Combining the scientific, technological and economic potential of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states will contribute greatly to achieving technological sovereignty and developing the economies of the Union countries. However, this requires extensive government support, as well as the creation of a unified business-friendly environment throughout the Union. Such conclusions were reached by representatives of the Russian legislature and auditors of the Russian Accounts Chamber and similar bodies of the EAEU countries at the session ‘Innovative Development and Growth in EAEU Economies: The Efficient Activities of State Institutions’ held at the Eurasian Economic Forum.
Combining the potential of EAEU member states will allow for technological sovereignty and economic growth
“Sovereignty is important. Normal, fair, mutually beneficial conditions of international communication, including economic communication, are important... Building alternative cooperative, logistical chains, and infrastructure routes as an alternative to the Western scheme is in our common interest in the long run,” Konstantin Dolgov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
“Joint work on the platform of the EAEU can make a major contribution to solving the problems of innovative development and ensuring technological sovereignty for each of the EAEU member and partner states. Combining our capacities and efforts in innovation and digital transformation ... can help us make a qualitative leap,” Alexey Komissarov, Director General, Russia – Land of Opportunities; Acting Rector, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation (RANEPA).
“The science and technology process is the basis of state development. <...> We should be much more active in the science and technology innovation policy. The EAEU countries do not have much time to join the so-called long wave of economic growth as the core countries of the new economic order,” Dmitry Basko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
The development of innovation and industrial partnerships in the EAEU countries requires a unified system of government control and supervision
“Economic integration entails legal integration and, consequently, the need to change legal institutions and mechanisms, the most important of which are government control and supervision. At the same time, the unification of legislation directly serving the single Eurasian market entails the harmonisation and alignment of legislation, in particular those parts that provide for liability for economic violations. <…> A cautious and balanced approach to the system of liability regulation is required, because even institutions with the same name may differ in national legislation in terms of their legal nature and the functions they fulfil,” Mikhail Romanov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on the Control.
Technological development requires government support
“There is a number of factors that hold back progress. It can be commercialization, or significant capital-intensive investment, or scientific and engineering support, or infrastructure development. Therefore, success in global competition is directly linked to government policy,” Dmitry Basko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
“The government should not be afraid but should also participate and take risks. <...> Why don’t banks lend to innovations to the same extent as to ordinary investment businesses? The return rate is low, while the risk is high. At the same time, innovation is needed,” Dmitriy Zaytsev, Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
“The Accounts Chamber comes, checks and shows the risks. For example, now we have started to check federal programmes more efficiently. Behind each of them are people, areas of development. And we have shown that state programmes contain a large number of technical indicators, and only 35% of federal programmes are implemented with a high share of results and responsibility,” Svetlana Orlova, Auditor of Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Establishment of common control and supervision mechanisms for EAEU member states’ innovation and industries
“In the absence of common control and supervision bodies for the EAEU member states, a model for the correlation between the national, administrative and legal statuses of control and supervision bodies and their competences is emerging... The issues of creating a common control and supervision, as well as determining the vectors for regulating the relevant institutions within the EAEU, could also be part of the concept, or find their place in an independent document. <...> It is extremely important to define the boundaries of legal integration for economic activities, as well as the unification of the legal regimes associated with the regulation of economic activities,” Mikhail Romanov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on the Control.
“Joint inspections are of particular importance for the supreme audit institutions of our countries. They allow not only to ensure consistency of indicators, to compare data during supervision, but also to share experience and knowledge. I am confident that these control activities will make a significant contribution to improving financing in the EAEU,” Tlegen Kaskin, Member of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The government should support innovative businesses
“Government support is very important for business. <...> The key area of our joint work within the EAEU is to support technological development, innovation, and R&D. It is very important not only to give more funds, but to change the methodology. It is important to stimulate as much research as possible,” Konstantin Dolgov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
“The government is as much of a participant in innovative business as the entrepreneur. The government is the entrepreneur in innovative business. <...> Only the government gives a breakthrough. <...> We need an institute for innovative development in the EAEU, which should really approach this business in a different way and push for innovations. It is not just entrepreneurship, not just investments,” Dmitriy Zaytsev, Auditor, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
“The transition to a knowledge-based economy also dramatically increases the role of the government as a systemic development institution, which provides reproduction of intellectual potential and favourable conditions for R&D and growth of innovative activity. At the same time, the importance of state science and technology innovation education policy is increasing,” Dmitry Basko, First Deputy Chairman of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus.
“Audit bodies play an enormous role in the organization and management of investments. Our audits can be used to learn from and take a more in-depth look at financial efficiency. The more professionally we work, the better off our citizens will be. This is a key issue,” Svetlana Orlova, Auditor of Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.
