The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have signed a joint 2027–2030 action plan aimed at making economic cooperation more practical, with a focus on trade facilitation, digitalisation, agriculture, logistics, industrial cooperation and business connectivity.
The Joint Plan of Activities was signed on September 17, 2026, at the SCO headquarters in Beijing by Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), and Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary General of the SCO.
The agreement builds on the institutional foundation established by the 2021 EEC–SCO Memorandum of Understanding and establishes a more structured four-year framework for cooperation.
Key Facts
| Indicator | Details |
|---|---|
| Agreement | EAEU–SCO Joint Plan of Activities |
| Implementation period | 2027–2030 |
| Signed | September 17, 2026 |
| Location | SCO headquarters, Beijing |
| EAEU–SCO trade in 2025 | Approximately US$371 billion |
| Jan-Jun 2026 trade | Approximately US$197 billion |
| SCO share of EAEU foreign trade | Almost 48% |
| Key cooperation areas | Digitalisation, customs, agriculture, logistics, industry, green economy |
| Business platform | EAEU and SCO Business Councils |
| Next major forum cited | Eurasian Economic Forum, Bishkek, May 2027 |
A Framework for a US$371 Billion Trade Relationship
The economic significance of the agreement is linked to the scale of existing trade between the two groupings.
Trade between the EAEU and SCO countries reached approximately US$371 billion in 2025, nearly four times the level recorded a decade earlier.
During January to June 2026, trade reached approximately US$197 billion, representing an increase of more than 17 percent year on year.
SCO countries accounted for almost 48 percent of the EAEU’s total foreign trade during the period referenced in the source.
The figures indicate that the new plan is being introduced into an already substantial trading relationship rather than creating an entirely new economic connection.
What the 2027–2030 Plan Covers?
The agreement is not described as a financing treaty for a specific railway, industrial park, investment fund or economic corridor.
Instead, it establishes mechanisms for:
Institutional coordination
Information exchange
Analytical cooperation
Joint events
Business organisation interaction
Digitalisation and ICT cooperation
Customs regulation
Agro-industry
Food security
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures
Consumer protection
Green economy cooperation
Broader economic information exchange
The stated purpose is to improve the mechanisms through which existing trade can expand and operate more efficiently.
Logistics and Digital Trade at the Centre
Transport and logistics are among the areas highlighted for deeper cooperation.
The broader concept is to connect east-west and north-south transport systems across Eurasia rather than treating individual corridors separately.
Digital infrastructure is increasingly linked to physical logistics because electronic documentation, freight-data exchange, customs information and shared digital platforms can improve cargo visibility and reduce administrative delays.
Common approaches to electronic trade documentation and more coordinated border procedures could potentially reduce transaction costs, minimise documentary errors and make delivery schedules more predictable.
For companies involved in international trade, these technical improvements can be as important as physical infrastructure because delays at borders and fragmented documentation can add costs throughout a supply chain.
Agriculture and Food Security
Agriculture is another major pillar of the cooperation framework.
According to the source, EAEU agricultural production has increased by 30.8 percent during the Union’s existence, while agrifood exports have nearly doubled and food self-sufficiency has reached 93.5 percent.
SCO countries account for more than 30 percent of EAEU foreign trade in agricultural goods, while mutual agricultural and food trade between the two groupings exceeded US$22 billion in 2025.
This makes agricultural trade facilitation particularly relevant.
Areas such as customs procedures, food certification, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, storage, logistics and agricultural digitalisation can influence how efficiently food products move between markets.
The focus is therefore not simply on increasing agricultural output but also on improving the systems that allow agricultural products to cross borders safely and efficiently.
Industrial Cooperation Could Deepen
The framework also creates scope for greater industrial cooperation.
The EAEU–SCO commercial relationship already includes sectors such as:
Machinery
Metallurgy
Chemicals
Energy equipment
Transport equipment
Agricultural machinery
Electronics
Pharmaceuticals
Construction materials
Food processing
The source highlights existing production cooperation within the EAEU, particularly involving Russia and Belarus, across automotive manufacturing, agricultural machinery, microelectronics, machine tools, optics, aircraft and shipbuilding.
It reports that 26 integration projects had been implemented by the end of 2025, while Russia-Belarus bilateral trade reached approximately ₽4.3 trillion, or around US$52 billion.
The broader objective is to move economic relations beyond merchandise trade toward deeper production and investment links.
Kazakhstan as a Regional Bridge
Kazakhstan is highlighted as another important connection between the EAEU and SCO economic systems.
Its trade with SCO members reached US$72.6 billion in 2025, including:
US$34.2 billion with China
US$27.4 billion with Russia
US$4.8 billion with Uzbekistan
US$2.2 billion with Kyrgyzstan
The source also reports that Russia-Uzbekistan trade reached US$13 billion in 2025, while more than 3,200 Russian-capital enterprises operated in Uzbekistan and a project portfolio approached US$44 billion.
Russia-China trade exceeded US$227 billion in 2025, with a project portfolio above US$240 billion.
These existing relationships provide an established commercial base that the new 2027–2030 framework could potentially connect more closely.
Russia's Connecting Role
Russia occupies a distinctive position because it is a member of both the EAEU and SCO.
The source describes Russia as a major industrial and energy supplier, transit country and participant in expanding national-currency settlement mechanisms.
Russia’s trade with SCO economies exceeded US$400 billion in 2025, with approximately 98 percent reportedly settled in national currencies.
National currencies also accounted for approximately 93 percent of intra-EAEU settlements, according to the source.
Russia's economic relationships with China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan therefore provide several existing channels through which the two organisational frameworks intersect.
However, the source also shows that economic integration remains uneven. Russia-Pakistan trade, for example, was reported at only US$443.8 million in 2025, considerably below its 2023 peak of US$1.12 billion.
Business Organisations to Drive Cooperation
Private-sector participation is an important part of the new framework.
The EAEU and SCO Business Councils are expected to support:
Direct business contacts
Joint forums
Trade exhibitions
Investment-project presentations
Sector-specific cooperation
The September 17 programme in Beijing included diplomatic, government, expert and business participation connected with around 30 countries.
The next major implementation platform identified in the source is the Eurasian Economic Forum in Bishkek in May 2027.
This business component could be important because institutional agreements ultimately depend on companies using the channels created by governments and regional organisations.
From Trade Growth to Trade Efficiency
The central issue for the 2027–2030 framework is not simply whether trade between EAEU and SCO economies grows.
The plan is designed to address the systems surrounding that trade.
Better customs coordination, interoperable electronic documentation, shared freight information, agricultural certification and logistics connectivity could make existing trade flows more efficient.
That distinction matters for businesses because reducing transaction costs can improve the competitiveness of goods even without creating new tariff preferences.
What the Plan Does Not Do?
The agreement should not be interpreted as a new free-trade agreement or a single investment programme.
The source specifically characterises it as an implementation architecture rather than a standalone investment agreement or new integration bloc.
It establishes a framework for coordination, information sharing, business engagement and sectoral cooperation rather than committing a specific amount of financing to one infrastructure or investment project.
This distinction is important when assessing the practical economic implications of the plan.
Angkor Times Analysis
The EAEU–SCO plan represents a shift from broad institutional dialogue toward more detailed coordination of the systems that support cross-border commerce.
The most commercially relevant areas are likely to be customs, logistics, digital trade documentation, agricultural standards, industrial cooperation and business-to-business connections.
The reported US$371 billion in 2025 trade between the EAEU and SCO economies provides a substantial existing base. The challenge is converting that scale into more efficient and deeper commercial relationships.
Digitalisation could be particularly important. When customs documents, freight information and other trade data can move more efficiently between systems, companies can potentially gain better visibility over shipments and face fewer administrative delays.
Agriculture offers another practical area because food trade depends on more than supply and demand. Certification, sanitary requirements, storage and border procedures can determine how easily agricultural products reach consumers.
Industrial cooperation could potentially create a deeper form of economic integration by connecting suppliers, manufacturers, technology providers and investors across multiple countries.
However, the source does not provide specific projections for additional trade, investment or GDP resulting from the 2027–2030 plan. Its measurable impact will depend on how effectively the participating institutions implement the mechanisms outlined in the agreement.
The key indicators to watch through 2030 will therefore include customs processing times, electronic-document interoperability, logistics performance, agricultural trade, industrial partnerships, investment flows and direct business participation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the EAEU and SCO sign?
They signed a Joint Plan of Activities covering cooperation from 2027 to 2030.
Is the agreement a new free-trade agreement?
No. The source describes it as an implementation framework for institutional coordination, information exchange, business engagement and sectoral cooperation rather than a standalone trade agreement.
How large is EAEU-SCO trade?
Trade between the EAEU and SCO countries reached approximately US$371 billion in 2025, according to the source.
What sectors are covered?
The plan covers digitalisation, ICT, customs, agriculture, food security, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, consumer protection, the green economy, logistics and industrial cooperation.
Why is digitalisation important?
Electronic documentation, freight-data exchange and interoperable systems can potentially reduce administrative delays, documentary errors and transaction costs in cross-border trade.
What role will businesses play?
The EAEU and SCO Business Councils are expected to facilitate direct business contacts, forums, exhibitions, investment-project presentations and sectoral cooperation.