Евразийское экономическое сообщество

Approved

by Resolution of EurasEC

Interstate Council

5 July 2007, No. 344

CONCEPT

of International Activities

of the Eurasian Economic Community

The objective of this Concept of International Activities of the Eurasian Economic Community (hereinafter – Concept) is determining the procedure of coordinated activities to support the interests of the Eurasian Economic Community (hereinafter – EurAsEC or Community) in the International arena.

This Concept is based on common or coinciding geopolitical and economic interests of the EurAsEC member states and shall serve as the guidelines for the International activities of the Community.

The Concept defines the main objectives, tasks, principles and directions of cooperation among the EurAsEC member states to support the international interests of the Community, as well as the mechanism for their realization.

Adoption of this Concept is preconditioned by the need to support the development of the national economies of EurAsEC member states utilizing mechanisms of international relations and their integration into the system of international economic ties as part of the globalization of the world economy.

The legal framework of this Concept is the Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community of October 10, 2000 and the international treaties concluded within its framework, as well the generally accepted principles and rules of international law.

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

EurAsEC member states are convinced that the United Nations Organization is central to the regulation of international relations and development of cooperation, and confirm their adherence to the goals and principles of the UN Charter.

EurAsEC member states assume that:

the influence of external factors on the economic development of separate states and their integrated structures has grown significantly;

the role of international institutions and integrative associations in world politics and the world economy is growing due to an objective increase in the interdependency of countries, as well as the vulnerability of national economies in the globalization environment;

it is in the long-term interests of EurAsEC with its real and dynamically developing potential to elaborate and effectively promote a coordinated position with regard to the main issues of global development.

The Community member states consider that membership in EurAsEC imposes certain obligations of coordinating their positions in cooperation with international organizations and in proposing initiatives affecting the Community’s interests.

II. main objectives of cooperation

The main objectives of the International cooperation of EurAsEC member states are as follows:

promotion of the development of partnership in the international arena in order to develop a fairer system of world trade based on strict adherence to the norms of international law, equality and reciprocal interests;

strengthening regional stability and ensuring economic security of the EurAsEC member states while achieving the greatest possible economic effect from participation in the international division of labor.

III. MAIN TASKS OF COOPERATION

The main tasks of the international activities of EurAsEC are as follows:

development of unified approaches and coordination of activities on all the major international issues affecting the interests of EurAsEC, based on cooperation of the Community with international organizations and financial institutions, and within the framework of international forums;

securing EurAsEC member states’ interests in acceding to the WTO, taking into account the prospects of establishing a customs union;

promotion of exports expansion and rationalization of imports structure, taking into consideration mutual interests and support among the EurAsEC member states in their activities on international markets;

assistance in attracting foreign investment into priority sectors of the economy of EurAsEC member states;

improvement of legal principles of the external economic cooperation of EurAsEC member states;

increasing the efficiency of interaction of the Community’s organs with corresponding institutes of international and regional organizations;

combining the efforts of EurAsEC member states in the area of scientific research on Eurasian integration issues;

determining the forms of participation and representation of EurAsEC in different fields of international cooperation, including the work of international organizations and their institutions;

enhancing the international prestige and authority of the Community and creating a positive image of EurAsEC in the world;

coordinating the principles of EurAsEC member states’ currency integration into the global financial system.

IV. MAIN PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION

In meeting the goals and solving the main tasks, the EurAsEC member states are guideds by the following principles:

observing the generally accepted principles and rules of international law;

mutual trust, respect of sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity;

ensuring protection of confidential information received in the course of cooperation;

acknowledgement of the priority of joint decisions.

V. COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Holding observer status at the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization, EurAsEC attaches great importance to cooperation with the UN and its regional commissions and will undertake all efforts for its development. For the purpose of enhancing the stability of international relations, EurAsEC shall expand its contacts with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization are priorities for the international activities of the Community.

The Community member states consider their membership in the World Trade Organization as giving them the opportunity of equal participation in shaping the system of world trade. Coordinated terms of acceding to the World Trade Organization are the determining factor for further successful development of EurAsEC.

EurAsEC considers the European Union as one of its major partners whose policies coincide to a great extent with the goals of the Community. Proceeding from the assumption that the nature of their relations will profoundly influence the situation in the Eurasian space, the Community shall strive to develop intensive, steady and long-term cooperation based on equal rights with the European Union at the level of organizations, as well as with its separate members.

EurAsEC is in every possible way developed mutually beneficial relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Eurasian Economic Community continues multi-aspect cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in the area of counteracting current threats and challenges, first of all of an economic and environmental nature.

EurAsEC continues multi-aspect cooperation with the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, with the emphasis on effective cooperation first of all in the area of energy security, ecology and transport problems.

EurAsEC develops constructive cooperation with the World Customs Organization, the World Bank, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank and other similar structures, first of all for the purpose of implementing joint international projects.

EurAsEC is open to establishing contact with international associations, state institutions and the scientific organizations of foreign states working in the areas of the Community’s interests or other similar institutes (in the areas including statistics, environment protection and others) and shall promote the mutual exchange of information and the organization of international conferences, seminars and round tables.

Promotion of contacts between the Community and the Hague Conference on Private International Law is of considerable importance for EurAsEC.

EurAsEC fosters the establishment and development of cooperation between the Association “Business Council of EurAsEC” and similar structures of other international regional organizations.

EurAsEC develops the antiparliamentary aspects of international cooperation of the Community with the Antiparliamentary Union, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and other international antiparliamentary organizations.

VI. MECHANISM OF CONCEPT REALISATION

For the purpose of realizing the provisions of this Concept, EurAsEC member states elaborates and adopt within the framework of the Community the international treaties, joint programmers, plans of action and other documents on issues of interest to the Community adopted by the Interstate Council of EurAsEC.

Coordination of the Community member states’ activities aimed at realization of this Concept is carried out by the Integration Committee of EurAsEC, and those related to the fulfillment of information, analytical and organizational functions by its Secretariat.

The EurAsEC Secretary General htld negotiations and signs documents concerning collaboration between the Secretariat of the EurAsEC Integration Committee and secretariats of other international organizations, conducting preliminary work for the development of cooperation between international organizations.

The Inter-parliamentary Assembly of EurAsEC in accordance with the Regulations of Inter-parliamentary Assembly cooperates with national parliaments worldwide, international parliamentary and other organizations, concluding cooperation agreements with them and implementing them.

Fulfillment of the objectives and the tasks of this Concept will foster further expansion of the Community.

For the purpose of further developing integration processes among the EurAsEC member states with their mutual consent, amendments may be introduced into some of the provisions of this Concept.