Negotiations on a free trade agreement between the member countries of the Customs Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will be held in Geneva on November 23. This was stated by Head of Information, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Belarus Andrei Savinykh at a briefing in Minsk on November 18.
«There will be a formal opening of negotiations between the delegation of the Customs Union and the member-countries of the European Free Trade Association (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein) on a free trade agreement,» Andrei Savinykh said, BelTA informs.
According to him, the official Belarusian delegation will be headed by Belarusian Economy Minister Nikolai Snopkov.
According to Andrei Savinykh, free trade agreement as an effective instrument of economic integration, will promote development of export potential of Belarus in the European direction. «We are confident that the agreement with the EFTA Quartet will give impetus to trade and investment cooperation between the states of the Customs Union and EFTA countries, as well as strengthen the position of the Customs Union in the international arena,» Andrei Savinykh said.
Negotiations with the EFTA countries is «the second major step after a similar process with New Zealand in the direction of a more favorable environment for foreign trade with our partners,» Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
According to Telegraf, on November 4 the country of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) expressed their desire to sign a free trade agreement with the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.
