Belarus Highlights Key Achievements of Its 2025 Chairmanship of the EAEU

Belarus’ Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Utyupin has summarized the main outcomes of Belarus’ 2025 chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), emphasizing strengthened international ties, expanded global positioning, and record progress in trade agreements. He was speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “Results of Belarus’ Chairmanship in the EAEU” held at the BelTA press center.According to Pavel Utyupin, Belarus consistently and constructively advanced the integration agenda during its chairmanship, including the initiative of “integration of integrations.” Major events such as the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the 4th Eurasian Economic Forum in Minsk, which brought together more than 2,700 delegates from 26 countries, significantly enhanced the EAEU’s international profile. Minsk also hosted a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and the INNOPROM international exhibition, where Belarus showcased its industrial potential to foreign partners.A key achievement of the chairmanship was the signing of three economic partnership agreements with Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia in 2025. In addition, Venezuela, Myanmar, and Nicaragua applied for observer status in the EAEU, reflecting growing global interest in the union. Belarus also actively promoted the EAEU on international platforms, including the presentation of a report on the union’s progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals in New York and the EAEU Days event at the UN Office in Geneva.Speaking on trade preferences, the deputy minister noted that 2025 became the most productive year in the EAEU’s history in terms of concluding preferential trade agreements. Once the new agreements enter into force, the number of countries enjoying preferential trade with the EAEU will double from three to six. For Belarus, more than 90% of exports to Mongolia, the UAE, and Indonesia will be covered by tariff concessions, leading to a sharp reduction in customs duties and improved long-term market access, including permanent zero tariffs on key products such as potash fertilizers.The meeting also discussed the extension of preferential imports of electric vehicles. The EAEU agreed to extend the duty-free import regime for electric vehicles until 31 December 2026. Belarus was granted the right to import up to 20,000 fully electric vehicles duty-free, a move aligned with the country’s strategy to develop EV infrastructure and domestic production, including plans at the BelGee plant. The decision aims to balance the interests of consumers and producers while protecting the EAEU market.