Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) - international economic organization, created for the Parties to effectively promote the process of forming the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, as well as the implementation of other goals and objectives related to deepening integration in the economic and humanitarian fields.

The organization was created in full accordance with UN principles and norms international law and has international legal personality. This is a clearly structured system with a rigid mechanism for making and implementing decisions.

Community and its officials enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary to perform the functions and achieve the goals provided for by the treaty establishing the EurAsEC and the treaties in force in the Community.

In 2003, the Eurasian Economic Community received observer status in the UN General Assembly.

Treaty on the Establishment of the EurAsEC was signed on October 10, 2000 in Astana and entered into force on May 30, 2001 after its ratification by all member states.

Five states have been members of the Eurasian Economic Community since its formation - Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

On January 25, 2006, a protocol on accession to the organization of Uzbekistan was signed. In October 2008, Uzbekistan suspended participation in the work of EurAsEC bodies.

Since May 2002, observer status at the EurAsEC has Ukraine and Moldova, since January 2003 - Armenia. They also have Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

EurAsEC - open organization. Any state that accepts the obligations arising from the Treaty on the Establishment of the EurAsEC and other treaties of the Community according to the list determined by the decision of the Interstate Council of the EurAsEC can become its member.

Observer status with the EurAsEC may be granted to a state or an international interstate (intergovernmental) organization upon request. An observer has the right to attend open meetings of EurAsEC bodies, to get acquainted with documents and decisions taken by EurAsEC bodies, but does not have the right to vote when making decisions and the right to sign documents of EurAsEC bodies.

The EurAsEC was created with the aim of developing economic interaction, trade, effectively promoting the process of forming the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, coordinating the actions of the Community states when integrating into the world economy and the international trading system.

One of the main vectors of the organization’s activities is ensuring the dynamic development of members of the Community by coordinating socio-economic transformations with effective use their economic potential in the interests of improving the living standards of peoples.

Main objectives of the Community:

  • completion of the full registration of the free trade regime, the formation of a common customs tariff and a unified system of non-tariff regulation measures;
  • ensuring freedom of capital movement;
  • formation of a common financial market;
  • agreement on the principles and conditions for the transition to a single currency within the EurAsEC;
  • establishment general rules trade in goods and services and their access to domestic markets;
  • creation of a common unified system of customs regulation;
  • development and implementation of interstate target programs;
  • Creation equal conditions for production and business activities;
  • formation of a common market for transport services and a unified transport system;
  • formation of a common energy market;
  • creation of equal conditions for access of foreign investments to the markets of the Community states;
  • ensuring free movement of citizens of EurAsEC states within the Community;
  • harmonization of social policy with the aim of forming a community of social states, providing for a common labor market, a common educational space, coordinated approaches to addressing issues of healthcare, labor migration, etc.;
  • convergence and harmonization of national legislations; ensuring interaction of the legal systems of the EurAsEC states with the aim of creating a common legal space within the Community.

In accordance with the statutory goals and objectives of the Community and guided by the principle of multi-speed integration, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia created in 2007-2010

Customs Union is an agreement adopted by the participants of the Eurasian Economic Union, the purpose of which is abolition of customs duties in trade relations. Based on these agreements, common methods of implementation are created economic activity, a platform for quality assessments and certification.

Thanks to this it is achieved abolition of customs controls at the borders within the Union, general provisions for regulating economic activity for the external borders of the CU are concluded. In view of this, a common customs space is being created, using a generally accepted approach to border control. One more distinctive feature is the equality of citizens of the customs area during employment.

In 2020, the Customs Union consists of next members of the EAEU:

  • Republic of Armenia (since 2015);
  • Republic of Belarus (since 2010);
  • Republic of Kazakhstan (since 2010);
  • Kyrgyz Republic (since 2015);
  • Russian Federation (since 2010).

The desire to become a party to this agreement was voiced by Syria and Tunisia. In addition, we know about the proposal to include Turkey in the CU agreement. However, to date, no specific procedures have been adopted for these states to join the Union.

It is clearly visible that the functioning of the Customs Union serves as a good help for strengthening economic relations between countries located on the territory of the former Soviet countries. We can also say that the approach established in the agreement by the participating countries speaks of restoring lost connections in modern conditions.

Customs duties are distributed through a single sharing mechanism.

Given this information, it can be stated that the Customs Union, as we know it today, serves serious tool for the economic unification of countries that are members of the EAEU.

To understand what the activities of the Customs Union are, it will not be amiss to gain an understanding of how it was formed to its current state.

The emergence of the Customs Union was initially presented as one of the steps in the integration of the CIS countries. This was evidenced in the agreement on the creation of an economic union, signed on September 24, 1993.

Step by step moving towards this goal, in 1995, two states (Russia and Belarus) entered into an agreement between themselves on the approval of the Customs Union. Later, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan also entered this group.

More than 10 years later, in 2007, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia signed a pact to unite their territories into a single customs region and approve the Customs Union.

In order to specify the previously concluded agreements, from 2009 to 2010, more than 40 additional agreements were concluded. Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan have decided that, starting in 2012, a Common Market thanks to the unification of countries into a single economic space.

On July 1, 2010, another important agreement was concluded, which put into motion the work of the Customs Code.

On July 1, 2011, the current customs controls at the borders between countries were canceled and general rules were established at the borders with states that are not in the agreement. Until 2013, uniform legislative norms for the parties to the agreement will be formed.

2014 – The Republic of Armenia joins the Customs Union. 2015 – The Republic of Kyrgyzstan joins the Customs Union.

On January 1, 2018, a new unified Customs Code EAEU. It was created to automate and simplify a number of customs processes.

Territory and management

The unification of the borders of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan became the basis for the emergence of the Single Customs Space. This is how the territory of the Customs Union was formed. In addition, it includes certain territories or objects under the jurisdiction of the parties to the agreement.

The limit of the territory is the border of the Customs Union with third-party states. Moreover, the existence of borders for individual territories located under the jurisdiction of the Union member states is normatively established.

The management and coordination of the Eurasian Economic Union is carried out by two organs:

  1. Interstate Council- the highest body of a supranational nature, consists of heads of state and head of government of the Customs Union.
  2. Customs Union Commission– an agency that deals with issues related to the formation of customs rules and regulates foreign trade policy.

Directions and conditions

By creating the Customs Union, the countries proclaimed main goal socio-economic progress. In the future, this implies an increase in trade turnover and services produced by business entities.

The increase in sales was initially expected directly in the space of the vehicle itself due to following conditions:

  1. The abolition of customs procedures within the Union, which was supposed to make products produced within a single space more attractive, due to.
  2. Increasing trade turnover by eliminating customs controls at internal borders.
  3. Adoption of uniform requirements and integration of safety standards.

Achieving goals and perspectives

Having collected available information about the emergence and activities of the Customs Union, we can come to the conclusion that the results of increasing the turnover of goods and services are published much less frequently than news about the signing of new agreements, i.e. its declarative part.

But, nevertheless, analyzing the stated goals when creating the Customs Union, as well as observing their implementation, one cannot remain silent that simplification of trade turnover has been achieved and competitive conditions have been improved for economic entities of the Customs Union states.

It follows from this that the Customs Union is on the way to achieving its goals, however, in addition to time, this requires the mutual interest of both the states themselves and the economic elements within the Union.

The customs union consists of countries that have the same economic background, but today these states are very different from each other. Of course, in Soviet time The republics differed in their specialization, but after gaining independence, many more changes occurred that affected the world market and the division of labor.

However, there are also common interests. For example, many participating countries remain dependent on Russian market sales This trend is economic and geopolitical in nature.

Throughout the whole time leading positions in the process of integration and stabilization of the EAEU and the Customs Union played Russian Federation. This was possible due to its stable economic growth until 2014, when prices for raw materials remained high, which helped finance the processes launched by the agreements.

Although such a policy did not predict rapid economic growth, it still assumed the strengthening of Russia's position on the world stage.

The history of relations between the parties to the agreements is similar to a series of compromises that were built on the basis of the role of Russia and the positions of partner countries. For example, there were repeated statements from Belarus about its priorities: a single economic space with equal prices for oil and gas, access to Russian government procurement.

To achieve these goals, the Republic increased tariffs on imported cars in the absence of its own production. Because of such measures it was necessary to install rules for certification of light industry goods, which hurt retail trade.

In addition, the standards adopted at the CU level were unified with the WTO model, despite the fact that Belarus is not a member of this organization, unlike Russia. Enterprises of the Republic have not received access to Russian import substitution programs.

All this served as obstacles for Belarus on the path to achieving its goals in full.

It should not be overlooked that the signed CU agreements contain various exceptions, clarifications, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, which have become an obstacle to the achievement of common benefits and equal conditions for all countries. IN different time in fact, every participant in the agreement expressed disagreement with the terms contained in the agreements.

Although customs posts on the borders between the parties to the agreement were eliminated, border zones between countries have been preserved. Sanitary control at internal borders also continued. A lack of trust in interaction practice has been revealed. An example of this is the disagreements that flare up from time to time between Russia and Belarus.

Today it is impossible to say that the goals that were declared in the agreement on the creation of the Customs Union have been achieved. This is evident from the decrease in the turnover of goods within the customs area. There are also no benefits for economic development, when compared with the time before the agreements were signed.

But there are still signs that in the absence of an agreement the situation would deteriorate more rapidly. The manifestation of the crisis would be broader and deeper. Significant amount enterprises gain relative benefits by participating in trade relations within the Customs Union.

Methods for distributing customs duties among countries also indicate favorable trends for the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Initially, a large share was planned for the budget of the Russian Federation.

The agreements signed by the parties benefited the production of automobiles. Duty-free sales of cars assembled by manufacturers in participating countries have become available. Thus, conditions have been created for the implementation of projects that previously could not succeed.

What is the Customs Union? Details are in the video.

Obstacles in the internal market of the EAEU

White Paper on Customs Barriers

The report “Barriers, exemptions and restrictions of the Eurasian Economic Union” reflects the results of the Union’s work to remove obstacles to trade, remaining obstacles, current trade volumes between EAEU members, and conceptual apparatus. Each trade participant can contribute to White paper and make the common economic space better by using the “Register of Obstacles” resource.

Terminology of obstacles in within the EAEU(developed by the EEC jointly with the member states)

Barriers are obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, capital, labor within the functioning of the internal market of the Union that do not comply with the law of the Union.

Exemptions are exceptions (derogations) provided for by the law of the Union on the non-application by a Member State of the general rules for the functioning of the internal market of the Union.

Restrictions - obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, capital, labor within the framework of the functioning of the internal market of the Union, arising due to the lack of legal regulation economic relations?, the development of which is provided for by the law of the Union.

As of the end of 2016, what are the obstacles in the agreed list? The White Paper contains 60 obstacles: seizure? - 17, restrictions? - 34, barriers - 9.

Figure 1 shows the general relationship different types obstacles in the EAEU. Figure 2 shows the number of different types of obstacles used by each Member State.

Obstacle Register

The information resource “Functioning of the internal markets of the Eurasian Economic Union” is an opportunity to draw up an appeal about a potential obstacle to the functioning of the single internal market of the EAEU member states, in which it is necessary to outline the situation that has arisen for you or your organization.

This Internet portal was created with the aim of creating a register of violations and subsequent work with them within the EEC. The portal was created to obtain information “from below,” that is, directly from entrepreneurs who have encountered unlawful obstacles in the EAEU markets when carrying out activities. Anyone can contact the EEC with a statement about an obstacle that arose due to a violation of Union law by an EAEU member country. On the Internet portal you can also view the register of violations and the work of the EEC to eliminate them.

Unified customs tariff

The Unified Customs Tariff of the Eurasian Economic Union (UCT EAEU) is a set of rates of import customs duties applied to goods imported (imported) into the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union from third countries, systematized in accordance with the unified Commodity Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Eurasian Economic Union (TN VED ). The EAEU ETT was approved by Decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission dated July 16, 2012 No. 54.

Within the framework of the ETT, there is the possibility of providing tariff benefits, the conditions and mechanism for application of which are indicated in Appendix 6 to the Treaty on the EAEU. Tariff benefits are provided for goods imported into the territory of the Union and represent an exemption from paying import customs duties.

Participants in foreign trade activities should also pay attention to the fact that, in accordance with Article 36 of the Treaty on the EAEU, for goods imported from developing and least developed countries, import customs duty rates of 75% of the CCT rates are applied. List of goods originating and imported from developing and least developed countries, the import of which is granted tariff preferences (soon to become invalid). The new list of such goods was determined by the Decision of the EEC Council (comes into force on August 28, 2017).

The Treaty on the EAEU also establishes the rules for determining the volume of quotas for agricultural goods. Such rules determine the maximum volume of agricultural products of a certain type allowed for import into the territory of the EAEU. Quota is provided for different groups goods and contributes to the development of import substitution. The volume of quotas is determined by the EEC Board every year.

Technical regulations

Technical Regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union is a document adopted by the Eurasian Economic Commission and establishing requirements for objects of technical regulation that are mandatory for application and execution on the territory of the Union.

Technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union are adopted to ensure the implementation of priority interests in the field of security.

In order to protect human life and (or) health, property, environment, life and (or) health of animals and plants, prevention of actions that mislead consumers, as well as in order to ensure energy efficiency and resource conservation within the EAEU, technical regulations of the Union are adopted.

Products for which the EAEU technical regulations have been adopted are put into circulation within the Union, provided that they have passed the necessary conformity assessment procedures established by the EAEU technical regulations. EAEU member countries ensure the circulation of products that comply with the requirements of technical regulations of the EAEU on their territory without imposing additional requirements for such products and without conducting additional conformity assessment procedures. Products that have passed conformity assessment procedures are marked.

From the date of entry into force of technical regulations for a certain type of product in the territories of the Parties, the corresponding mandatory requirements established by national legislation are not applied. Thus, obtaining documents confirming compliance with the technical regulations of the EAEU makes it possible for products to circulate freely on the territory of the Union.

Confirmation of product compliance with technical regulations is carried out in the form of declaration of conformity or certification. The use of one of these forms depends on the degree of risk of harm from the use of the product. There are several conformity assessment (confirmation) schemes: 6 declaration schemes and 9 certification schemes. The diagram illustrates the application of different forms of compliance depending on the risk. More detailed instructions on the application of declaration / certification schemes, as well as all necessary documentation can be found in the presentation on the EEC website.


List of areas in which EAEU technical regulations are applied:

    Pyrotechnic products;

    Individual protection means;

    Package;

    Products intended for children and adolescents;

  • Perfume and cosmetic products;

    Light industry products;

    Automotive and aviation gasoline, diesel and marine fuel, jet fuel and fuel oil;

    Low voltage equipment;

    Cars and equipment;

  • Equipment for work in explosive environments;

    Appliances operating on gaseous fuel;

    Electromagnetic technical means;

  • Food products;

    Juice products from fruits and vegetables;

    Oil and fat products;

    Specialized food products, including dietary therapeutic and preventive nutrition;

    Food additives, flavorings and processing aids;

    Small vessels;

    Equipment operating under excess pressure;

    Lubricants, oils and special fluids;

    Milk and dairy products;

    Meat and meat products;

    Furniture products;

    Explosives and products based on them;

    Railway rolling stock;

    High-speed rail transport;

    Railway transport infrastructure;

    Wheeled vehicles;

    Car roads;

    Agricultural and forestry tractors and trailers for them;

    Tobacco products.

Unified sign of circulation of goods of the EAEU

Marking with a single circulation mark, in accordance with the Treaty on the EAEU, is one of the measures to develop exports.

In accordance with the Decision of the Customs Union Commission dated July 15, 2011 No. 711 “On the unified circulation mark of products on the market of the Eurasian Economic Union and the procedure for its application,” manufacturers, persons authorized by the manufacturer, importers (suppliers) of products have the right to mark them with a single circulation mark if the product has passed all conformity assessment procedures established by the relevant technical regulations of the EAEU on the territory of any of its member states, which is confirmed by the relevant documents.

A single circulation sign is applied in accordance with the following rules: The image must be one-color and contrast with the color of the surface on which it is applied; The place where a single circulation mark is applied to products, containers (packaging) and documentation is established in the technical regulations of the Customs Union.

Special requirements are imposed on the labeling of medicinal products for medical use and veterinary medicinal products in accordance with the Decision of the EEC Council of November 3, 2016 No. 76. There are also special requirements for the marking of fur products in connection with the implementation in 2015 - 2016 of a pilot project to introduce marking of goods with control (identification) marks for the product position “Items of clothing, clothing accessories and other products made from natural fur" dated September 8, 2015.

Products that have passed all tests and comply with the requirements of the technical regulations of the EAEU (list in section ) must be marked with a single sign of product circulation on the Union market (Eurasian Conformity, EAC):

Labeling of products made from natural fur

Labeling of fur products is mandatory for all participants in the circulation of goods: manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers, commission agents and other participants in the fur market.

List of goods subject to mandatory labeling:

    Mink garments;

    Mink garments;

    Items of clothing made from nutria;

    Items of clothing made from arctic fox or fox;

    Items of clothing made from rabbit or hare;

    Raccoon clothing items;

    Sheepskin garments;

    Other items of clothing.

Sequence of actions when marking fur products:

    Registration in the Labeling Information Resource using an electronic signature;

    Product description in your Personal Account;

    Submitting an application for the production of control (identification) marks (KiZ);

    Payment for the production of the KiZ (the cost of a sewn-in KiZ is up to 15 rubles, the cost of an adhesive KiZ is up to 15 rubles, the cost of an invoice (mounted) KiZ is up to 22 rubles);

    Receiving key information from the issuer;

    Product labeling;

    Recording the fact of marking in your Personal Account Information resource markings.

Regional trade agreements

Foreign trade participants should pay attention to the fact that when concluding RTAs with other countries, the EAEU has the competence to create free trade zones with other countries, but only in relation to goods. Thus, the EAEU countries decide on a case-by-case basis whether to include issues of trade in services or not. This procedure hinders the development of the Union, preventing the conclusion of deep agreements, since today in world trade the share of trade in services is constantly growing, and the lack of competence of the EAEU in this matter makes agreements with the Union not competitive with other countries. A significant gap in the EAEU policy should also be recognized as the Union’s lack of competence to conclude investment agreements with third countries.

However, the EAEU already has one. IN this moment The EAEU is at the stage of negotiations and preparations for concluding regional trade agreements (RTAs) with some countries (Iran, Egypt, Singapore, China).

Free trade zone with Vietnam

The EAEU-Vietnam agreement on the creation of a free trade area (FTA) was signed on May 29, 2015 (came into force on October 5, 2016).

In the agreement we're talking about first of all, on the mutual abolition of trade duties on goods (does not apply to services). According to the document, the abolition of import customs duties by the Vietnamese side does not cover only 12% of the product range, for most of which the Union countries have no export interest.

According to the agreement, Vietnam opens the market for many goods of export interest to the countries of the Union:

    agricultural sector: beef, pork and poultry, processed meat products, canned fish, seeds, flour, dairy products, cheese, vegetable oil, animal feed, alcoholic beverages;

    industrial sector: gems, tires, asbestos, pipes, rentals, ships, mechanical equipment, electronic equipment, automotive parts, steel products, agricultural machinery, buses, cars, trucks, petroleum products.

According to the EEC, the groups of goods that are most exported from Russia to Vietnam (as of 2016) are:

    Mineral products;

    Base metals and products made from them;

    Chemical industry products;

    Machinery, equipment, transport;

    Plastics and rubber;

    Prepared food products.

According to the Vietnam Customs Service in 2017, the top 10 imported goods include the following groups:

    Machines, equipment, machine tools, tools;

    Computers, electronics, spare parts and other components;

    Textiles, leather, materials for footwear production, auxiliary materials;

    Telephones, mobile phones, components;

    Iron and steel;

  • Petroleum products;

    Other base metals;

    Plastic products;

    Chemical products.

Russian exporters should pay attention to what goods are most needed in Vietnam and what niche can be filled. For example, in Vietnam there is a high demand for materials for the production of clothing and footwear, which are currently not the main export item from Russia to Vietnam.

The idea was proposed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. Back in 1994, he put forward an initiative to unite the countries of Eurasia, which would be based on a common economic space and defense policy.

Twenty years later

On May 29, 2014, in Astana, the presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the Eurasian Economic Union, which came into force on January 1, 2015. The next day - January 2 - Armenia became a member of the union, and on August 12 of the same year, Kyrgyzstan joined the organization.

For twenty years, since Nazarbayev's proposal, there has been forward movement. In 1995, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus signed an agreement on the Customs Union, designed to ensure free exchange of goods between states, as well as fair competition among business entities.

Thus the first stone was laid for integration former republics USSR, based on deeper principles than those on which the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), created at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, was based.

Other states in the region have also shown interest in the Customs Union, in particular, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have joined it. The process smoothly moved to a new stage - in 1999, the countries participating in the Customs Union signed an agreement on the Common Economic Space, and in the following 2000, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan established the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).

Things didn't always go smoothly. Disagreements arose between the states, but in the disputes a legal basis for cooperation was born - in 2010, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan signed 17 basic international treaties, on the basis of which the Customs Union began to operate in a new way. A unified customs tariff was adopted, customs clearance and customs control at internal borders were abolished, and the movement of goods in the territory of the three states became unhindered.

The following year, 2011, countries moved to create a single economic space. In December, a corresponding agreement was signed between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which came into force on January 1, 2012. According to the agreement, not only goods, but also services, capital, and labor began to move freely on the territory of these countries.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) became a logical continuation of this process.

Objectives of the Union

Main goals creation of the EAEU according to the agreement stated:

  • creating conditions for the stable development of the economies of states that have joined the organization, in the interests of improving the living standards of their population;
  • the formation within the framework of the union of a single market for goods, services, capital and labor resources;
  • comprehensive modernization, cooperation and increasing the competitiveness of national economies in the context of the process of economic globalization.

Controls

The main body of the EAEU is the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, which consists of the heads of state of the organization’s members. The tasks of the Council include resolving strategically important issues of the functioning of the union, determining directions of activity, prospects for the development of integration, and making decisions aimed at realizing the goals of the EAEU.

Regular meetings of the Council are held at least once a year, and extraordinary meetings are convened at the initiative of any member state of the organization or the current Chairman of the Council.

Another governing body of the EAEU is the Intergovernmental Council, which includes heads of government. Its meetings are held at least twice a year. The agenda of the meetings is formed by the permanent regulatory body of the Union - the Eurasian Economic Commission, whose powers include:

  • Transfer and distribution of import customs duties;
  • establishment of trade regimes in relation to third countries;
  • statistics of foreign and mutual trade;
  • industrial and agricultural subsidies;
  • energy policy;
  • natural monopolies;
  • mutual trade in services and investments;
  • transport and transportation;
  • monetary policy;
  • protection and protection of the results of intellectual activity and means of individualization of goods, works and services;
  • customs tariff and non-tariff regulation;
  • customs administration;
  • and others, in total about 170 functions of the EAEU.

There is also a permanent Court of the Union, which consists of two judges from each state. The court considers disputes arising on the implementation of the main treaty and international treaties within the Union and its decisions governing bodies. Both member states of the Union and individual entrepreneurs operating on their territory can apply to the court.

Membership in the EAEU

The Union is open for any state to join, and not only the Eurasian region. The main thing is to share its goals and principles, as well as to comply with the conditions agreed upon with the members of the EAEU.

At the first stage, it is necessary to obtain the status of a candidate state. To do this, it is necessary to send a corresponding appeal to the Chairman of the Supreme Council. Under his leadership, the council will decide whether or not to grant candidate state status to the applicant. If the decision is positive, a working group will be created; it consists of representatives of the candidate state, current members of the Union, and its governing bodies.

The working group determines the degree of readiness of the candidate state to accept the obligations arising from the fundamental documents of the Union, then the working group develops a plan of activities necessary for joining the organization, determines the scope of the rights and obligations of the candidate state, and then the format of its participation in the work of the bodies of the Union .

Currently, there are a number of potential applicants for candidate status to join the EAEU. Among them are the following states:

  • Tajikistan;
  • Moldova;
  • Uzbekistan;
  • Mongolia;
  • Türkiye;
  • Tunisia;
  • Iran;
  • Syria;
  • Turkmenistan.

According to experts, the most ready countries for cooperation in this format are Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Another form of cooperation with the EAEU is the status of an observer state. It is acquired in a similar way to the status of a candidate for membership and gives the right to take part in the work of the Council’s bodies and to get acquainted with accepted documents, with the exception of documents that are confidential.

On May 14, 2018, Moldova received EAEU observer status. In general, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, about 50 states are currently interested in cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union.

Eurasian Economic Union - international organization regional economic integration, which has international legal personality and was created for the purpose of comprehensive modernization, cooperation and increasing the competitiveness of national economies and creating conditions for stable development in the interests of improving the living standards of the population of the member states. The EAEU ensures the freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and labor, as well as the conduct of coordinated, coordinated or common policy in sectors of the economy.

The Eurasian Economic Union is the successor to the Eurasian Economic Council, which operated from 2001 to 2014. In October 2014, the heads of state discussed the results of 14 years of work of the EurAsEC and came to the conclusion that the format of this union had justified itself, but had exhausted itself. The Interstate Council of the EurAsEC adopted the Agreement “On the termination of the activities of the Eurasian Economic Community.” On May 29, 2014, an agreement on the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union was signed in Astana. The document will come into force on January 1, 2015. In October 2014, Armenia joined the EAEU, and on December 23, President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambaev signed the Treaty of Accession of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Eurasian Union. In order to become a full member of the EAEU, the country needed time to bring its infrastructure to common standards. On May 8, 2015, Kyrgyzstan officially joined the Eurasian Economic Union. A protocol on this was signed in Moscow at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council by the heads of the member countries of the union.

The current member states of the Eurasian Economic Union are: the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Kyrgyzstan.

The macroeconomic effect from the integration of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan into the EAEU is created due to:

  • Reduced prices for goods due to reduced costs of transporting raw materials or exporting finished products.
  • Stimulating “healthy” competition in the common market of the EAEU through an equal level of economic development.
  • Increasing competition in the common market of member countries due to the entry of new countries into the market.
  • Increase in average wages, thanks to reduced costs and increased productivity.
  • Increasing production due to increased demand for goods.
  • Increasing the well-being of peoples EAEU countries, thanks to lower food prices and increased employment.
  • Increasing the return on investment of new technologies and products due to increased market volume.

Supreme Eurasian Economic Council– the highest body of the Union, which includes the Presidents of the Union member states. It meets at least once a year and the decisions taken by the Council are binding in all member states.

Eurasian Intergovernmental Economic Council– a body composed of the heads of government of member states. Meets at least twice a year.

Eurasian Economic Commission is a permanent supranational regulatory body of the Union, which is formed by the Council of the Commission and the Board of the Commission. The main tasks of the Commission are to ensure conditions for the functioning and development of the Union, as well as to develop proposals in the field of economic integration within the Union.

Union Court– the judicial body of the Union, ensuring the application by member states and bodies of the Union of the Treaty on the EAEU and other international treaties within the Union.

The most important tasks of the EAEU are to accelerate the technological development of industrial complexes of the EAEU countries, import substitution of industrial goods in the common market of the union and increasing exports of manufacturing products.

Activities:

Currently, the participating countries are discussing the experience of creating national networks of industrial cooperation and subcontracting, the functioning of exchanges and regional centers of industrial outsourcing as effective tools for searching and interaction of industrial partners in the EAEU states.

The issue of the formation and functioning of Eurasian technological platforms as an effective tool for implementing industrial cooperation within the Union is being considered. They will be created on the basis of public-private partnership. To date, seven pilot Eurasian technology platforms have already been formed (“Supercomputers”, “Medicine of the Future”, “LEDs”, “Photonics”, “Light Industry”, “Technologies of the food and processing industry of the agro-industrial complex” and “Bioenergy”). With the help of these platforms, the internal market of the EAEU will not only be filled, but the export of its products to third countries will also develop.

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is currently the main integration project in the post-Soviet space of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The EAEU is “an international organization for regional economic integration, possessing international legal personality and established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union” (EAEU. Official website).

The Agreement “On the Eurasian Economic Union” was signed on May 29, 2014 in Astana (Kazakhstan) and entered into force on January 1, 2015. The EAEU ensures freedom of movement of goods, services, capital and labor, as well as the implementation of a coordinated, coordinated or unified policy in sectors of the economy. The fundamental principles of the EAEU were created for the purpose of comprehensive modernization, cooperation and increasing the competitiveness of the national economies of the member countries and creating conditions for stable development in the interests of improving the living standards of the population of the member states.

As of July 1, 2015, members of the EAEU are the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation.

EAEU governing bodies:

  • The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is the highest body of the Union, which includes the presidents of the Union member states;
  • The Eurasian Intergovernmental Economic Council is a body composed of heads of government of member states;
  • The Eurasian Economic Commission is a permanent supranational regulatory body of the Union, which is formed by the Council of the Commission and the Board of the Commission. The main objectives of the Commission are to ensure conditions for the functioning and development of the Union, as well as to develop proposals in the field of economic integration within the Union;
  • The Court of the Union is the judicial body of the Union, ensuring the application by member states and bodies of the Union of the Treaty on the EAEU and other international treaties within the Union.

Key milestones in the development of the EAEU

1994– in Moscow the idea (N.A. Nazarbayev) of forming the Eurasian Union of States was first voiced; In the presented integration project, the name Eurasian Union was used for the first time.

1995– the Agreement on the Customs Union was signed in Moscow (by the governments of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, on the one hand, and the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the other hand), aimed at “further development of balanced and mutually beneficial relations” between the parties, namely, at eliminating obstacles to free economic interaction between economic entities of the parties, ensuring free exchange of goods and fair competition and ultimately guaranteeing the sustainable development of national economies.

1996– an Agreement on deepening integration in the economic and humanitarian fields was signed in Moscow (by the presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation).

1999– the Agreement on the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space was signed in Moscow (by the presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Russian Federation).

2000– the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was established in Astana (by the presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Russian Federation) in order to effectively promote the process of forming the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space.

2003– in Yalta, an Agreement was signed on the formation of a Common Economic Space (by the presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine), ensuring the free movement of goods, services and labor.

2007– in Dushanbe, an Agreement was signed on the creation of a single customs territory and the formation of the Customs Union of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, which sets the goal of “ensuring the free movement of goods in mutual trade and favorable terms of trade of the Customs Union with third countries, as well as the development of economic integration of the parties."

2010– the Customs Union of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation began to function: the Unified Customs Tariff was introduced, customs clearance and customs control at internal borders were abolished, unimpeded movement of goods was ensured on the territory of the three states; 17 basic international treaties were adopted, creating the basis for the beginning of the functioning of the Common Economic Space; the Declaration on the formation of the Common Economic Space of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation was signed (by the presidents of the three countries), in order to ensure harmonious, complementary and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, international economic associations and European Union with the goal of creating a common economic space.

2011– the Declaration on Eurasian Economic Integration was signed (by the presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation), which declared the transition “to the next stage of integration construction - the Common Economic Space (SES)”, based “on the principles of compliance with generally accepted norms of international law, including respect sovereignty and equality of states, affirmation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and a market economy"; a decision was made “On the entry into force of international treaties forming the Common Economic Space of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation”, which determined the entry into force of the agreements forming the Common Economic Space from January 1, 2012.

2012– entry into force of international treaties that form the legal basis for the Common Economic Space of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, creating the basis for the free movement of not only goods, but also services, capital and labor; the beginning of the work of the Eurasian Economic Commission with headquarters in Moscow.

2014– signing of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (by the presidents of the CU and SES member states), the Treaty on the accession of the Republic of Armenia to the EAEU, the Treaty on the accession of the Kyrgyz Republic to the EAEU.

2015– entry into force of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).