Preferences of Kyrgyzstan's membership at CU can be expanded
By Aynur Jafarova
The list of preferences of Kyrgyzstan's membership at the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia can be expanded, local media reported on August 20 quoting Danil Ibrayev, Deputy Economy Minister.
"The list includes a large amount of equipment, on the import of which the preferences will be spread," he said at the public discussions.
Ibrayev also noted the list would be submitted to the Eurasian Economic Commission for further research after public discussion.
Earlier the list was reduced from 2,748 to 303 items.
The Customs Union was established in 2010. The purpose of the organization is to form a single customs territory within which no customs duties or economic restrictions are applied. The Single Economic Space of the Customs Union started operating on January 1, 2012.
Kyrgyzstan is planning to join the Customs Union and Eurasian Economic Union by January 1, 2015.
Earlier Kyrgyz Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbayev said unlike some of his political opponents, he endorsed the idea of the country's joining the economic union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.
"Conceptual question here is whether we are creating an open economy or isolating ourselves in the world. But we are initially creating an open economy, and we believe that to erect barriers to our main foreign economic partners is a fundamentally wrong approach."
He noted the major advantage of this step is the fundamental improvement of investment climate in the country.
"Kyrgyzstan is open to the enterprises interested not only in its domestic market but also in Customs Union countries' markets," he said.