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Russian and European officials are coming together to Moscow to look for ways to take mutual cooperation a step further.
At the conference on 'Partnership for Modernization', arranged by the Ministry of Economic Development, the two sides are expected to exchange opinions on how to best move forward.
Intensive dialogue between Russia and Europe was launched in when the leaders signed the roadmap in June 2010.
Since then, representatives from respective departments have regularly met to discuss progress in areas ranging from economy to public procurement to space.
At the conference on 'Partnership for Modernization', arranged by the Ministry of Economic Development, the two sides are expected to exchange opinions on how to best move forward.
Intensive dialogue between Russia and Europe was launched in when the leaders signed the roadmap in June 2010.
Since then, representatives from respective departments have regularly met to discuss progress in areas ranging from economy to public procurement to space.
The partners have managed to bring onboard such heavy-weight financial institutions like Vnesheconombank (Russian Development Bank), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB). They will provide up to 2 bln dollars in funding for the P4M projects.
The full list of promising areas includes:
1. Energy
2. Transport
3. Health
4. Trade and Investment
5. Customs
6. Industrial Regulations
7. Agriculture
8. Space
9. Intellectual Property
10. Migration
11. Visa-Free Dialogue
12. Environment
13. Macroeconomics
14. Science
15. Public Procurement
16. Financial Policy
Easing visa regulations was one of the major items on the session's agenda. Over many years now, the Russian leadership has pressed Europe to relax its visa rules for Russians aiming for a full abolition in the long-run.
High-ranking officials from several EU countries have spoken in favour of the move but the EU Commission has pushed for more requirements to be met. In 2011, the two sides put together a list of joint steps that need to be implemented before drafting a liberalization treaty.
Photo credit: www.kommersant.ru
Author: Mikhail Vesely
