The 49th session of the CIS Economic Forum has opened in the Livadiysky Palace in Yalta. Ukraine is represented by the Vice-Premier and Minister of Economic Development and Commerce, Andrei Kluyev, Ukrinform reports.
The forum will hold talks on 15 economic issues. The main topic is the free trade zone agreement, the press-service of the CIS Executive Committee said.
The document was developed by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and presented to the CIS Executive Committee in late 2008. A special working group held a series of talks on the document and took into account proposals and comments of states.
The working group passed the text of the document in February 2011. The project was approved at the Commission for Economic Issues of the CIS Economic Council in March 2011.
The agreement is aimed at forming a common basis for trade on the territory of the CIS. The document will have minimal exceptions in the free trade zone. Export duties will be fixed and gradually cancelled.
The forum also plans to hold talks on innovative cooperation in the CIS, preparations for the inter-state exhibition on the 20th anniversary of the CIS, cooperation in transport, exchange of technical information, food security, social aspects and other problems.
Members of the CIS Economic Forum will also take part in an International Investment Forum entitled ‘The Yalta Business Meetings’, organized by the Finance-Bank Council of CIS and supported by the CIS Executive Committee, the Ukrainian government and Vneshtorgbank.
