21 September 2017

Cooperation, rather than "competition of integrations"

Cooperation, rather than "competition of integrations" was one of the topics discussed by recognized scientists and policy makers during high-level consultations, which took place on 26 – 27 June, 2017 at IIASA in Laxenburg, Austria as part of the IIASA Futures Initiative “Challenges and Opportunities of Economic Integration within a wider European and Eurasian Space”.

Currently, there is no official dialogue between the European Commission and the Eurasian Economic Commission. For the last seven years, Eastern Europe has been a chessboard for the two competing integration projects between Brussels and Moscow.

That this does not have to be the case, was shown at the recent high-level meeting at IIASA. Vassilis Maragos, Head of Unit, DG NEAR (Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations), European Commission stated during the workshop, that the European Commission is in general open to the idea enhanced cooperation between the EU, the Eastern Partnership countries and Eurasian Economic Union as part of potential interlinkage of integration in Eastern Europe.

Tatyana Valovaya, Member of the Board - Minister in charge of the Development of Integration and Macroeconomics, Eurasian Economic Commission announced that EAEU and Greece at the same day of the meeting signed a joint declaration, which is now the first official document, institutionalizing cooperation between the EAEU and the government of an EU member state.

Makar Ghambaryan, Deputy Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms of the Republic of Armenia told the participants about the progress of negotiations between the European Commission and the government of Armenia, a member state of the EAEU, about a potential Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

IIASA’s Eurasia Initiative created a successful platform that lives up to the commitment of bringing together high-level policy makers and recognized scientists into a constructive dialogue despite unfavorable political odds, thus working towards peace and cooperation based on science diplomacy. It utilizes and further enhances IIASA’s historical status as a science-diplomacy bridge between East and West, creating cooperation in place of competition.


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Last edited: 21 September 2017

Futures initiative

Challenges and Opportunities of Economic Integration within a wider European and Eurasian Space

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313