The official said: “We would like our companies and enterprises to enjoy equal access to the common market. It is no secret that there are restrictive measures on our market and the Russian market. We believe all the barriers should be dismantled.” Sergei Gunko specified that some spheres need restrictions. “But the postulate, the trend is the same: equal access of the enterprises to our markets,” he stressed. To accomplish that, the roadmap will have to stipulate a number of steps, including amendments to national laws.
The Belarusian Industry Ministry is also in favor of pursuing a common industrial policy in the Union State. “There is no need for our enterprises to copy this or that product. For instance, our BelAZ is a company that has international competences, its own product, its own market and a balanced development strategy for the next ten years. It will be logical for the Russian Federation not to develop or create, let's say, a clone of BelAZ,” Sergei Gunko explained.
The official pointed out that the term “special investment contract” is part of the Russian reality. It allows the Russian government to invite foreign investors to implement projects and give them special terms for starting a business. “If we choose some enterprise in Belarus or Russia as a center of competence, then the enterprise does not need competition from other global players. As a rule, competition is healthy when powers are equal. If they are not, we understand that monopolization is in progress,” he said.
According to Sergei Gunko, Belarusian-Russian integration projects in the manufacturing sector help create products, which are interesting not only on the common market. Such products have an export potential. “It is necessary to stimulate the creation and development of such products. It is necessary to suggest a financial tool to promote and sell them on foreign markets. We are talking the so-called Union State export,” the deputy industry minister concluded.
BelTA reported earlier that in early September the prime ministers of Belarus and Russia reconciled a draft action program on tighter integration as well as a list of roadmaps. Now Belarus and Russia have to work out 31 roadmaps to implement this program.
