The official talks on setting up a free trade zone between Europe and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries may be held by the end of this year, Minister of Industry and Trade of Egypt, Tareq Qabil, stated Thursday after the meeting with the Russian Minister of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev, RIA Novosti reports.

“The Minister stated that an agreement has been reached with the Russian side on the need for accelerating the determination of the day of the second expert group meeting, noting that he expects the official launch of the talks [on setting up a free trade zone between Egypt and EAEU] by the end of the current year,” the press service reports, citing Qabil. 

Earlier, the trade representative to Russia in Egypt, Fedor Lukashin, told RIA Novosti that the EAEU member-states will prepare a conclusion on the free trade zone between Egypt and EAEU during 2016.