Customs Union and Unified Economic Space

On 1 January 2010  the Customs Union Commision (CUC) has started its work. This body entrusted with the functions of the customs tariff and non-tariff policy; customs administration, technical regulation and the application of sanitary, veterinary and phytosanitary measures, keeping customs statistics.

In July 2010 came into force the Customs Code of the Customs Union. The Customs Union eliminated tariff and non-tariff barriers in mutual trade, unified and greatly simplified foreign trade procedures, lifted controls at internal borders. All this has ensured the free movement of goods between Belarus,Kazakhstan and Russia.

The Customs Union became a factor that increases the volume of mutual trade of Member States, transit traffic.

The most important event for the future of integration in the framework of the “Troika” — the meeting of Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia was held on November 18, 2011 in Moscow.

The Heads of the States signed the Declaration of Eurasian economic integration, the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).

The declaration marks the transition to the next stage of the integration of cooperation — the Common Economic Space, and declares the intention to establish the Eurasian Economic Union untill 1 January, 2015.

The document recorded the establishment of joint multinational corporations to deepen industrial cooperation and to strengthen the competitiveness of the companies — members of the CES in foreign markets.

Found a further development of the view expressed earlier proposal by Belarus on the “Integration of integration”. The Heads of the States expressed the desire of the three countries to strengthen CES equal cooperation with the European Union with access to a common economic space.

In order to ensure the activities of CES the heads of the states adopted the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Commission, which established the regulatory authority of the Customs Union / EEA.

CES is the successor to the CCC and sells all of its functions, as well as some new ones.

In accordance with the Treaty Commission is composed of the Commission and the Council of the College Board, functions and powers are delineated.

The Council consists of one deputy prime minister from each state. Decisions are taken by consensus in the Council.
College — a professional permanent executive body, composed of nine members (three from each state), which have the status of international civil servants. Decisions of the Board shall require a two thirds majority.

On 1 January  2012 entered into force 17 basic agreements of CES.

In the framework of the CES other than the freedom of movement of goods is also ensured freedom of movement of services, capital and labor.

In the CES provides for three countries coordinated macro-economic policies based on common principles and rules of competition and regulation of natural monopolies. The states have agreed on common approaches to the support of industry and agriculture, as well as the implementation of public procurement.

Contracts CES recorded to ensure non-discrimination and equal access of parties to services of natural monopolies in the electricity, gas transport, rail transport, including the basics of pricing and tariff policy.

To further develop the legal basis of CES the parties shall elaborate 55 documents, 13 international treaties inclusive.