EAEU mulls free trade agreements with Tunisia, Pakistan — ministry

EAEU Launches Tunisia Negotiations, Eyes Pakistan Expansion

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has formally begun negotiations with Tunisia on establishing a free trade zone, with officials also confirming active consideration of similar agreements with Pakistan as part of a broader strategy to expand the bloc's global trade relationships.

Tunisia Negotiations Underway

Multiple high-ranking officials confirmed the start of formal negotiations with Tunisia. Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), announced the launch following the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in Astana on May 29, describing Tunisia as "a strategic entry point for the Eurasian Five countries into the rapidly growing African market" (TASS, verified).

Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov provided additional technical detail in a television interview, noting that Tunisia currently maintains import duties with "nearly 20% protection level" that could be reduced to around 4% following a concluded agreement—comparable to Iran's reduction under its existing EAEU accord (TASS, verified).

Pakistan and African Markets on Agenda

Beyond Tunisia, officials indicated Pakistan represents another priority target. Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Roman Chekushov, speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), confirmed that "we are also working on Pakistan" alongside the Tunisia negotiations (TASS, verified). He added that the EAEU is "identifying a pool of promising regions in Africa" in response to what he described as "great interest from African nations."

However, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk emphasized geographical proximity as the key prioritization factor, stating that "primarily India and Pakistan" are receiving focus due to their location, while noting that "negotiating resources of all five [EAEU] countries are objectively limited" (TASS, verified).

India Negotiations and Existing Agreements

Talks with India are reportedly at an advanced stage. Chekushov indicated that negotiations with India on a free trade agreement have progressed significantly, with a second round scheduled for June 2026 (TASS, verified).

Meanwhile, ratification of completed agreements with Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates is expected to conclude in 2026, according to Overchuk (TASS, verified). The EAEU-Mongolia free trade agreement has already completed ratification and enters into force on July 22.

MERCOSUR, the South American trade bloc, has been discussed but is "not at the top of this list," Overchuk indicated, citing resource constraints (TASS, verified).

Official Statements at International Forum

Several officials made these announcements at SPIEF-2026, held June 3-6 in St. Petersburg under the theme "Pragmatic Dialogue: The Path to a Stable Future." The forum, organized by the Roscongress Foundation with TASS as general information partner, brought together representatives from 142 countries and produced over 1,000 agreements totaling approximately 6.642 trillion rubles ($90.4 billion) (TASS, verified).