03.09.2009
TREATY TREATY between the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic on increased integration in economic and humanitarian fields of 29 March 19961
TREATY
between
the
on increased integration in economic
and humanitarian fields of 29 March 19961
The Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, based on historically established relationships among their nations, their aspiration for further integration and comprehensive convergence,
realizing the need for coordinated utilization of the physical and intellectual potential of their states,
recognizing independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Parties,
confirming their membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States and readiness to implement integration processes within its framework,
being guided by the generally accepted norms and principles of international laws,
have agreed as follows:
OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
Article 1
In order to create a Union of integrated states in the future, the Parties decided to focus their joint efforts on gradually increasing integration of the Parties hereto in economy, science, education, culture, the social sphere and other fields, subject to sovereignty of the Parties, principles of equality and mutual benefit, inviolability of their state borders, and non-interference in internal affairs.
Article 2
The major integration goals are:
consistent improvement of living standards, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, social progress;
sustainable democratic development of the states;
establishment of a common economic space providing for efficient operations in a common market of goods, services, capital and workforce, development of unified transport, energy, informational systems;
elaboration of minimal standards of social safety;
equal opportunities for education and access to scientific discoveries and cultural achievements;
harmonization of laws;
coordination of foreign policies, provision of an adequate position on the international arena;
joint protection of external borders of the Parties, combating crime and terrorism.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Article 3
The Parties shall coordinate the main areas, stages and terms of economic reforms, establish conditions required for operations of the common market, guarantee an equally favorable environment for the free economic activities of their undertakings.
The Parties shall ensure equal rights to acquire ownership, possession and disposal of property in the territory of any of the states in conformity with national laws.
The Parties shall develop a unified regulatory base of civil laws and state regulation of economy.
Article 4
The Parties shall pursue a coordinated pricing policy that rules out price discrimination in respect of the Parties’ undertakings, apply free (contract) prices fixed on domestic markets.
In 1996 the Parties shall complete the formation of a common customs territory and establish a common supervision system.
Article 5
The Parties shall harmonies their structural policy, bearing in mind the creation of industrial and agricultural economic complexes based on complimentary economies and maximum advantages from the rational division of labor.
Article 6
The Parties shall jointly elaborate and implement a scope of measures of state support for production cooperation and the encouragement of industrial investments, including subsidizing target programs and projects, the creation of facilities of general interest and encouragement for the establishment of transnational corporations.
Article 7
The Parties shall consistently enhance coordination of their monetary and fiscal policies and establish an efficient payment and settlement system.
At the initial stage, the Parties shall achieve significant reduction in inflation rates, the stabilization of national currency exchange rates and the complete convertibility of national currencies, providing equal access for entities – residents of the Parties to the currency markets of the Treaty member states. The Parties’ central banks shall establish an interbank union to provide mutual consultation and coordination of the measures.
At the later stages the Parties shall make a shift towards unified standards and practices of banking regulation and depending on the level of integration, introduce a single currency.
Article 8
The parties shall establish a common research and technology space and ensure cooperation in fundamental and applicable scientific research, including the arrangement of joint projects which address issues of common interest.
Article 9
The Parties shall enhance cooperation in environmental protection, including the elaboration and adoption of unified standards of environmental safety, and shall undertake joint measures to exercise accident and disaster control and remove the effects of nuclear and ecological catastrophes.
COOPERATION IN SOCIAL ANd CULTURAL AREAS
Article 10
The Parties shall pursue coordinated social policy, harmonies national and social safety nets and gradually align retirement benefits, welfare and allowances to war and labor veterans, disabled persons and low-income families.
Article 11
The Parties shall create an environment to preserve and strengthen the common cultural space based on historically established liaisons and business contacts between creative unions and associations, artists and writers, subject to preservation of the ethnic and linguistic identity of their nations.
Article 12
The Parties shall formulate an interstate education strategy; develop joint educational programs for students, training courses and advanced training programs for experts.
The Parties shall recognize without legalization diplomas, degree certificates and respective documents certifying academic degree and title.
Article 13
Citizens of the Parties that constantly live in other States Parties hereto shall be granted legal status envisaged by their national laws, bilateral and multilateral agreements; the Parties’ citizens shall be granted simplified procedures for acquisition of citizenship.
COOPERATION IN OTHER AREAS
Article 14
Taking into account already existing experience of cooperation, the Parties shall streamline the coordination mechanism when planning and realizing foreign policy, or developing and strengthening the common system of security and the protection of national borders.
Article 15
The Parties shall coordinate legislative work, draft model legal acts, share legal information, provide legal support for civil, matrimonial and criminal cases, and encourage the development of legal science and the training of legal experts.
Article 16
The Parties shall ensure close cooperation of law-enforcement and other competent bodies, uniting their efforts to combat ordinary and organized crime, terrorism, arms and drugs trafficking, smuggling, illegal immigration and migration, fabrication and the use of forged payment and other documents, or any actions imposing a threat to public security, as well as execution of judgment.
INTEGRATION MANAGEMENT ORGANS
Article 17
To attain objectives hereof, the Parties shall establish joint organs to supervise integration: the Interstate Council, the Integration Committee and the Interparliamentary Committee.
Each of the above stated organs shall act within the scope of its competence defined herein and a respective Regulation on the body.
Article 18
The Interstate Council is a supreme integration management organ. It comprises heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers, as well as the Chairman of the Integration Committee in an advisory capacity.
The Interstate Council is headed by a Chairman elected from the heads of state of the parties for a term of 1 year, on a rotation basis.
The Interstate Council shall develop a cooperation strategy, identify its main stages, make respective resolutions and monitor their implementation, and adopt regulations on integration management organs and financing procedures.
Office expenses of the integration management organs shall be reimbursed by the Parties in fixed amounts and allocated solely to these purposes.
Article 19
The Integration Committee is a permanent executive organ which takes and implements measures required to attain the integration goals and objectives stipulated herein.
The Integration Committee comprises first deputies of the heads of Government of each Party, as well as ministers responsible for cooperation with the CIS countries, economy and finance of the Parties.
The Integration Committee is headed by a Chairman appointed by the Interstate Council on a rotation basis.
The Integration Committee shall:
monitor implementation of the decisions of integration management organs through the Governments of the Parties;
ensure implementation of the resolutions of the Interstate Committee, integration programs, treaties and agreements between the Parties within the scope of their competence;
establish respective interstate commissions and committees, and hire independent experts in different areas of economy, law, management and other integration spheres.
Article 20
Informational, logistical and organizational support for the Interstate Council and other integration management bodies shall be provided by the Interstate Council administration, which is formed on a parity basis.
The integration management organs are located, as agreed, in the capitals of the States Parties hereto.
Article 21
The Integration Committee publishes a Bulletin of integration development to cover expertise and results of the integration of the Parties, the release of official legal acts and other documents of the management organs.
Article 22
The Interparliamentary Committee is an organ of interparliamentary cooperation and is formed on a parity basis from members of Parliaments delegated by the Parliaments of the Parties.
To converge and harmonies laws of the Parties, the Interparliamentary Committee, within the scope of its competence, shall:
adopt model acts on the base of which national legal acts are drafted;
make proposals in respect of an integrated legal base;
participate in legislative activities stipulated by the Regulation on the Interparliamentary Committee.
Recommendatory acts by the Interparliamentary Committee are submitted for consideration in the Parliaments of the Parties, in accordance with the procedures set forth in their national laws.
FINANCIAL AND LEGAL SUPPORT OF INTEGRATION
Article 23
The Integration Committee shall make certain proposals on integration finance and fiscal issues, and submit these for consideration by the Interstate Council.
Article 24
The Interstate Council shall be entitled to make decisions binding for the bodies and organizations of the Parties which are responsible for their implementation, or decisions subject to translation into the national laws of the Parties.
The Parties shall ensure responsibility of the officials of their governmental bodies for fulfillment of the provisions hereof, and decisions of integration management joint bodies.
Any discrepancies arising during fulfillment hereof shall be resolved through consultations between the Parties and if required, by the Interstate Council as advised by the Integration Committee.
Article 25
Provisions of the Treaty do not impose any restrictions on economic or political relationships of any of the Parties with other countries of the global community, do not damage the international legal standing of any of the Parties and do not impair their obligations under earlier international treaties and agreements, including those entered into within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Final provisions
Article 26
This Treaty shall be temporarily effective from the moment of signing and shall come into force from the date of submission to the depository, which is deemed to be the Russian Federation, of notices of accomplishment of internal procedures by the Parties required for its coming into effect.
Article 27
This Treaty shall be open for accession by other states which share its goals and objectives and assume to the fullest respective obligations hereunder.
Recognizing an opportunity of integration at different levels within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Parties to the Treaty may conclude bilateral and multilateral agreements which secure more advanced integration relationships in political, economic and other areas.
Article 28
This Treaty shall operate for a period of 5 years with tacit extension for another 5 years, provided neither of the Parties expresses their intention to terminate the Treaty at least 12 months before the expiry hereof.
Either party shall have the right to withdraw from the Treaty by giving at least twelve months’ notice to the depository.
Done at
Original copies of the
Treaty shall be deposited in the Russian Federation, which shall transmit
a certified copy thereof to each of the States Parties hereto.
For the Russian Federation B. Yeltsin
For the Republic of Belarus A. Lukashenko
For the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev
For the