The Euro-Asian Union (EAEU) is an integration economic union and political alliance of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. Countries should enter it by January 1, 2015. The Eurasian Union is being created on the basis of the Customs. The States Parties signed the agreement on May 29, 2014. The Eurasian Union should consolidate the countries that will join it, mutually strengthen their economies, promote modernization and increase the competitiveness of goods in the international market. The countries of the Eurasian Union that have already signed the agreement are looking forward to joining the unification of Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
Who owns the idea of creating the EAEU
The idea to create a Eurasian Union came to the head of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. According to his ideas, the union implies the introduction of a single currency, which will be called "altyn". In 2012, this idea was supported by Medvedev and Putin.
Start of integration
What is the Eurasian Union? To understand, we turn to the origins. The expansion of economic cooperation and related integration processes began to gain momentum in 2009. Then the participating countries managed to sign about forty international agreements that formed the basis of the Customs Union. Since January 2010, a single customs zone has been operating in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. In the same year, a summit was held in Moscow, at which the features of a new association based on the CES - the Eurasian Union - began to become clearer.
Declaration on the establishment of EVRAZ
On October 19, 2011, the presidents of countries that are members of the Eurasian Economic Community approved the decision to join the alliance of Kyrgyzstan. Already on November 8, 2011, the heads of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia endorsed the Declaration on the establishment of the EURASS. In Moscow on November 18, Lukashenko, Nazarbayev and Medvedev signed several important documents that formed the basis of the association:
- agreement on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Commission;
- commission regulations;
- declaration of economic integration.
The declaration also indicated the deadline for the transition to the next stage of integration - January 1, 2012. It implies the creation of a Common Economic Space, which will operate on the principles and norms of the WTO and will be open to the accession of new member countries at any stage of the integration process. The ultimate goal was the creation of EVRAZ by 2015.
CES
On January 1, 2012, a single economic space began to function on the territory of the participating states. It should contribute to the stable development of the economies of these countries, as well as a general increase in the standard of living of their citizens. The CES agreements that were adopted in 2011 fully began to work only in July 2012.
Supranational parliament
In February 2012, S. Naryshkin (Chairman of the State Duma) said that after the creation of the CES and the Customs Union, countries intend to continue integration processes and create a supranational Eurasian parliament. This should further deepen integration. In fact, the Customs Union and the CES are just the basis for the EURAS. And on May 17, he said that Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia created working groups to develop a draft parliament for the association, which is the Eurasian Economic Union. Consultations with the Belarusian and Kazakh parliaments were to take place. But the initiatives of the State Duma of the Russian Federation did not receive approval in them. The representatives of Kazakhstan issued a statement in which they urged not to rush into the political part, but to concentrate all efforts on economic integration. They emphasized that any associations are possible only if the sovereignty of each of the participating countries is respected. As a result, the Eurasian Customs Union was politically somewhat premature.
Single Currency Advice
On December 19, 2012, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation Glazyev made a statement that consultations on the common currency were actively conducted. But no positive decisions were made. However, he emphasized that the ruble dominates within the framework of the Customs Union. Its weight in mutual settlements is more than 90%.
Consultations and decisions 2013
In September 2013, Armenia expressed a desire to join the Customs Union. In the same month, plans for Eurasian integration were once again voiced by L. Slutsky, including the project to create a supranational parliament. They wanted to introduce this provision into the agreement on EVRAZS. However, the Kazakh side once again stated that this initiative would not be supported. Kazakhstan does not accept any provisions on supranational political authorities. The leadership of the country this position was voiced more than once. The maximum that Kazakhstan agrees on is the format of inter-parliamentary cooperation.
President of Belarus A. Lukashenko also said that he would not support “supranational superstructures” and a single currency. He said that Russian politicians like to "throw" on the agenda what is now impossible to accomplish. Lukashenko also said that the union was originally conceived as an economic one. And we are talking about general political authorities. States have not yet come to this — they have not felt a tough need for it. Therefore, political bodies are not on the agenda and should not be artificially pushed. N. Nazarbayev supported A. Lukashenko and emphasized the full sovereignty of the participating countries.
Syria's desire to join the Customs Union
In 2013, on October 21, as part of his visit to Russia, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Kadri Jamil made a statement on the desire of his state to become a member of the Customs Union. He also emphasized that Syria has already prepared all the necessary documentation.
Fears of Kazakhstan
In October, at the summit of the countries-members of the Customs Union, the head of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev proposed to completely cease the existence of the Eurasian Economic Union, or to accept Turkey. He emphasized that, often being abroad, he had repeatedly heard opinions that Russia was creating a “second USSR” or something similar under it. However, in November of the same year, an agreement on good neighborliness and strategic partnership was signed between the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. But about the politicization of the union, Nazarbayev remained adamant. But the problem was not only in the political component. Kazakhstan and Belarus demanded significant concessions from the Russian Federation in the economic sphere. Minsk wanted the abolition of any duties, and Astana wanted equal access to Russian oil and gas pipelines for the transit of hydrocarbons. The total amount of subsidies that Kazakhstan and Belarus annually needs is $ 30 billion. These costs should become a serious burden for the budget of the Russian Federation.
In 2014, the agreement was nevertheless signed by the participating countries. The Eurasian Union saw the light. The union flag and anthem have not yet been approved. However, friction between states still remains.
Benefits of EVRAZS
The economic union must level trade barriers. This implies the free circulation of goods, capital, services, the general labor market. With regard to key sectors of the economy, collegial decisions must be made and a common policy pursued.
