was establishment of favorable conditions for legal entities operation on the territory of the three states,” Alexander Gurianov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus said, “Besides, in the framework of the Customs Union we make efforts to unify trade regulations with third countries providing conditions for Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan producers’ protection”.
Quoting his words, a lot of Belarusian enterprises have already appreciated the Customs Union advantages from the point of view of Belarus transit opportunities usage and investment attractiveness improvement. “It’s no secret that a number of foreign investors were limited in their operation in our country due to the small market. Nowadays operating in Belarus gives them opportunity to be present on the whole territory of the Customs Union; and businessmen started to make active use of this potential,” Alexander Gurianov stated. The integration alliance operation has already brought its first results – this year Belarus has raised trade turnover with the Russian Federation by about 2 bln USD.
As Deputy Minister supposes, it is vital for Belarusian enterprises and organizations to evaluate prospects and opportunities in the framework of the Custom Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan functioning.
The seminar made Belarusian enterprises’ managers and specialists acquainted with legal acts stipulating free transition of national goods (works, services) in the framework of the Customs Union, methods and modes of goods promotion on the territory of the Customs Union member states and third countries, possible barriers and ways of their overcoming. Besides, experts from various ministries, agencies and organizations engaged in foreign economic activity support told the seminar participants about Belarusian goods export stimulation measures by means of insurance and bank instruments, methods of export contracts settlements with trade partners from the Customs Union, conditions of transport means import/export and registration under international leasing contracts with the residents from the Customs Union member states. The seminar outlined problem issues of Belarusian exporters’ participation in Russia and Kazakhstan public procurement inclusive of that held on electronic trading platforms in the form of electronic auctions, as well as prospects of this market development.
About 450 representatives of Belarusian legal entities got acquainted with these and other aspects of foreign economic activity under the conditions of the Customs Union. A large number of seminar participants clearly show enterprises’ interest in getting the information of the kind and discussion of current issues connected with foreign economic activity, Director of the National Centre for Marketing and Price Study noted at the end of the seminar. And it means that the course of the seminars will be continued. 797