First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov attended the regular meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission in Almaty.

During the meeting, several topical issues in the further development of the Eurasian Economic Union were considered. They include issues of customs and technical regulation, trade, development of a common market for medicines and cooperation of member countries in the field of information technology processes.

The meeting participants discussed the current status of preparing a document that defines the strategic directions for the development of Eurasian integration until 2025.

An important issue on the agenda was the discussion of the work on eliminating barriers by countries within the framework of the EAEU domestic market. The Kazakh side once again drew the attention of the EAEU partners that the current procedure for removing barriers is subject to substantial revision.

The parties discussed the recognition of bank guarantees when participating in mutual public procurement. So, if Kazakhstan accepts bank guarantees of all EAEU countries, in Russia bank guarantees of exclusively Russian banks are accepted as security for participation in public procurement procedures.

“Kazakhstan supports the proposal of the Eurasian Economic Commission to consider the possibility of recognition at the first stage of bank guarantees issued by the Eurasian Development Bank,” Smailov said.

He specified that the Kazakh side also calls for continuing work on the preparation of the Agreement on the mutual recognition of bank guarantees.