Eurasian Customs Union
Eurasian Customs Union |
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Policy of | ![]() | |
Type | Customs union | |
Member states | ||
Establishment | 1 January 2010 | |
Area | ||
• | Total | 20,260,431 km2 7,822,596 sq mi |
Population | ||
• | 2013 estimate | 182,519,270[1][2][3][4][5] |
• | Density | 9.01/km2 23.3/sq mi |
GDP (PPP) | 2013 estimate | |
• | Total | US$4.064 trillions[6] |
• | Per capita | US$22,267 |
GDP (nominal) | 2013 estimate | |
• | Total | $2.407 trillion (excluding Armenia and Kyrgyzstan)[7] |
• | Per capita | US$22,267 (excluding Armenia and Kyrgyzstan) |
The Eurasian Customs Union (EACU) is a customs union which consists of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union. It came into existence on 1 January 2010. Its founding states were Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.[8] On 2 January 2015 it was enlarged to include Armenia. Kyrgyzstan acceded to the EEU on 6 August 2015.[9] The original treaty establishing the Customs Union was terminated by the agreement establishing the Eurasian Economic Union, signed in 2014, which incorporated the Customs Union into the EEU's legal framework.
The Customs Union was launched as a first step towards forming a broader European Union-type economic alliance of former Soviet states.[10] The member states continued with economic integration and removed all customs borders between each other after July 2011. On 19 November 2011, the member states put together a joint commission on fostering closer economic ties, planning to create a Eurasian Economic Union by 2015.[11][12] On 1 January 2012, the three states formed a single economic space to promote further economic integration.[12][13] The Eurasian Economic Commission is the regulatory agency for the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Community.[12]
The creation of the Eurasian Customs Union was guaranteed by 3 different treaties signed in 1995, 1999 and 2007. The first treaty in 1995 guaranteeing its creation, the second in 1999 guaranteeing its formation, and the third in 2007 announced the establishment of a common customs territory and the formation of the customs union.
Overview
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Export
- When exporting goods a zero rated VAT is guaranteed and (or) the exemption (refunds) of excise taxes if sufficient documentary evidence has been provided (proof of export).
Imports
- Imported goods into the territory of the Russia from the territory of Belarus or Kazakhstan are subject to VAT and excise duties and are levied by the Russian tax authorities.[14]
87.95% of customs import duties come from Russia's budget, 4.7% from Belarus and the remainder from Kazakhstan.[15]
Market access
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Access of products to the single territory of the Customs Union[16] is granted after products have proved to be compliant with the requirements of Customs Union Technical Regulations which are applicable to the product. As of December 2012, 31 Customs Union Technical Regulations have been developed[17] covering different types of products, some of which have already come into force, while others will come into force in the period 2012 – 2015. Some Technical Regulations are being still developed.
Before Technical Regulations come into force, the following approvals are the basis for access to the Customs Union Member Countries:
- National approvals/certificates – they are good for access of product to the country where this approval/certificate has been issued.
- Customs Union Certificates/Approvals issued in accordance with the “List of products subject to mandatory conformity approval in the Customs Union†– such Certificate/Approval is valid in all the three Member Countries of the Customs Union.
![]() The growth rate of the total turnover of foreign and mutual trade of the Customs Union (growth of the quarter compared to the corresponding period of the previous year). The Common Customs Code was established on July 1, 2010 (blue vertical line). Data source: Eurasian Economic Commission, Department of Statistics[18][19][20][21][22][23][24] |
Opinion polling
Beginning in 2012, the Eurasian Development Bank (established by Russia and Kazakhstan) conducts regular opinion polling of selected states with regards to Eurasian integration projects. The following question was asked to the residents of the selected countries, translated from Russian to their native language:
- "БеларуÑÑŒ, КазахÑтан и РоÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð¾Ð±ÑŠÐµÐ´Ð¸Ð½Ð¸Ð»Ð¸ÑÑŒ в Таможенный Ñоюз, который оÑвободил торговлю между Ñ‚Ñ€ÐµÐ¼Ñ Ñтранами от пошлин, и Ñоздали Единое ÑкономичеÑкое проÑтранÑтво (по Ñути - единый рынок трех Ñтран). Как Ð’Ñ‹ отноÑитеÑÑŒ к Ñтому решению?"
- Unofficial English translation: "Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia have united in a Customs Union, which has removed tariffs from their mutual trade, and created a Common Economic Space (essentially - a common market of the three countries). How do you feel about this decision?"
The results for the sum of answers "Favorably" and "Very favorably" are below:[25][26][27]
Country | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
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72% | 67% | 79% |
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60% | 65% | 68% |
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80% | 73% | 84% |
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61% | 67% | 64% |
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67% | 72% | 50% |
![]() |
38% | 37% | 22% |
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65% | 54% | 49% |
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76% | 75% | 72% |
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67% | 77% | 68% |
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57% | 50% | 31% |
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No data | 50% | No data |
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30% | 59% | 53% |
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia are current members of the Customs Union, noted in blue. Georgia is a non-CIS member state which participated in polling, noted in red. Turkmenistan opted out of polling in 2012 and 2014, but participated in 2013.
According to opinion polls by Razumkov Centre and Sociological group "RATING" Eurasian Customs Union membership in Ukraine was favoured by 22% (Razumkov Centre in June 2014) and 17% ("RATING" in November 2014).[28][29] A February 2015 opinion poll by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology stated that 12% of the polled (Ukrainians) supported joining the Eurasian Customs Union.[30]
Criticism
The United States opposes the Customs Union, claiming it as an attempt to "reestablish a Russian-dominated USSR-type union among the Post-Soviet states".[31]
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eurasian Economic Community. |
- Commonwealth of Independent States
- Union State
- Eurasian Economic Community
- Collective Security Treaty Organization
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
- Eurasian Economic Union
- Soviet Union
- European Union
- Free trade areas in Europe
- European Union Customs Union
- Post-Soviet states
- Trade bloc
- Schengen Area
References
- ↑ http://www.gks.ru/bgd/free/B14_00/IssWWW.exe/Stg//%3Cextid%3E/%3Cstoragepath%3E::%7Cdk11/8-0.doc
- ↑ "The World Factbook".
- ↑ http://belstat.gov.by/ofitsialnaya-statistika/otrasli-statistiki/naselenie/demografiya_2/operativnaya-informatsiya_1/o-demograficheskoi-situatsii-v-yanvare-sentyabre-2014-g/
- ↑ http://www.armstat.am/file/doc/99475033.pdf
- ↑ http://www.stat.kg/stat.files/din.files/census/Excel/5010003.XLS
- ↑ "Country Comparision:GDP at Purchasing Power Parity". Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ↑ "Country Comparison: GDP at Official Exchange Rate". Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ↑ Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan Agree on Customs Union Saturday, 5 December 2009
- ↑ Kyrgyzstan and Armenia will officially enter the Eurasian Customs Union that was created by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, on the January 1, 2015., Kyrgyzstan, Armenia officially enter Eurasian Economic Union, 24.kg. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
- ↑ Soviet Union to be restored in the form of new customs union, Kyiv Post (18 December 2009)
- ↑ "Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan sign pact". UPI. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- 1 2 3 Ukraine cannot get observer status at Eurasian Econ Union due to Association Agreement with EU, Russia, Interfax-Ukraine (14 June 2013)
- ↑ Barron, Lisa (1 October 2013). "Belarus eases current account deficit with Customs Union, Common Economic Space". Cistran Finance. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ↑ "Доклад «Итоги деÑтельноÑти МинÑÐºÐ¾Ð½Ð¾Ð¼Ñ€Ð°Ð·Ð²Ð¸Ñ‚Ð¸Ñ Ð Ð¾ÑÑии в 2009 году и задачи на 2010 год»" (PDF). 23 April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ↑ "БелоруÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð¼Ð¾Ð¶ÐµÑ‚ выйти из ТС, еÑли РоÑÑÐ¸Ñ Ð½Ðµ отменит пошлины на нефтепродукты". Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
- ↑ "What approval is needed to enter the market of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia".
- ↑ "Customs Union Technical Regulations".
- ↑ "СтатиÑтика внешней торговли и ÑтатиÑтика взаимной торговли". ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики. Archived from the original on 2013-08-29.
- ↑ Объемы, темпы и пропорции Ñ€Ð°Ð·Ð²Ð¸Ñ‚Ð¸Ñ Ð²Ð·Ð°Ð¸Ð¼Ð½Ð¾Ð¹ торговли гоÑударÑтв — членов ТС и ЕÐП (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ Объемы, темпы и пропорции Ñ€Ð°Ð·Ð²Ð¸Ñ‚Ð¸Ñ Ð²Ð·Ð°Ð¸Ð¼Ð½Ð¾Ð¹ торговли гоÑударÑтв — членов ТС и ЕÐП (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ Объем внешней торговли Таможенного Ñоюза (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ Итоги внешней торговли Таможенного Ñоюза Ñо вÑеми Ñтранами (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ Итоги внешней торговли Таможенного Ñоюза Ñо вÑеми Ñтранами (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ Итоги внешней торговли Таможенного Ñоюза Ñо вÑеми Ñтранами (pdf) (in Russian). ЕвразийÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÑкономичеÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð¸ÑÑиÑ, Департамент ÑтатиÑтики.
- ↑ "Интеграционный барометр ЕÐБР2012". Центр интеграционных иÑÑледований ЕвразийÑкого банка развитиÑ. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ↑ "Интеграционный барометр ЕÐБР2013" (PDF). Центр интеграционных иÑÑледований ЕвразийÑкого банка развитиÑ. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
- ↑ "Интеграционный барометр ЕÐБР2014" (PDF). Центр интеграционных иÑÑледований ЕвразийÑкого банка развитиÑ. September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ↑ http://censor.net.ua/news/291636/bolee_60_ukraintsev_gotovy_podderjat_vstuplenie_v_evrosoyuz_i_svyshe_40_v_nato_opros
- ↑ Assessment of the situation in the East. Foreign policy orientations of the population, Rating (2014/11/20)
- ↑ Support for joining EU rises one year after Revolution of Dignity – poll, Interfax-Ukraine (19 March 2015)
- ↑ Failed reset?: United States decries “sovietization†of former USSR states
External links
- Official website (Russian), (English), (Armenian), (Kazakh), (Belarusian)
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