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RSPP and BUSINESSEUROPE Presidents Alexander Shokhin and Emma Marcegaglia met in Moscow on 30 October 2014. RSPP and BUSINESSEUROPE discussed current EU-Russia relations, noting that both Russian and EU should build on recent positive developments (Minsk agreements, election of new Ukrainian parliament and start of the new European Commission term) to improve the climate of EU-Russia economic cooperation damaged by the current political tensions.
The parties focused on the EU-Russia cooperation in specific areas, including energy and agriculture looking into the options of establishing joint working groups.
Modes of cooperation on harmonization of the technical regulations and standards of the EU and Eurasian Economic Union were considered. The Russian side noted that creation of the Eurasian Economic Union from 1 January 2015 provides additional opportunities for the Russian-EU cooperation.
The RSPP and BUSINESSEUROPE presidents explored the possibility of convening the EU-Russia –Ukraine dialogue where the parties could discuss how to turn the challenges related to the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area into opportunities for the EU, Ukrainian and Russian companies, as well as other issues of mutual relevance.
RSPP and BUSINESSEUROPE agreed on the priorities for future cooperation, including the following:
- Continue to hold annual RSPP-BUSINESSEUROPE meetings at senior level as well as meetings on the sidelines of other international events (including St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2015).
- Strengthen RSPP-BUSINESSEUROPE cooperation within other fora, including BIAC and B20 (exchange of information, preparation of common positions on the agenda).
- Exchange information on the effect of sanctions (monitoring, assessment and surveys of RSPP and BUSINESSEUROPE member-companies).
- Establish joint Russian-EU working groups/dialogues on energy and technical regulation.
- Launch a dialogue between BUSINESSEUROPE and RSPP on the various issues related to Eurasian integration through ad hoc meetings.
- Explore the possibility of organizing the trilateral European, Ukrainian and Russian business to business dialogue to discuss how companies work once the DCFTA enters into force and other issues.
- Organize joint meetings of RSPP-BUSINESSEUROPE with the representatives of the new European Commission leadership.