Difficulties and Perspectives of Incorporating Russian Economy into the European Economy and Centripetal Tendencies in the EU

Abstract

1. Introduction Modern economic realia in the RF, characterized largely by political context and complexities in interrelations between Russia and the EU, sanction pressure in the national economy, efforts to narrow down the circle of national economic interests of the RF, together with old trade and economic relations between Russia and the European countries, as well as resource components of Russian export, oriented at European consumption, actualize the study of issues for the possibility of incorporating Russian business into European economic structures. 2. Theoretical, Informational and Empirical, and Methodological Grounds of the Research Despite the crisis phenomena in the world economy, active consumption of primary energy resources by the countries of the EU and lack of realistic perspectives of replacing the latter by other energy sources in the short-term are preserved. This should have ensured favorable attitude towards Russian companies' entering European markets, which was obvious not so long ago. However, it is possible to note certain difficulties with access of Russian export (except for raw materials) to a range of European markets and increase of formal and informal reasons for these difficulties due to the processes of expansion of the European Union by means of its new members. Over the recent two years, cooperation with Russian business in some spheres became impossible or decreased substantially due to a range of political reasons. It should be noted that the tendency of formation of economic self-sufficiency of the European Union began to appear, which consists in increase of the volumes of intraindustry trade between the European states. It should be noted that further expansion of the European Union and growth of its self-sufficiency destroy the very idea of full incorporation of Russian economy into the European one, leaving to it's the role of supplier of raw materials. Nevertheless, integration processes in Europe are ambiguous, for there is another tendency--centripetal one. Its manifestations are Great Britain's exit from the EU as a result of the referendum and announcements of the possible Greece's exit. Domination of centripetal processes increases possible perspectives of Russian companies in the European markets. In this sense, consideration of integration and disintegration processes in Europe is very topical for the Russian economy. Economic literature and mass media have been discussing the issues of increase of centripetal and weakening of centrifugal processes in the context of European integration. These problem actualized by the Netherlands and France not accepting the European constitution. At present, the most vivid example of centripetal movement is Great Britain's exit from the EU. However, despite the discussed difficulties, integrated Europe is a reality, and the process of its integration is natural--in spite of certain problems--so it is very interesting to view the problems of the European association from different sides. We offer to view the issue in the following way: can Europe be united at all? If it can be with what borders and under which circumstances--as it is very important for realization of trade and economic relations between Russia and European countries or their conglomerates. It is necessary to view this problem in dialectical development, as physiological and psychological attributes of the masses of people who constitute peoples of Europe and determine the directions of vectors association--separation have not changed with time. The issue of Europe's integration is eternal and appears every 30-40 years, i.e., during each generation, as well as the issue of Russia's entering (Westerners--Slavophils, etc.). The first part of the question should be answered positively--Europe can be united. Europe was united during the Empire of Charles the Great (IX century AD), but that was a short period, and during the reign of his grandchildren the European empire the Christian world (Pax Christiania), i. …