LEGAL ASPECTS OF ENERGY COOPERATION OF THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION MEMBER STATES

Abstract

Energy is the main area of cooperation among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). From project cooperation to "Energy Cooperation Club" agreements, the member states' desire to jointly build energy cooperation has achieved certain results. The existing SCO energy cooperation takes the form of declarations, agreements, statements, meeting minutes and memorandums of understanding, as well as principle provisions that lack clear responsibilities in treaties. It is soft at the level of international law, and it does not fully constitute a comprehensive legal cooperation mechanism. The laws of each member state lack stability and uniformity, and existing treaties do not have corresponding mechanisms to ensure the implementation of dispute settlement solutions. There is also a lack of interest coordination mechanisms accepted by member states, making it difficult to meet the needs of current and future SCO energy cooperation. In the future, only by giving full play to the role of the "Energy Cooperation Club" and establishing a comprehensive and effective legal mechanism for energy cooperation, including energy cooperation information sharing mechanism, energy cooperation environmental protection legal mechanism and energy dispute settlement mechanism can we fundamentally solve the problems in mutual energy cooperation. To strengthen the reciprocity, stability and standardization of cooperation, to create conditions and opportunities for energy cooperation among member states.