DUSHANBE, March 16, Asia-Plus - A draft concept of the establishment of a free trade zone (FTZ) has been discussed at a meeting of the Integration Committee of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) in the Kazakhstan capital city of Astana.    

According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), Tajik Ambassador to Kazakhstan Akbarsho Iskandarov and Tajikistan’s Permanent representative to the Community Fayzullo Kholboboyev are representing Tajikistan at the meeting that opened in Astana today.  

The Source at a MoEDT said that 10 issues had been tabled to the meeting’s agenda.

The meeting is also discussing draft agreements on leasing of agricultural machines and equipment as well as issues related to common principles of information interaction between customs services of the EAEC member nations and usage of microprocessing plastic cards for confirming payment of customs duties and movement of commodities via border the EAEC states.  

The Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) members are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  The community was put into motion on October 10, 2000 when Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed the treaty.  EAEC  was formally created when the treaty was finally ratified by all five member states in May 2001.

In May 2002, Moldova and Ukraine were granted observer status within EurAsEC; however, Ukraine subsequently declared its desire not to become a full member state.  Armenia received observer status in April 2003.

Uzbekistan applied for membership in October 2005 when the process of merging the Central Asian Cooperation Organization (CACO) and the Eurasian Economic Community began.  The organizations joined on January 25 2006.