All news

EAEU-Indonesia agreement expected to be signed by end of the year — EEC minister

Andrey Slepnev noted that some countries are still undergoing internal procedures related to preparation

MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. The signing of a free trade agreement between Indonesia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is expected this year, Andrey Slepnev, Minister of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), told a press conference.

"As for our topic of Indonesia, we expect the signing [of the agreement] to take place at the next Trade Council meeting this year," he said.

The minister noted that some countries are still undergoing internal procedures related to preparation.

"The agreement is truly ambitious. It will be our largest partner to date - with a population of 250 million and a rapidly growing economy. That means that the opportunities are very good," Slepnev said.

The minister stressed that while some time ago there was "complaint" about the weak representation of the EAEU business community in Indonesia, today there is no longer any reason to "complain."

"There are many of our people there, they are working, so I hope all these agreements will be implemented and adopted by businesses," Slepnev said.

The EAEU was formed in January 2015 on the basis of the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. It currently includes five countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. The organization closely cooperates with a number of countries, including China, the UAE, Iran, and Vietnam.