The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) emerged in a historically established integration space. The process of its creation was launched by the heads of the former republics of the USSR, which became independent states after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Their inhabitants retained cultural, family and economic ties.
The idea was proposed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. Back in 1994, he came up with 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 entered 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 the moment of Nazarbayev's proposal, there has been a 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 economic entities.
Thus, the first stone was laid in the integration of the former Soviet republics, 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 of the region have also shown interest in the Customs Union, in particular, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have entered it. The process smoothly moved to a new stage - in 1999, the member countries of the Customs Union signed an agreement on the Common Economic Space, and in the next 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 the legal basis for cooperation was born in the disputes - 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 work in a new way. A unified customs tariff was adopted, customs clearance and customs control at internal borders were canceled, the movement of goods in the territory of the three states became unimpeded.
The next year, 2011, the countries moved to the creation of a single economic space. In December, a corresponding agreement was signed between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which entered 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) has become a logical continuation of this process.
The goals of the Union
According to the agreement, the main goals of creating the EAEU are stated:
- creating conditions for the stable development of the economies of the states that have joined the organization, in the interests of improving the living standards of their population;
- the formation within 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.
Governing bodies
The main body of the EAEU is the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, which consists of the heads of member states of the organization. The tasks of the Council include solving strategically important issues of the Union's functioning, defining areas of activity, prospects for the development of integration, 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 the 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:
- Crediting and distribution of import customs duties;
- establishment of trade regimes with respect 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, about 170 functions of the EAEU in total.
There is also a permanent Union Court, 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 decisions of its governing bodies. Both the member states of the Union and individual entrepreneurs working on their territory can apply to the court.
EAEU membership
The Union is open for any state to join it, 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 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 an appropriate appeal to the chairman of the Supreme Council. Under his leadership, the council will decide whether or not to grant the applicant the status of a candidate state. If the decision turns out to be positive, then a working group will be created, it consists of representatives of the candidate state, current members of the Union, its governing bodies.
The working group determines the degree of readiness of the candidate state to assume obligations arising from the fundamental documents of the Union, then the working group develops a plan of measures 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 Union's bodies …
Currently, there are a number of potential applicants for the status of a candidate for accession to the EAEU. Among them are the following states:
- Tajikistan;
- Moldova;
- Uzbekistan;
- Mongolia;
- Turkey;
- Tunisia;
- Iran;
- Syria;
- Turkmenistan.
According to experts, the most ready countries for cooperation of this format are Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Another form of cooperation with the EAEU is the status of an observer state. It is acquired similarly to the status of a candidate for membership and gives the right to take part in the work of the Council's bodies, to get acquainted with the adopted documents, with the exception of documents that are of a confidential nature.
On May 14, 2018, Moldova received the 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.
