Kazakhstan to Ratify Protocol on Armenia Joining the EEU

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed into law a ratification protocol on amendments to the agreement of the joining of the Republic of Armenia to the Eurasian Economic Union, which was signed on October 10, 2014, the Interfax news agency reported.

Armenia has been an official participant of the EEU since January 1, 2015. Throughout the transit period, which will last until 2022, this country has received some preferences for the import of meat, grains, chemicals, cars, tools and other products (981 items in total), according to Bakhyt Sultanov, the Kazakhstani minister of trade and integration. Under the agreement, Armenia has to gradually reduce this list of items, which it can import with lower customs tariffs. 

«In December 2019 Armenian Prime Minister appealed to the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council with a request to extend that transit period before the country will join the common customs tariffs. Given the economic turbulence in Armenia, other EEU member states agreed to do so and extended lower import tariffs for one more year. The transit period in Armenia has been extended for 553 items,» the minister said.

For other items, the benefits in tariffs should end on January 1, 2022, Sultanov added.

On May 27, deputies of the Kazakhstani parliament ratified a draft law on ratification of the protocol with amendments to the agreement on the EEU. After that, it was passed to the president for signing.