Belarus’ SMEs see negative impact of Belarus-Russia integration on their businesses
<p> MINSK, Aug 3 - PrimePress. Belarusian small and medium enterprises (except exporters) state a negative attitude towards Belarus-Russia integration, says Irina Tochitskaya, Academic Director of the IPM Research Center, which has been conducting opinion surveys on Eurasian integration effects since 2013. </p> <p> </p> <p> According to the recent survey, the proportion of SMEs who believe in integration benefits had been steadily decreasing to 38.6% in 2020. </p> <p> </p> <p> “First, it can be assumed that retarded economic growth and low demand in Russia affected the respondents’ opinion. Second, integration expectations were the highest in 2011–2012, when the real impact of integration (e.g. facilitated access to the market) was more tangible. Third, in recent years, businesses see the lack of progress in reducing non-tariff barriers, which lead to a significant increase in the proportion of those who considered that Eurasian integration had no effect on their business,” Tochitskaya says. </p> <p> </p> <p> Respondents’ views on the future impacts of Eurasian integration on their businesses have also changed over time. In 2020, the proportion of positive expectations (45.5%) was one of the lowest over the period of the survey, probably, due to the high expectations regarding the opportunities that integration could open. The number of negative answers in 2020 was the highest since 2013 (18.3%), the expert says. </p> <p> </p> <p> Exporters are more optimistic about the current and future impacts of Eurasian integration on business. In 2020, 45.4% of exporting enterprises believed that it had a positive effect, while non-exporting companies made up 34.7%. </p> <p> </p> <p> SMEs show a decrease in positive expectations regarding the impacts of Eurasian integration on development of the national economy: 36.6% in 2020 to compare with 47.9% in 2015. </p> <p> </p> <p> This may be due to high-profile issues in the Belarusian-Russian economic relationship, particularly energy commodity supplies and the barriers put by Russia in relation to Belarusian exports, for instance, foods. </p> <p> </p> <p> The proportion of enterprises that believe that Eurasian integration will undermine national economic development increased to 16.3% in 2020; 39.1% consider it neutral. End </p>
2020-08-04
Primepress
Belarus’ SMEs see negative impact of Belarus-Russia integration on their businesses
MINSK, Aug 3 - PrimePress. Belarusian small and medium enterprises (except exporters) state a negative attitude towards Belarus-Russia integration, says Irina Tochitskaya, Academic Director of the IPM Research Center, which has been conducting opinion surveys on Eurasian integration effects since 2013.
According to the recent survey, the proportion of SMEs who believe in integration benefits had been steadily decreasing to 38.6% in 2020.
“First, it can be assumed that retarded economic growth and low demand in Russia affected the respondents’ opinion. Second, integration expectations were the highest in 2011–2012, when the real impact of integration (e.g. facilitated access to the market) was more tangible. Third, in recent years, businesses see the lack of progress in reducing non-tariff barriers, which lead to a significant increase in the proportion of those who considered that Eurasian integration had no effect on their business,” Tochitskaya says.
Respondents’ views on the future impacts of Eurasian integration on their businesses have also changed over time. In 2020, the proportion of positive expectations (45.5%) was one of the lowest over the period of the survey, probably, due to the high expectations regarding the opportunities that integration could open. The number of negative answers in 2020 was the highest since 2013 (18.3%), the expert says.
Exporters are more optimistic about the current and future impacts of Eurasian integration on business. In 2020, 45.4% of exporting enterprises believed that it had a positive effect, while non-exporting companies made up 34.7%.
SMEs show a decrease in positive expectations regarding the impacts of Eurasian integration on development of the national economy: 36.6% in 2020 to compare with 47.9% in 2015.
This may be due to high-profile issues in the Belarusian-Russian economic relationship, particularly energy commodity supplies and the barriers put by Russia in relation to Belarusian exports, for instance, foods.
The proportion of enterprises that believe that Eurasian integration will undermine national economic development increased to 16.3% in 2020; 39.1% consider it neutral. End