Trade Integration in the CIS Region: A Thorny Path Towards a Customs Union

Abstract

One of the peculiarities of trade integration in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is that it was launched by non-WTO members. Nevertheless, their wish to integrate into the multilateral trading system induced them to incorporate WTO standards into their RTAs. Another distinctive feature is that integration in the CIS proceeds at diverse speed and different levels. CIS integration towards a customs union has taken place in three directions within the CIS economic union, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) and the Single Economic Space (SES), though only the EurAsEC project has remained operational. Overlapping disciplines adopted within different regional frameworks are a barrier to intense trade integration, so certain coordination is needed. The formation of a EurAsEC customs union in parallel with the WTO accession talks is very challenging. Thus it is suggested to finalize the creation of the customs union either before or after the WTO accession of all EurAsEC members. Oxford University Press 2009, all rights reserved, Oxford University Press.