BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27. A seminar was held at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) chaired by Andrei Slepnyev, EEC Minister for Trade, and Arzybek Kozhoshev, Minister for Energy and Infrastructure, Trend reports.
The seminar focused on the development of cooperation with Iran in the areas of transport and logistics, in anticipation of the upcoming implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The agreement is set to come into force on May 15, 2025.
The seminar brought together representatives from government bodies, business associations, and transport companies from EAEU countries that are already operating in Iran or are exploring logistics opportunities for supply chains to the country.
“We are interested in establishing full-scale cooperation with Iran as part of the implementation of the Agreement, including in transport,” emphasized Andrei Slepnyev. “Our partners are ready to explore opportunities for collaboration within the North-South International Transport Corridor (ITC), expanding maritime transport across the Caspian Sea, and participating in the Eurasian Agroexpress project.”
The goal of the seminar was also to gather proposals from both businesses and government institutions in order to define specific practical measures for the implementation of the trade agreement with Iran.
Arzybek Kozhoshev highlighted the growing importance of developing supply chains to Iran and improving infrastructure for access to the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, Africa, and India, especially in the context of global changes and the creation of new transport and logistics routes.
The most promising initiatives will be discussed with Iranian counterparts during the first meeting of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Free Trade Agreement, which is scheduled to take place in the second half of 2025.