Heads of EEU states will continue discussing formation of common gas market because of the ongoing disagreements

<p> MINSK, Oct 14 - PrimePress. The heads of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will continue discussing the formation of a common gas market due to persisting disagreements. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko made a statement to this effect after the Oct 14 session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council held via videoconference. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “The topic of common markets of gas, oil and oil products, electric energy and the railway transportation is always on the agenda in the open format. It was touched upon both in an open format and in a closed format (during the session – editor’s note). Under the instructions of the heads of state in May, we had to hear the report on the big agreement on the common gas market. We were reported on two major disagreements, which, unfortunately, still exist at this stage. These disagreements are not new. They were already there in 2018, when we signed the concept documents, this topic was put out of the bracket. We mean tariff setting for gas transportation through the territory of the EEU countries,” Petrishenko said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In his words, countries that do not possess these resources are interested in having equal tariff conditions for gas transportation. “It should not be the case that there are one terms for national entities and different terms for entities that are outside the territory of the country possessing these resources,” he said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Petrishenko said that during the discussion at the October 14 meeting, president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko suggested discussing this issue in person and taking a final decision. “Either we do at this stage, or we act along other lines. This proposal was supported by the chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. And all the heads of state supported it and agreed that this particular topic will be additionally discussed in this format,” he said. The question of when exactly the heads of state will be able to meet in a face-to-face format and discuss this issue is still open. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, in May 2020, the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council approved the Eurasian economic integration strategy for the period to 2025. Armenia and Belarus rejected the gas tariff calculation formula. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in this regard that a common gas tariff formula requires greater integration. Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the meeting on integration processes in the EEU on January 20, 2021 that EEU members had started building the common markets of gas, oil and oil products. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In December 2020, the heads of EEU countries approved an action plan on harmonization of the EEU countries' legislation in the oil sector, and also decided to move to the second stage of formation of the common gas market - creation of its infrastructure, technological and legal basis. It was previously planned that the common oil and gas markets in the EEU will start operating on January 1, 2025. End </p>

2021-10-15

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