The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) plans to establish cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The draft memorandum was approved by the EEC Board, BelTA learnt from the EEC press service.

The draft defines the main areas of cooperation, which include: sustainable rural development, food security, natural resource management, assessment of food security impact on the socio-economic development, research on the development and improvement of the efficiency of the agro-food markets, and also provision of sanitary-epidemiological welfare of the population, phyto-sanitary and veterinary safety of territories.

Interaction between the EEC and the FAO will be implemented through the exchange of information, experience and expertise, joint consultations, conferences, workshops, discussions and other activities.

The adoption of the memorandum will pave the way for more active use of international experience in sustainable rural development and agricultural policy in the Customs Union, the EEC press service.

On behalf of the Eurasian Economic Commission the memorandum will be signed by EEC Industry and Agriculture Minister Sergei Sidorsky.

The FAO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, was founded in 1945 in order to raise the nutrition and living standards, ensure greater efficiency of production and distribution of food and agricultural products, improve the living conditions of rural populations, contribute to the development of the world economy and the realization of human rights to protection from famine and poverty. The Customs Union member states are parties to the FAO.