News

11 February 2010 - Update on Belarus and the EU

Late last year progress was made in certain important areas in the relations between the EU and Belarus.

As a first important point, the EBRD adopted a new strategy for Belarus.

A new three-year strategy for Belarus adopted by the EBRD will enable the Bank to increase its engagement in this country of nearly 10 million people, subject to the authorities implementing sector-specific reforms promoting a market economy. As previously, the Bank’s overriding priority for Belarus will remain providing support for the development of the private sector, albeit EBRD now has extended its facilities also to state-owned entities on a limited and highly selective basis.

As another new area where EBRD can offer technical assistance and potentially financial support, is for the authorities’ stated intention of developing an open, transparent and competitive privatisation programme. This would support the package of policy measures agreed between Belarus and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (IBRD) in which privatisation plays a prominent role. Also the promotion of energy efficiency and the development of sustainable energy resources are highlighted.

Belarus has also signed a protocol with the signatories of the Northern Dimension cooperation

This protocol will further open cooperation possibilities for Belarus regarding transportation and logistics within the sphere of the Northern Dimension. This concerns for example allocation of resources for the maintenance and development of local infrastructure. Importantly international financing is expected to become available in areas with wider regional importance. It is to be noted that Minsk is situated at the cross roads of two important logistics-corridors: E30 – Berlin – Warsaw – Minsk – Moscow – Yekaterinburg, as well as N9 – Gomel – Minsk – Vilnius – Klaipeda – Kaliningrad.

Suspension of application of travel restrictions

The EU Council of Ministers decided to prolong the suspension of the travel restrictions till October 2010. The EU will closely follow Belarus progress in several areas, such as development of the civil society including registration of political parties and independent media. Importantly the government has recently authorized the distribution of certain independent newspapers. Further areas where progress is monitored are for example simplification of visa formalities and the reform of media law.