As part of the fifth Eurasian Economic Forum (EEF), the session “CIS – EAEU: Economic Partnership for Progress” was held on May 28, 2026, in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event was organized by the Eurasian Economic Commission jointly with the CIS Executive Committee.
Taking part in the session was CIS Deputy Secretary-General Denis Trefilov.
Addressing the participants of the session, he noted that the existing structure of the Commonwealth of Independent States is an essential element for building integration across Eurasian space, and that the Commonwealth itself continues to play a key role in the daily lives of citizens.
Speaking about the relations between the Commonwealth and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Denis Trefilov emphasized that this is an example of “smart” integration, where each association pursues its own objectives, while all member states benefit. At the same time, he noted that the successes of the EAEU stimulate the progress of the entire Commonwealth, where best practices – from barrier-free environment to digitalization – are carefully studied and adapted for application in a broader CIS format.
The CIS Deputy Secretary-General added that this is a mutual and systematic process. For more than 13 years, the CIS Executive Committee has been working jointly with the Eurasian Economic Commission to align legal regulations, exchange best practices and implement specific activities. And the latest three-year Action Plan for implementing the Memorandum on Deepening Interaction between the CIS Executive Committee and the Eurasian Economic Commission, which concluded at the end of last year, proved that the dialogue is in demand and yields tangible results.
According to Denis Trefilov, the new Action plan for 2026-2030, adopted on the forum’s platform, is not a formal extension but a strategic step forward. It focuses on scientific, technological, as well as innovative projects, including the introduction of artificial intelligence and energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies. The priority is still on the aligning of regulatory frameworks of the CIS and EAEU to avoid collision.
Summing up his address, the CIS Deputy Secretary-General underscored that the common strategic objective is to harness the synergy of the integration associations so that people in the region can live better and businesses can operate smoothly and, most importantly, predictably across the Commonwealth.