Eurasian Economic Union

{{Short description|Trade bloc of five post-Soviet states}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox geopolitical organisation | conventional_long_name = Eurasian Economic Union | name = {{collapsible list |title = {{nobold|''(in other state languages)''}} |titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:center;font-size:90%; |liststyle = text-align:center; |{{Infobox | subbox = yes | bodystyle = font-size:9pt; | rowclass1 = mergedrow | label1 = [[Armenian language|Armenian]]: | data1 = {{lang|hy|Եվրասիական տնտեսական միություն}} | fontsize = 68% | rowclass2 = mergedrow | label2 = [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]]: | data2 = {{lang|be|Еўразійскі эканамічны саюз}} | rowclass3 = mergedrow | label3 = [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]]: | data3 = {{lang|kk|Eurazialyq Ekonomikalyq Odaq}} | rowclass4 = mergedrow | label4 = [[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]]: | data4 = {{lang|ky|Евразиялык экономикалык биримдик}} | rowclass5 = mergedrow | label5 = [[Russian language|Russian]]: | data5 = {{lang|ru|Евразийский экономический союз}}}} }} | common_name = Eurasian Economic Union | linking_name = The Eurasian Union | image_flag = Flag of the Eurasian Economic Union.svg | flag_type = [[Flag of the Eurasian Economic Union|Flag]] | image_symbol = Emblem of the Eurasian Economic Union.svg | image_map = File:Orthographic projection map of the Eurasian Economic Union (2014–2022).svg | map_width = 200px | map_caption = {{legend|#346733|Member states}}{{legend|#46C843|Disputed territory of [[Crimea]]<ref>{{cite book|title=The Territories of the Russian Federation 2020|publisher=[[Routledge]]|author=[[Taylor & Francis]]|date=2020|section=Republic of Crimea|section-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3xbUDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT161|isbn=978-1-003-00706-7|quote=Note: The territories of the Crimean peninsula, comprising Sevastopol City and the Republic of Crimea, remained internationally recognised as constituting part of Ukraine, following their annexation by Russia in March 2014.}}</ref>}} | admin_center_type = Administrative centres | admin_center = {{unbulleted list | {{nowrap|[[Moscow]], [[Russia]]}} ([[Eurasian Economic Commission|Commission]]) | {{nowrap|[[Minsk]], [[Belarus]]}} ([[Court of the Eurasian Economic Union|Court]]) }} | largest_city = [[Moscow]] {{coord|55|45|N|37|37|E|display=inline}} | languages_type = Working language | languages = [[Russian language|Russian]] | org_type = [[Economic union]] | membership_type = Member states | membership = {{plainlist| '''Member states:''' *{{flag|Armenia}} *{{flag|Belarus}} *{{flag|Kazakhstan}} *{{flag|Kyrgyzstan}} *{{flag|Russia}}

'''Observers:''' *{{flag|Cuba}} *{{flag|Iran}} *{{flag|Moldova}} *{{flag|Uzbekistan}} }} | leader_title1 = Chairman of the [[Supreme Eurasian Economic Council]] (2026) | leader_name1 = {{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]] | established_event1 = {{nowrap|Original proposala}} | established_date1 = 1994 | established_event2 = [[Eurasian Economic Community|Economic Community]] | established_date2 = {{nowrap|10 October 2000}} | established_event3 = [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] | established_date3 = {{nowrap|1 January 2010}} | established_event4 = Establishment agreed | established_date4 = {{nowrap|18 November 2011}} | established_event5 = [[Eurasian Economic Space]] | established_date5 = {{nowrap|1 January 2012}} | established_event6 = EAEU Treaty signed | established_date6 = {{nowrap|29 May 2014}} | established_event7 = EAEU established | established_date7 = {{nowrap|1 January 2015}} | official_website = {{URL|1=eaeunion.org/?lang=en|2=EAEUnion.org}} | area_km2 = 20,229,248<ref name="nationsonline.org">{{cite news|url=http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/countries_by_area.htm|title=Countries by Area|access-date=26 August 2014|website=Nations Online Project}}</ref> | area_sq_mi = 7,810,557<ref name="nationsonline.org"/> | population_estimate = {{increaseNeutral}} 190,336,992 <ref name="IMFWEORU">{{cite web|url= https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2025/April/weo-report?c=911,913,916,917,922,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,LP,&sy=2024&ey=2025&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=subject&ds=.&br=1 |title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects: April 2025|website=[[International Monetary Fund]]|access-date=14 March 2025}}</ref> | population_estimate_year = 2025 | population_density_km2 = 9.16 | GDP_PPP = {{increase}} US$8.544 trillion<ref name="IMFWEORU" /> | GDP_PPP_year = 2025 | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $44,888 | GDP_nominal = {{increase}} US$2.623 trillion<ref name="IMFWEORU" /> | GDP_nominal_year = 2024 | GDP_nominal_per_capita = $13,980 | Gini_year = | Gini_change =  | Gini =  | Gini_ref = | HDI_year = | HDI_change = | HDI = | currency = {{plainlist| *[[Armenian dram]] *[[Belarusian ruble]] *[[Kazakhstani tenge]] *[[Kyrgyz som]] *[[Russian ruble]]}} | time_zone = | utc_offset = +2 to +12 | time_zone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | drives_on = right | date_format = | calling_code = {{collapsible list | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal; | title = 4 codes | {{flagicon|Russia}}{{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} [[+7]] | {{flagicon|Armenia}} [[+374]] | {{flagicon|Belarus}} [[+375]] | {{flagicon|Kyrgyzstan}} [[+996]] }} | iso3166code = omit | cctld = {{collapsible list |titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal; |title = 5 [[Country code top-level domain|TLDs]] |{{flagicon|Armenia}} [[.am]] |{{flagicon|Belarus}} [[.by]] |{{flagicon|Kyrgyzstan}} [[.kg]] |{{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} [[.kz]] |{{flagicon|Russia}} [[.ru]] }} | footnote_a = By [[President of Kazakhstan|Kazakhstani president]] [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]]. | government_type = | demonym = | area_rank = | today = | leader_name2 = {{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} [[Bakhytjan Sagintayev]] | leader_title2 = Chairman of the Board of the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]] }}

The '''Eurasian Economic Union''' ('''EAEU''' or '''EEU''')<ref group="note">EAEU is the acronym used on the [http://eaeunion.org organisation's website]. However, many media outlets use the acronym EEU.</ref> is an [[economic union]] of five [[post-Soviet states]] located in [[Eurasia]]. The EAEU has an integrated [[single market]]. As of 2023, it consists of 183 million people and a [[gross domestic product]] of over $2.4 trillion.<ref name="IMFWEORU" />

The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union was signed on 29 May 2014 by the leaders of [[Belarus]], [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Russia]], and came into force on 1 January 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://docs.eaeunion.org/en-us/Pages/DisplayDocument.aspx?s=bef9c798-3978-42f3-9ef2-d0fb3d53b75f&w=632c7868-4ee2-4b21-bc64-1995328e6ef3&l=540294ae-c3c9-4511-9bf8-aaf5d6e0d169&EntityID=3610 |title=Страницы - DisplayDocument.aspx |access-date=2016-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417110445/https://docs.eaeunion.org/en-us/Pages/DisplayDocument.aspx?s=bef9c798-3978-42f3-9ef2-d0fb3d53b75f&w=632c7868-4ee2-4b21-bc64-1995328e6ef3&l=540294ae-c3c9-4511-9bf8-aaf5d6e0d169&EntityID=3610 |archive-date=17 April 2016}}</ref> Treaties aiming for [[Armenia]]'s and [[Kyrgyzstan]]'s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union were signed on 9 October and 23 December 2014, respectively. Armenia's accession treaty came into force on 2 January 2015. Kyrgyzstan's accession treaty came into effect on 6 August 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Member States of the EEU|url=http://www.eaeunion.org/?lang=en#about-countries|publisher=Eurasian Commission|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> Kyrgyzstan participated in the EAEU from the day of its establishment as an acceding state.<ref name=FT>{{cite news|last1=Farchy|first1=Jack|title=Eurasian unity under strain even as bloc expands|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b08c2e4e-8ab2-11e4-8e24-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3MvV5Evn1|access-date=26 December 2014|newspaper=The Financial Times|date=23 December 2014|quote=Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday a signed the Treaty to join the Eurasian Economic Union, expanding the membership of Moscow-led project to five even as its unity is strained by the market turmoil gripping Russia.}}</ref><ref name=TT>{{cite news|title=Eurasian Economic Union to Launch on 1 January|url=http://www.thetrumpet.com/article/12307.19.0.0/eurasian-economic-union-to-launch-on-january-1|access-date=26 December 2014|publisher=The Trumpet|date=24 December 2014|quote=Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan agreed to a January 1 inauguration.}}</ref>

The EAEU encourages the free movement of goods and services, and provides for common policies in the macroeconomic sphere, transport, industry and agriculture, energy, foreign trade and investment, customs, technical regulation, competition, and antitrust regulation. Provisions for a [[single currency]] and greater integration are envisioned for the future.<ref name=WaPost/><ref name=currency/> The union operates through [[supranational union|supranational]] and [[Intergovernmental organisation|intergovernmental]] institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-15 |title=What is the Eurasian Economic Union? |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/07/what-eurasian-economic-union |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank |language=en}}</ref> The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is the supreme body of the Union, consisting of the [[Head of State|Heads of the Member States]]. The second level of intergovernmental institutions is represented by the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council (consisting of the Heads of the governments of member states). The day-to-day work of the EAEU is done through the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]], the executive body of the Union. There is also a judicial body – the [[Eurasian Economic Union#Court of the Eurasian Economic Union|Court of the Eurasian Economic Union]].<ref>Article 8 and 10, Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union</ref> {{TOC limit|3}}

==History== === Background === {{main|Transition period and cessation of the existence of the Soviet Union|Union Republics of the Soviet Union}} In the [[Soviet Union]], a [[Union Republic]] was a [[Federated state|constituent federated]] [[political entity]] with a [[List of forms of government|system of government]] called a [[Soviet republic (system of government)|Soviet republic]], which was officially defined in the [[1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union|1977 constitution]] as "a [[sovereign state|sovereign]] Soviet [[socialist state]] which has united with the other Soviet republics to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"<ref>Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%83%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0_(1977)/%D0%A0%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_07.10.1977#III._%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%BE-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B5_%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE_%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0|title=Конституция СССР (1977)/Редакция 07.10.1977 — Викитека|website=ru.wikisource.org}}</ref> and whose sovereignty is limited by membership in the Union. As a result of its status as a sovereign state, the Union Republic de jure had the right to enter into relations with foreign states, conclude treaties with them and exchange diplomatic and consular representatives and participate in the activities of international organisations (including membership in international organisations).<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/soglasie-ukrainskoy-ssr-na-obyazatelnost-dlya-nee-mezhdunarodnogo-dogovora-1|title=Согласие Украинской ССР на обязательность для нее международного договора|first=Вишневский Юрий|last=Анатольевич|date=4 January 2014|journal=Проблемы законности|issue=126|pages=207–215|via=cyberleninka.ru}}</ref><ref>Article 80 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%83%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0_(1977)/%D0%A0%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_07.10.1977#III._%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%BE-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B5_%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE_%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0|title=Конституция СССР (1977)/Редакция 07.10.1977 — Викитека|website=ru.wikisource.org}}</ref> The former [[Soviet republics]] that became independent states were part of the [[economy of the Soviet Union]] with its common technical standards, common infrastructure, territorial proximity, chains of cooperation, and common legal heritage. Through the signing of international agreements on trade, economic cooperation and integration, countries can achieve an increase in the efficiency of their economies, which suffered due to the [[disintegration of the Soviet Union]]. At the same time, all post-Soviet countries have moved to a [[market economy]], implemented reforms and expanded trade and cooperation with the [[global economy]]. Over the past three decades, several negotiations have taken place on proposed integration projects.

In order to reform the Soviet Union, the [[New Union Treaty]] and the draft [[European-Asian Union]], among others, were proposed. In 1989, the European-Asian Union was proposed by the co-chairman of the [[Interregional Deputy Group]] [[Andrei Sakharov]], [[List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates|Nobel Peace Prize laureate]], and with the participation of members of the group [[Galina Starovoitova]] (as a representative to the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union from Armenia), [[Anatoly Sobchak]] and others. Sakharov presented Gorbachev (Gorbachev was a chairman of the Constitutional Commission) with his draft Constitution of the Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia on 27 November 1989.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sakharov.space//lib/proekt-konstitucii-soyuza-sovetskih-respublik-evropy-i-azii|title=Проект Конституции Союза Советских Республик Европы и Азии|language=ru |website=www.sakharov.space|accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref>

In the 1990s, Russia and the Central Asian republics were weakened economically and faced declines in [[GDP]] as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The member states of the union underwent economic reforms and [[privatisation]].<ref group=journal>{{cite web |title=Russian Federation|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/7/50/2452793.pdf|access-date=7 July 2014|website=Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia Economic Conditions in Mid-1996|url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ru0119)|publisher=Library of Congress|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> The process of Eurasian integration began immediately after the break-up of the Soviet Union. When the USSR [[August Coup|began to fall]] in 1991, the presidents of [[Belarus]], [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Russia]]<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal>{{cite web |title=Eurasian economic integration: figures and facts |website=Eurasian Economic Commission|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/Documents/broshura26_ENGL_2014.pdf|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> of the founding republics signed the [[Belavezha Accords]] on 8 December 1991, declaring that the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|Soviet Union would cease to exist]] and proclaimed the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] in its place.

=== Commonwealth of Independent States === [[File:Vladimir Putin 22 February 2008-3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Meeting of the leaders of all 12 countries of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) on 22 February 2008. The CIS initiated the lengthy process of Eurasian integration.]] {{main|Commonwealth of Independent States|Common Economic Space of the Commonwealth of Independent States|Mobility rights arrangements of the Commonwealth of Independent States}} According to Article 7 of the [[Agreement on the creation the Commonwealth of Independent States]] of 8 December 1991 which effectively dissolved the Soviet Union as a single federal country, the High Contracting Parties indicate that through common coordinating institutions, their joint activities will consist in coordinating foreign policy activities, ''cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy'', in the development of transport and communication systems, cooperation in the field of environmental protection, migration policy and the fight against organised crime. According to the Article 5 of [[Belavezha Accords]], the High Contracting Parties shall recognise and respect each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of existing borders within the Commonwealth. They shall guarantee the openness of borders, freedom of movement of citizens and freedom of information within the Commonwealth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/1#text|title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств|website=cis.minsk.by|accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref>

On 24 September 1993, at a meeting of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) Council of Heads of State in [[Moscow]], Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan signed the [[Treaty on the Creation of the Economic Union]] which reinforces by an international agreement the intention to create an economic union through the step-by-step creation of a free trade area, a customs union and conditions for the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor. All these countries have ratified the Treaty and it entered into force on 14 January 1994. Turkmenistan<ref>According to the Unified Register of Legal Acts and Other Documents of the Commonwealth of Independent States, on 24 December 1993, Turkmenistan sent a notification of accession to the Treaty on the Establishment of the Economic Union. It entered into force for Turkmenistan on 22 January 1994. As of 2024, the agreement is in force according to the register (CIS Executive Committee). See [https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/257#documentCard Document]</ref> and Georgia joined in 1994 and ratified the Treaty, but Georgia withdrew in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/257#documentCard|title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств|website=cis.minsk.by|access-date=8 January 2024}}</ref> On 24 September 1993, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Georgia signed the Agreement on the Creation of the interstate [[Euroasian Coal and Metal Community]], which entered into force in 1995 for Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and in 1996 entered into force for Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. The Euroasian Coal and Metal Community was terminated on 29 September 2004.<ref>{{cite web | title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств | url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/247#documentCard }}</ref>

On 15 April 1994, the "Agreement on Ukraine's accession to the Economic Union as an associate member" was signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Georgia but never entered into force due to non-ratification by Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan and Georgia, although all the others ratified.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/325#documentCard|title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств|website=cis.minsk.by|accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref> On 15 April 1994, at a meeting of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) Council of Heads of State in [[Moscow]], all 12 post-Soviet states signed the international [[Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area|Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area]] in order to move towards the creation of an economic union. Article 17 also confirmed the intention to conclude a free trade agreement in services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/321#documentCard |title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств|website=cis.minsk.by|accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref> Article 1 indicated that this was "the first stage of the creation of the Economic Union", but on 2 April 1999 the countries agreed to remove this phrase from the agreement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/884#text|title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств|website=cis.minsk.by|accessdate=8 January 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Russian Federation - Belarus - Kazakhstan 20-Jan-1995.png|thumb|Russian Federation - Belarus - Kazakhstan Agreement of 1995 on Customs Union in the Regional Trade Agreements Database of the [[World Trade Organization]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicMaintainRTAHome.aspx|title=WTO | Regional trade agreements|website=rtais.wto.org}}</ref>]]

===Proposal to establish a new organisation=== [[File:Timeline of EAEU Integration - WTO.png|thumb|Timeline of EAEU Integration from the [[World Trade Organization]] report<ref>{{cite web |url=https://docsonline.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/WT/REG/358-1.pdf&Open=True |title=Factual presentation |website=wto.org|access-date=25 February 2024}}</ref> ]] {{main|Eurasian Union of States|Political union}} At a press conference of Commonwealth leaders in [[Almaty]] on 21 December 1991, [[Leonid Kravchuk]] refused to change the name of the organisation to the name [[Commonwealth of Euro-Asian and Independent States]], but [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] immediately stressed: "in the [[Alma-Ata Protocol|Declaration]] the economic area (of the CIS) is called Eurasian."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2018&v=b9bSaSiui6Q | title=Пресс-конференция по результатам встречи глав государств СНГ (1991) | website=[[YouTube]] | date=24 November 2021 }}</ref> A number of agreements with the names "Eurasian", "Euro-Asian" or "Euroasian" have been signed in the CIS, such as the establishment of the [[Euro-Asian Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification]]<ref>https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/51#documentCard</ref> and the [[Euroasian Broadcasting Union]]<ref>https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/3859#documentCard</ref> in 1992, the [[Eurasian Patent Convention]] and Organization<ref>https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/3278#documentCard</ref> in 1994, and the [[Eurasian Cinema Academy]]<ref>https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/686#text</ref> in 1997.

On 29 March 1994, during a speech at [[Moscow State University]], the first [[President of Kazakhstan]], [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] complained that the CIS was inadequate and did not provide the integration that the countries badly needed. He proposed the creation of a [[Eurasian Union of States]] as a new organisation completely separate from the CIS. The Eurasian Union of States was proposed as a combination of the [[economic union]] and [[political union]]. For the first time it was suggested to use the name "Eurasian" for an economic union rather than "Euro-Asian" or "Euroasian". The Eurasian Economic Union traces its history back to Nazarbayev's proposal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.eaeunion.org/?lang=en#about-history | title=Eurasian Economic Union }}</ref> He suggested the idea of creating a Union as a regional trade bloc in order to connect to and profit from the growing economies of [[European Union|Europe]] and [[East Asia]]. The vision would be to simplify the free flow of goods across Eurasia.<ref>Alexandrov, Mikhail. ''Uneasy Alliance: Relations Between Russia and Kazakhstan in the Post-Soviet Era, 1992–1997.'' Greenwood Press, 1999, p. 229. {{ISBN|978-0-313-30965-6}}</ref><ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news|last1=Vladimir|first1=Radyuhin|title=Three-nation Eurasian union set up as bridge|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/threenation-eurasian-union-set-up-as-bridge/article6063893.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Kazakhstan welcomes Putin's Eurasian Union concept|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/8808500/Kazakhstan-welcomes-Putins-Eurasian-Union-concept.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/8808500/Kazakhstan-welcomes-Putins-Eurasian-Union-concept.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=6 October 2011|access-date=8 October 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The idea was quickly seen as a way to bolster trade, boost investment in [[Central Asia]], [[Armenia]] and [[Belarus]], and serve as a complement to the [[Eastern Partnership]].<ref name="The Hindu"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Eurasian Economic Union to become a bridge between Europe and Pacific Rim|date=12 April 2012 |url=http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/55923.html|publisher=Vestnik Kavkaza|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref>

However, earlier, on 22 March 1994, Nazarbayev spoke at the [[Chatham House]] in London with an analysis of trends in post-Soviet integration and a justification for the need to create a new effective and truly functioning union based on an integration core with the possible name "Euro-Asian Union". The union should be built around three main pillars: common supranational bodies for managing the economy, defence and foreign policy, a single economic space and a common defence complex. The president of Kazakhstan launched an information campaign. On 3 June 1994, he signed the Plan on the Formation of the Eurasian Union of States, which was sent to all the heads of the CIS participant states. On 6 June 1994, a press conference was held at the presidential residence by [[Marat Tajin]], head of the Information and Analytical Centre of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan and [[Imangali Tasmagambetov]], Nazarbayev's assistant. Marat Tajin spoke at a round table discussion on Prospects for Eurasian Integration in Moscow on 14 June 1994 at the [[Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation|Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]. At a hearing in the [[State Duma|State Duma of the Russian Federation]] in Moscow on 5 July 1994, Ambassador [[Tair Mansurov]] outlined the essence of the project.<ref>{{cite journal | first1=Ahmad | last1=Vakhshitech | first2 = Marina Vladimirovna | last2 = Lapenko | first3=Aisha | last3= Mukasheva | title=Генезис Евразийской Идеи И Евразийской Практики В Республике Казахстан | trans-title = Genesis of the Eurasian Idea and Eurasian Practice in the Republic of Kazakhstan | language = ru | journal=Вестник Российского Университета Дружбы Народов. Серия: Международные Отношения | date=2022 | volume=22 | issue=1 | pages=60–76 | url=https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/genezis-evraziyskoy-idei-i-evraziyskoy-praktiki-v-respublike-kazahstan }}</ref> Nazarbayev later complained that in 1994 "there was complete rejection" of his idea: "I hoped for the support of Russia and Yeltsin personally, however, there was no such support and the attitude was one of sarcasm."<ref>{{cite web | title=30 лет распада СССР. История в лицах. Нурсултан Назарбаев | History Lab | website=[[YouTube]] | date=11 July 2021 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz508l43kVE }}</ref> Thus, the work was carried out within the framework of the CIS and separate treaties without the creation of a new organisation.

===Customs union and integration in economic and humanitarian fields=== {{main|Multi-speed integration|Belarus-Russia Customs Union}} During the 1990s, the Eurasian integration process was slow, possibly due to the economic crisis experienced after the dissolution of the [[Soviet Union]] and the size of the countries involved (Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan cover an area of about 20 million km2). As a result, numerous treaties have been signed by member states to establish the regional trade bloc gradually.<ref group=journal>{{cite web |author1=Steven Blockmans|author2=Hrant Kostanyan| author3=Ievgen Vorobiov |title=Towards a Eurasian Economic Union: The challenge of integration and unity |url=http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/CEPS%20Special%20Report%20No%2075%20-%20Towards%20a%20Eurasian%20Economic%20Union.pdf|date=December 2012 | pages=4–5 |website=Centre for European Policy Studies |quote=Given the distances between major economic centres, the transportation costs appear to be much higher in the case of trade within the CU than within the EEC. Besides, there is significant asymmetry in the distance between Russia's and Belarus' economic centres and those of Russia and Kazakhstan, which affects intra-bloc trade flows. This factor might significantly impede the envisaged positive effects of removing tariff barriers to trade and increasing labour mobility, and will therefore require greater efforts to ease cross-border trade, such as improving transport infrastructure.}}</ref><ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal />

On 20 January 1995, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and later acceding states Kyrgyzstan and [[Tajikistan]] signed the first agreements on the establishment of a [[Customs Union]]. Its purpose was to gradually lead the way toward the creation of open borders without passport controls between member states.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://evrazes.com/docs/view/118|title=AGREEMENT on the Customs union of 20 January 1995| publisher=Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC)}}</ref>

On 29 March 1996, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed the Treaty on Increased Integration in the Economic and Humanitarian Fields to begin economic integration between countries to allow for the creation of [[common markets]] for goods, services, capital, labour, and developing single transport, energy and information systems.<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal /><ref name=":4">{{cite web| url=http://evrazes.com/docs/view/120|title=TREATY between the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic on increased integration in economic and humanitarian fields of 29 March 1996|publisher=Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC)}}</ref> According to the WTO database, the date of signature of the document establishing the Eurasian Economic Community is indicated as 29 March 1996.<ref>{{cite web | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicPreDefRepByStatusInactiveShowCard.aspx?rtaid=106 }}</ref>

On 26 February 1999, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space by clarifying the goals and policies the states would undertake in order to form the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] and the Single Economic Space.<ref>{{cite web |title=Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan are launching common economic space 1 Jan. |date=January 2012|url=http://en.ria.ru/russia/20120101/170583110.html|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=TREATY on the Customs union and the Common economic space of 26 February 1999| url=http://evrazes.com/docs/view/128|publisher=Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC)}}</ref>

===Eurasian Economic Community and supranational competence=== [[File:Session of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.jpg|thumb|A session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (composed of the union's heads of state) is held at least once every year.|270px]] {{main|Eurasian Economic Community|Regional organization|Supranational union}}

To promote further economic integration and more cooperation, on 10 October 2000 Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan established the [[Eurasian Economic Community]] (EurAsEC) which [[Uzbekistan]] joined in 2006. The EurAsEC headquarters according to the Treaty were located in Moscow and Astana. The treaty established a common market for its member states. The Eurasian Economic Community was modelled on the [[European Economic Community]].<ref name="Boris N. Mamlyuk 2014">{{cite SSRN |ssrn=2412319|title=Regionalizing Multilateralism: The Effect of Russia's Accession to the WTO on Existing Regional Integration Schemes in the Former Soviet Space |date=2014|author=Boris N. Mamlyuk}}</ref> The two had a comparable population size of 171 million and 169 million, respectively.

The separate [[Common Economic Zone Agreement|Treaty on a Single Economic Space by Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine (or Common Economic Zone Agreement)]], signed in 2003 and entered into force in 2004, with proposed headquarters in Kiev was in the process of implementation, but it was stalled after the [[Orange revolution]] and [[Viktor Yushchenko|new president of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1052410.html|title=CIS: Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh Parliaments Ratify Treaty on Single Economic Space|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=8 April 2008 |last1=Krushelnycky |first1=Askold }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-12-10-putin-ukraine_x.htm|title=USATODAY.com – Putin: No objection to Ukraine in EU|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com}}</ref> Ukraine has not been involved in previous agreements and treaties. It was decided to proceed without Ukraine after 2005. The withdrawal of Ukraine from this Treaty de jure took effect on 21 July 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=579 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref>

In 2007, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia signed an agreement to create a Customs Union between the three countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mfa.gov.by/en/organizations/membership/list/aa16658947a49c28.html|title=Eurasian Economic Union|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126085933/http://mfa.gov.by/en/organizations/membership/list/aa16658947a49c28.html}}</ref> The supranational commission of the customs union was established and given supranational competencies.

=== Common external tariff and Customs Code ===

{{main|Common external tariff|Common Customs Tariff of the Eurasian Economic Union|Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union}} The Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia (now the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union]]) came into existence on 1 January 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/93507/russia-belarus-and-kazakhstan-agree-on-customs-union.html|title=Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan Agree on Customs Union|work=Turkish Weekly|date=5 December 2009|access-date=1 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704085214/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/93507/russia-belarus-and-kazakhstan-agree-on-customs-union.html|archive-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> The Customs Union's priorities were the elimination of intra-bloc tariffs, establishing a common external tariff policy and the elimination of non-tariff barriers. It was launched as a first step towards forming a broader single market inspired by the [[European Union]], with the objective of forming an alliance between [[Post-Soviet states|former Soviet states]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/russia-and-former-soviet-union/soviet-union-to-be-restored-in-the-form-of-new-cus-55474.html|title= Soviet Union to be restored in the form of new customs union|newspaper=Kyiv Post|date=18 December 2009|access-date=1 July 2014}}</ref> The member states planned to continue with economic integration and were set to remove all [[customs border]]s between each other after July 2011.

=== Four economic freedoms and Eurasian Economic Commission === [[File:The signing ceremony of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union.webm|thumb|thumbtime=2:17|300px|The signing ceremony of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (in [[Astana]], [[Kazakhstan]], on 29 May 2014)]]

{{main|Four economic freedoms|Single Economic Space of the Eurasian Economic Union}} On 1 January 2012, the three states established the [[Eurasian Economic Space]] which ensures the effective functioning of a [[single market]] for goods, services, capital and labour, and to establish coherent industrial, transport, energy and agricultural policies.<ref name="Glazyev">[http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/ukraines_association_with_eu_rules_out_participation_in_customs_union___putin_aide_305195 Ukraine cannot get observer status at Eurasian Econ Union due to Association Agreement with EU, Russia], [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (14 June 2013)</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cistranfinance.com/news/belarus-eases-current-account-deficit-with-customs-union-common-economic-space/360/ |title=Belarus eases current account deficit with Customs Union, Common Economic Space |last1=Barron |first1=Lisa |publisher=Cistran Finance |date=1 October 2013 |access-date=25 October 2013}}</ref> The agreement included a [[plan|roadmap]] for future integration and established the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]] (modelled on the [[European Commission]]).<ref name="bbc18Nov2011" /><ref name="tut.by">{{cite news |script-title=ru:Евразийские комиссары получат статус федеральных министров |url=http://news.tut.by/politics/259307.html |newspaper=[[Tut.By]] |language=ru |date=17 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011 |archive-date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009110040/https://news.tut.by/politics/259307.html }}</ref> The Eurasian Economic Commission serves as the regulatory agency for the Eurasian Customs Union, the Single Economic Space and the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name="Glazyev" /> {{clear left}}

In 2011, the then-[[Prime Minister of Russia]], [[Vladimir Putin]], announced his support for Nursultan Nazarbayev's idea for the creation of a Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |title=Russia's Putin says wants to build "Eurasian Union" |first=Gleb |last=Bryanski |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-eurasian-idUSTRE7926ZD20111003 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=3 October 2011 |access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Новый интеграционный проект для Евразии – будущее, которое рождается сегодня |url=http://www.izvestia.ru/news/502761 |newspaper=[[Izvestia]] |language=ru |date=3 October 2011 |access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref> On 18 November 2011, the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed an agreement setting a target of establishing the Eurasian Economic Union by 2015.<ref name="bbc18Nov2011">{{cite news |title=Russia sees union with Belarus and Kazakhstan by 2015 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15790452 |newspaper=BBC News|date=18 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011}}</ref> The member states put together a joint commission on fostering closer economic ties.<ref name="Glazyev" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/11/19/Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan-sign-pact/UPI-15221321748054/?spt=hs&or=tn |title=Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan sign pact |publisher=UPI |date=19 November 2011 |access-date=20 November 2011}}</ref>

On 29 May 2014, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia signed the treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, which came into effect on 1 January 2015. The presidents of [[Armenia]] and Kyrgyzstan were also present at the signing ceremony. Russian president Vladimir Putin stated, "Today we have created a powerful, attractive centre of economic development, a big regional market that unites more than 170 million people."<ref name="NYTEEU1">{{cite news|title=Putin Signs Economic Alliance With Kazakhstan and Belarus|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/world/europe/putin-signs-economic-alliance-with-presidents-of-kazakhstan-and-belarus.html?_r=0|newspaper=The New York Times| date=29 May 2014 | last1=MacFarquhar | first1=Neil }}</ref> Kazakh politicians emphasised the Eurasian Economic Union was not intended to be a political bloc, but a purely economic union.<ref name="NYTEEU1" /> [[Bakytzhan Sagintayev]], the first deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan and lead negotiator, said, "We are not creating a political organisation; we are forming a purely economic union." He further stated "it is a pragmatic means to get benefits. We don't meddle into what Russia is doing politically, and they cannot tell us what foreign policy to pursue."<ref name="NYTEEU1" /> By October, the treaty had received parliamentary approval from all three states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.ria.ru/politics/20141009/193869886/Belarusian-President-Signs-Law-on-Eurasian-Economic-Union-Treaty.html|title=Belarusian President Signs Law on Eurasian Economic Union Treaty Ratification|date=2014-10-09|access-date=2014-10-10|publisher=[[RIA Novosti]]}}</ref> On 9 October 2014, a Treaty to enlarge the EAEU to Armenia was signed.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news|url = http://en.ria.ru/world/20141010/193914853/Armenia-Joins-Eurasian-Economic-Union.html|title = Armenia Joins Eurasian Economic Union|last = Druzhinin|first = Aleksei|date = 10 October 2014|access-date = 10 October 2014|quote = Leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union signed an agreement on Friday on Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty.|publisher = [[RIA Novosti]]}}</ref><ref name=ratifysoon>{{cite web|url=http://arka.am/en/news/economy/eurasian_economic_union_countries_and_armenia_arrange_to_ratify_accession_agreement_soon_/|title=Eurasian Economic Union countries and Armenia arrange to ratify accession agreement soon|date=2014-10-10|access-date=2014-10-10}}</ref> Kyrgyzstan signed the Treaty on 23 December 2014 and became a member of the Eurasian Union on 6 August 2015.<ref name=kyrsign>{{cite web|url=http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/12/23/finalization-of-ratification-procedures-on-armenias-accession-to-eeu-to-be-declared-in-moscow-today/|title=Finalization of ratification procedures on Armenia's accession to EEU to be declared in Moscow today|website=Public Radio of Armenia|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=kyrsign2/>

===Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union=== [[File:Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) 29-May-2014.png|thumb|The Eurasian Economic Union in the Regional Trade Agreements Database of the [[World Trade Organization]]<ref name="auto"/>]] The [[Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union]] (EAEU Treaty) entered into force on 1 January 2015.

Many provisions and separate agreements were codified, consolidated and incorporated into the EAEU Treaty and the EAEU's legal framework (officially "EAEU Treaty and international agreements within the EAEU" according to the database of law of the Eurasian Economic Union), some agreements were terminated and replaced, but some older agreements are still in force in part not contrary to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (officially "Other international treaties" according to the database of law of the Eurasian Economic Union<ref>{{cite web | url=https://docs.eaeunion.org/en-us/pages/alldocuments.aspx#npbdocumentbelongstaxId=%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%22b591e83f-0f9a-4fce-8760-758ac7690c84%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22International%20treaties%22%7D%5D | title=En-us }}</ref>). The Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union is now regulated by Part Two of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (which entered into force on 1 January 2015), EAEU Customs Code, other international agreements and by decisions of supranational bodies as [[Supreme Eurasian Economic Council]], [[EAEU Intergovernmental Council|Intergovernmental Council]] and [[Eurasian Economic Commission]].

The Eurasian Economic Community was terminated on 1 January 2015.

On 29 May 2019, during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, a decision was made to award Nursultan Nazarbayev the title of Honorary Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.<ref>{{cite web | title=Назарбаеву присвоили звание почетного председателя ВЕЭС | date=29 May 2019 | url=https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5cee37ba9a79471c6560a385 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Назарбаев стал почетным председателем Высшего Евразийского экономического совета | date=29 May 2019 | url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3983698 }}</ref> At the meeting, [[President of Kyrgyzstan|Kyrgyz president]] [[Sooronbay Jeenbekov|Jeenbekov]] called Nazarbayev the successor to the great Eurasians Nikolai Trubetskoy and Lev Gumilyov: "Many great people dreamed of Eurasianism. Prince [[Nikolai Trubetzkoy|Nikolai Sergeevich Trubetskoy]] was the first to say this in 1921. Later, [[Lev Gumilev|Lev Nikolaevich Gumilev]] developed the idea of combining ethnic groups and landscapes. And only the respected Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev managed to make Trubetskoy and Gumilev's dream come true. Twenty-five years ago, the respected Nursultan Abishevich voiced the idea and created the foundation for the formation of Eurasian integration."<ref>{{cite web | title=Жээнбеков о евразийской интеграции: Назарбаеву удалось воплотить в реальность мечту Трубецкого и Гумилева | date=29 May 2019 | url=https://economist.kg/novosti/2019/05/29/zheenbekov-o-evrazijskoj-integracii-nazarbaevu-udalos-voplotit-v-realnost-mechtu-trubeckogo-i-gumileva/ }}</ref>

==Structural evolution== {| class="wikitable" |+ Treaties and development stages of Eurasian Economic Union |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Signed documents |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 1995 | Treaty on the Customs Union between Belarus and Russia |- | Treaty on the Customs Union between Kazakhstan and Russia |- ! scope="row" | 1996 | Agreement on Increased Integration in the Economic and Humanitarian Fields Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan |- ! scope="row" | 1999 | Treaty on the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan (Agreement to complete the formation of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space) |- ! scope="row" | 2000 | Treaty on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan |- ! scope="row" | 2003 | Treaty on forming the Single Economic Space Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2007 | Treaty on the Commission of the Customs Union Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- | Treaty on the Establishment of the Integrated Customs Territory and Creation of the Customs Union Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- ! scope="row" | 2010 | Establishment of the Customs Union Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- ! scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2011 | Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Commission Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- | The decision of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on the entry of international agreements into force forming the legal base of the Customs Union and Single Economic Space Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- | Declaration on Eurasian Economic Integration Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2012 | Establishment of the Single Economic Space Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia |- | Eurasian Economic Commission started functioning |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2015 | Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union |- | The agreement on the Eurasian Economic Union |}

==Membership== {{Main|Member states of the Eurasian Economic Union}}

[[File:Eurasian Economic Union.svg|thumb|400px| {{legend|#307030|Member states of the Eurasian Economic Union}} {{legend|#a0d020|Observer states}} {{legend|#0080ff|Candidate states}}]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" ! Country ! Accession date ! Date of signature |- | {{ARM}} | {{dts|2015|01|2|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland>{{cite web|url=http://belarus.ahk.de/fileadmin/ahk_belarus/Dokumente/Praesentationen/IHK_Oldenburg_Spaak_22.01.2015.pdf|title=Russland – aktuelle Situation, zukünftige Entwicklung|access-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402152331/http://belarus.ahk.de/fileadmin/ahk_belarus/Dokumente/Praesentationen/IHK_Oldenburg_Spaak_22.01.2015.pdf|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> | {{dts|2014|10|10|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> |- | {{BLR}} | {{dts|2015|01|1|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> | {{dts|2014|5|29|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> |- | {{KAZ}} | {{dts|2015|01|1|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> | {{dts|2014|5|29|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> |- | {{KGZ}} | {{dts|2015|8|12|format=dmy}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/ru/nae/news/Pages/12-08-2015-1.aspx|title=Кыргызстан присоединился к Евразийскому экономическому союзу|website=www.eurasiancommission.org}}</ref> | {{dts|2014|12|23|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> |- | {{RUS}} | {{dts|2015|01|1|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> | {{dts|2014|5|29|format=dmy}}<ref name=Russland/> |}

The treaty establishing the Eurasian Economic Union was formally signed by three states which were part of the former [[Soviet Union]]: [[Belarus]], [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Russia]].<ref>[http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/201515a4-ef4e-11e0-918b-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss Putin's Eurasian push challenges west] by Neil Buckley, Financial Times, 6 October 2011.</ref><ref name="euractiv">{{cite news |title=Moscow fleshes out 'Eurasian Union' plans |url=http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/moscow-fleshes-eurasian-union-pl-news-509042 |newspaper=EurActiv |date=17 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011}}</ref> Agreements to enlarge the EAEU to the other post-Soviet states of [[Armenia]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]] were signed on 9 October and 23 December 2014, respectively.<ref name=ratifysoon/><ref name=kyrsign/><ref name=kyrsign2>{{cite web|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/12/23/eurasian-economic-union-is-born-burdened-by-russian-crisis/|title=Eurasian Economic Union is born burdened by Russian crisis|website=Fox News Latino|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=":15">{{Cite news|url = http://www.kazpravda.kz/en/news/view/27673|title = Kyrgyz government approved the roadmap for accession to the CES|date = 9 October 2014|access-date = 7 December 2014|publisher = Kazakhstan Pravda|quote = As reported the department of information support of the government apparatus of the country, on the eve Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev held a meeting of the government, which discussed the action plan (roadmap) for accession of Kyrgyzstan to CES of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia in view of the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union, informed BELTA.}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{Cite news|url = http://en.tengrinews.kz/politics_sub/Agreement-on-Kyrgyzstans-accession-to-Customs-Union-to-be-signed-in-December-257392/|title = Agreement on Kyrgyzstan's accession to Customs Union to be signed in December|date = 11 November 2014|access-date = 7 December 2014|publisher = Tengri News|quote = The agreement on Kyrgyzstan's accession into the Customs Union [of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus] is expected to be signed 23 December, Russia's [[RIA Novosti]] reports, citing Sapar Issakov, Vice Head of the Kyrgyz President's Staff.}}</ref> For Kyrgyzstan, facilitation of labour migration regulations with Russia was seen as the main benefit of joining the Eurasian Economic Union. The population migration indicator had an inverse dependence with [[GDP per capita]], [[consumer price index]], [[minimum wage]], and [[unemployment rate]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Todorov|first1= G. N.|last2= Kalinina|first2= A. V.|last3=Rybakova|first3=A. I|url=https://jssidoi.org/jesi/article/197|title=Impact of labour migration on entrepreneurship ecosystem: case of Eurasian Economic Union|journal=Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues|volume=5 |issue=4|via=DOAJ|doi=10.9770/jesi.2018.5.4(20)|date=30 June 2018|pages= 992–1007|s2cid= 56377046|issn= 2345-0282|oclc=7756911602|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Armenia announced its decision to join the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] in September 2013. [[President of Armenia|President]] [[Serj Sargsyan]] announced the decision after talks with his Russian counterpart President [[Vladimir Putin]] in [[Moscow]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/eu-loses-armenia-russia-customs-news-530224|title=EU loses Armenia to Russia's Customs Union|website=EurActiv – EU News & policy debates, across languages|date=4 September 2013|access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref> The treaty enlarging the EAEU to Armenia was signed on 9 October 2014.<ref name=":14" /> By signing this contract, Armenia has accepted corresponding application, and thereby gained access to the EAEU single market with a population of 170 million citizens.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Armenia is now in the Eurasian Economic Union|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/nae/news/Pages/02-01-2015-1.aspx|access-date=2021-05-13|website=www.eurasiancommission.org|language=en-us}}</ref> Armenia is the only country of the EAEU that has no common border with the other member states of the union. [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] guaranteed a free transit corridor for exporting its goods to the Eurasian Economic Union, Armenian deputy economic minister Emil Tarasyan stated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asbarez.com/129320/georgia-ready-to-provide-armenia-free-route-to-eeu/|title=Georgia Ready to Provide Armenia Free Route to EEU|website=asbarez.com|date=26 November 2014 |access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref>

[[Moldova]] was granted observer status in April 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/moldova-granted-observer-status-in-eurasian-union/|title=Moldova granted observer status in Eurasian Union|date=19 April 2017}}</ref>

[[Uzbekistan]] and [[Cuba]] became designated observer members officially on 11 December 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-11|title=Uzbekistan, Cuba granted observer status at Eurasian Economic Union|url=https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/uzbekistan-cuba-granted-observer-status-at-eurasian-economic-union-135793-2020/|access-date=2021-06-01|website=eng.belta.by|language=en-EN|archive-date=23 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123184012/https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/uzbekistan-cuba-granted-observer-status-at-eurasian-economic-union-135793-2020/}}</ref> In December 2022, Russian prime minister [[Mishustin]] mentioned the advantages of Uzbek full membership in EAEU.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kun.uz/en/news/2022/12/03/mishustin-uzbekistans-full-membership-in-the-eaeu-will-give-a-powerful-impetus-to-the-development-of-direct-cooperation-ties|title=Mishustin: Uzbekistan's full membership in the EAEU will give a powerful impetus to the development of direct cooperation ties|first=Kun|last=uz|website=Kun.uz}}</ref> By February 2023, Uzbek prime minister Aripov announced the completion of the preparatory work to ensure harmonisation of national technical regulations with the EAEU standards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kun.uz/en/news/2023/02/03/aripov-uzbekistan-has-completed-work-to-simplify-access-to-the-eaeu-markets|title=Aripov: Uzbekistan has completed work to simplify access to the EAEU markets|first=Kun|last=uz|website=Kun.uz}}</ref>

[[Iran]] was designated as an observer member by the leaders of the five Eurasian Union member states during a meeting in [[St. Petersburg]] on 26 December 2024. The event was also attended by [[Mohammad Atabek]], Iran's Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade. According to Bakytjan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Iranian exports to the Eurasian Union rose by 8 percent, while imports from the Union to Iran experienced a 16 percent increase.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iran gains observer status in Eurasian Economic Union |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/507955/Iran-gains-observer-status-in-Eurasian-Economic-Union |website=tehrantimes|date=27 December 2024 }}</ref>

On 12 February 2025, Armenia's parliament approved a bill officially endorsing [[Accession of Armenia to the European Union|Armenia's EU accession]]. In response, Russian Deputy Prime Minister [[Alexey Overchuk]] stated "the EU accession process will mark the beginning of Armenia's withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union."<ref>[https://www.commonspace.eu/news/russia-threatens-economic-consequences-armenia-if-it-pursues-membership-european-union Russia threatens economic consequences for Armenia if it pursues membership of the European Union]</ref> In January 2026, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the country would remain a member of the EEU for the time being, but would need to withdraw before joining the EU as it would not be possible to be a member of both organizations simultaneously.<ref>{{citeweb|url=https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/115597/|title=Armenia may decide to leave EAEU when such membership becomes incomparable with membership in EU - Pashinyan|date=2026-01-14|accessdate=2026-01-20|publisher=[[Interfax]]}}</ref>

=== Presidency === Each year, a member state is elected chairman to head the Union. Chairmanship is passed from country to country in alphabetical order in the [[Russian language]]. [[Belarus]] currently holds the chairmanship.

{|class="wikitable" !Year !# !Country !Head of state or government !Major trade agreements |- |2015 |1st |{{BLR}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://belapan.by/archive/2014/12/23/749077/|title=БелаПАН. Беларусь получила право председательства в ЕАЭС в 2015 году|website=belapan.by|date=23 December 2014 |access-date=14 November 2016|archive-date=30 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130032226/http://belapan.by/archive/2014/12/23/749077/}}</ref> |[[Alexander Lukashenko]] |{{VIE}} |- |2016 |2nd |{{KAZ}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.inform.kz/ru/1-yanvarya-2016-goda-nachalos-predsedatel-stvo-kazahstana-v-eaes_a2855900|title=1 января 2016 года началось председательство Казахстана в ЕАЭС|date=January 2016}}</ref> |[[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |none |- | rowspan=2 |2017 | rowspan=2 |3rd | rowspan=2 |{{KGZ}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://radiomir.by/predsedatelstvo-v-eaes-v-2017-godu-perehodit-k-kyrgyzstanu |title=Председательство в ЕАЭС в 2017 году переходит к Кыргызстану | Радио Мир |access-date=14 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115132142/http://radiomir.by/predsedatelstvo-v-eaes-v-2017-godu-perehodit-k-kyrgyzstanu |archive-date=15 November 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NW8ytIG9Xw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/6NW8ytIG9Xw |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Новый Таможенный кодекс ЕАЭС называют революционным|work=Телеканал Хабар 24|date=17 November 2016|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |[[Almazbek Atambayev]] (until 1 December) |- |[[Sooronbay Jeenbekov]] (from 1 December) |- |2018 |4th |{{RUS}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap9RYFw6vzU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511141808/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap9RYFw6vzU&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2019-05-11 |title=Страны ЕАЭС договариваются о взаимном признании водительских прав|work=Россия 24|date=14 August 2017|via=YouTube}}</ref> |[[Vladimir Putin]] |{{CHN}}, {{IRI}} |- |2019 |5th |{{ARM}}{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} |[[Nikol Pashinyan]] |{{SRB}},<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.b92.net/eng/news/world.php?yyyy=2019&mm=08&dd=29&nav_id=107181|title = European Commission: Serbia will have to terminate the agreement with Eurasian Union| date=29 August 2019 }}</ref> {{SIN}}<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2019/09/04/singapore-sign-free-trade-agreement-eurasian-economic-union-october-25th/|title = Singapore to Sign Free Trade Agreement with Eurasian Economic Union on October 25th|date = 4 September 2019|access-date = 24 September 2019|archive-date = 24 September 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190924181426/https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2019/09/04/singapore-sign-free-trade-agreement-eurasian-economic-union-october-25th/|url-status = dead}}</ref> |- |2020 |6th |{{BLR}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Belarus' EAEU Presidency Priorities {{!}} Official Internet Portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus |url=https://president.gov.by/en/belarus/economics/economic-integration/eaeu |website=president.gov.by}}</ref> |[[Alexander Lukashenko]] | |- |2021 |7th |{{KAZ}} |[[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]] | |- |2022 |8th |{{KGZ}} |[[Sadyr Japarov]] | |- |- |2023 |9th |{{RUS}} |[[Vladimir Putin]] | |- |2024 |10th |{{ARM}} |[[Nikol Pashinyan]] | |-bgcolor="#DDEEFF" |2025 |11th |{{BLR}} |[[Alexander Lukashenko]] | |- |}

=== Enlargement === {{main|Enlargement of the Eurasian Economic Union}}

[[President of Russia|Russian president]] [[Vladimir Putin]] has stated that Russia's goal was to enlarge the customs union to all [[post-Soviet states]], excluding the three [[Baltic states|Baltic]] [[Member state of the European Union|EU member states]].<ref name=armenia>{{cite web|url=http://euobserver.com/foreign/121304| work = EUobserver | title= Armenia to join Russia trade bloc, surprises EU|date=3 September 2013 |access-date=3 November 2014}}</ref> According to ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper, Russia's plan is for the Eurasian Union to grow into a "powerful, supra-national union" of sovereign states like the European Union, uniting economies, [[legal systems]], customs services, and military capabilities to form a bridge between Europe and Asia to balance the EU and the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2014/feb/18/brief-primer-vladimir-putin-eurasian-union-trade | title = A brief primer on Vladimir Putin's Eurasian dream|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Jon|last=Henley|date=18 February 2014}}</ref>

In May 2015, an integration agreement was signed between the Russian Federation and South Ossetia. If South Ossetia were to join, it would be by acceding to the Russian Federation{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}. In 2023, South Ossetia began implementing and integrating the EAEU's common tariffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Елена Джиоева провела заседание комитета парламента Южной Осетии по бюджету и налогам|trans-title=Yelena Dzhioeva held a meeting of the South Ossetian parliamentary committee on budget and taxes|url=https://www.rsonews.org/ru/news/20231228/53074.html |website=rsonews.org |date=28 December 2023 |access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref>

[[Tajikistan]] was formally invited to join the union and has expressed its interest in acceding.<ref name="Eurasian Economic Union Enlargement">{{cite news|url=http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/23/astana-gears-up-for-eurasian-economic-union/|title=Astana gears up for Eurasian Economic Union|date=2014-05-23|access-date=2014-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-belarus-kazakhstan-agree-to-create-economic-union/1924941.html|title=Putin Kicks Off Eurasian Union, Without Ukraine|website=VOA|date=29 May 2014 |access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite news|url = https://www.rferl.org/a/lavrov-holds-talks-with-tajik-foreign-minister/25475253.html|title = Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov Says Tajikistan Welcome To Join Eurasian Economic Union|date = 30 July 2014|access-date = 30 August 2014|publisher = RL's Tajik Service}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite news|url = http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2638660|title = Tajikistan shows much interest in Customs Union, Eurasian Economic Union|date = 13 March 2014|access-date = 30 August 2014|publisher = Kazinform International News Agency|location = Dushanbe|archive-date = 3 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903092840/http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2638660|url-status = dead}}</ref> It is recognised as a potential candidate and membership negotiations are underway.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite news|url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-08/12/c_126858454.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140812203351/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-08/12/c_126858454.htm|archive-date = 12 August 2014|title = Kyrgyzstan to join Customs Union by year end|last = Xuequan|first = Mu|date = 2014-08-12}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{cite web|title=Armenia to become full member of EEU in January: Armenian PM|date=24 July 2014|url=http://en.tengrinews.kz/politics_sub/Armenia-to-become-full-member-of-EEU-in-January-Armenian-PM-254979/|access-date=26 July 2014}}</ref> In 2015, further efforts were made to integrate Tajikistan into the EAEU.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Russia Offers to Support Tajikistan…But There's a Price|url = https://thediplomat.com/2015/10/russia-supports-tajikistanfor-a-price/| date = 2015-10-01|first = Samuel | last = Ramani |work = The Diplomat}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Tajikistan Paves the Way to Eurasian Union|url = http://www.cacianalyst.org/publications/field-reports/item/13113-tajikistan-paves-the-way-to-eurasian-union.html|website = The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst|access-date = 2 October 2015}}</ref>

{{Quote box|align=left|width=350px|quote=It took Europe 40 years to move from the European Coal and Steel Community to the full European Union. The establishment of the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space is proceeding at a much faster pace because we could draw on the experience of the EU and other regional associations. We see their strengths and weaknesses. And this is our obvious advantage since it means we are in a position to avoid mistakes and unnecessary bureaucratic superstructures.|source=Vladimir Putin, "A new integration project for Eurasia: The future in the making", Izvestia, 3 October 2011<ref>{{cite web|last1=Vladimir|first1=Putin|title=A new integration project for Eurasia: The future in the making|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/d-ru/dv/dru_2013_0320_06_/dru_2013_0320_06_en.pdf|website=European Parliament website|access-date=17 March 2017|date=4 October 2011}}</ref> }}

[[Uzbekistan]] has been hesitant to join the Economic Union, with Uzbek officials making opposing claims on the prospect of integration.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/top-uzbek-officials-make-opposing-claims-on-customs-union/489561.html|title = Top Uzbek Officials Make Opposing Claims on Customs Union|date = 14 November 2014|access-date = 31 August 2014|website = The Moscow Times|archive-date = 17 October 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141017110548/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/top-uzbek-officials-make-opposing-claims-on-customs-union/489561.html|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://en.ria.ru/world/20131113/184685113/Uzbek-Official-Pours-Cold-Water-on-Customs-Union-Membership.html|title = Uzbek Official Pours Cold Water on Customs Union Membership|last = Babushkin|first = Alexey|date = 13 November 2013|access-date = 31 August 2014|publisher = [[RIA Novosti]]}}</ref> Originally, the country preferred not to pursue economic and political integration.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/simon-schmidt/uzbekistan-prefers-regime-security-over-economic-integration|title = Uzbekistan prefers regime security over economic integration|last = Schmidt|first = Simon|date = 1 July 2014|access-date = 31 August 2014|publisher = Open Democracy}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/08/21/armenia-eeu-social-economic-assessment-2/|title = Armenia and the EEU: A Social and Economic Assessment|last = Torikian|first = Aren|date = 21 August 2014|access-date = 31 August 2014|newspaper = The Armenian Weekly|quote = Azerbaijan has also withdrawn any interest in the deal, as have Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.thewashingtonreview.org/articles/russias-policy-of-integration-in-central-asia.html|title = Russia's Policy of Integration in Central Asia|last = B. Assanbayev|first = Mukhit|date = October 2013|access-date = 31 August 2014|publisher = The Washington Review of Turkish and Eurasian Affairs|quote = Since Uzbekistan has no interest in joining the integration projects with Russia, Tajikistan's participation in the Customs Union remains a question.|archive-date = 3 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903085306/http://www.thewashingtonreview.org/articles/russias-policy-of-integration-in-central-asia.html|url-status = dead}}</ref> Russian officials have stated that integration with the country would be slow and analysts state that as Russian influence and trade increases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan it may persuade Uzbekistan to join in the future.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://iwpr.net/report-news/kyrgyzstan-gets-soft-terms-customs-union-entry|title = Kyrgyzstan Gets Soft Terms for Customs Union Entry|last = Dyatlenko|first = Pavel|date = 6 June 2014|access-date = 31 August 2014|publisher = Institute for War and Peace Reporting|archive-date = 3 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903092324/http://iwpr.net/report-news/kyrgyzstan-gets-soft-terms-customs-union-entry}}</ref> Uzbekistan began its integration process when Russia announced it would write off US$865 million off debt owed by the country. Uzbekistan joined the [[Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area]] in 2014, meaning it has free trade with EAEU member states.<ref>{{cite news|title=Post-Soviet integration processes to benefit Moscow–Tashkent relations – Putin|url=http://itar-tass.com/en/economy/766223|access-date=30 December 2014|publisher=Tass|date=10 December 2014|quote=Russia will start talks with Uzbekistan on a free trade zone between the post-Soviet trade bloc and the Central Asian republic, Putin said on Wednesday.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Russia Cozies Up to Uzbekistan With $865 Million Debt Write-Off|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-cozies-up-to-uzbekistan-with-865-million-debt-write-off/513096.html|access-date=30 December 2014|newspaper=The Moscow Times|date=10 December 2014|archive-date=28 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228225231/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russia-cozies-up-to-uzbekistan-with-865-million-debt-write-off/513096.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.azernews.az/region/65752.html Uzbekistan joins CIS free trade zone], azernews.az. Retrieved 23 June 2016.</ref> According to some sources, Uzbekistan does not intend to become a full member of the EAEU,<ref>{{cite news|title=Mirzieev svernul s dorogi v EAES|url=https://vesti.uz/mirzieev-svernul-s-dorogi-v-eaes/|access-date=25 January 2020|publisher=Vesti.uz|date=27 January 2020}}</ref> due to Uzbekistan's neutrality which is enshrined in the country's legislation. In March 2020, Uzbekistan announced that it wished to become a Eurasian Union observer state.<ref name=UzbekistanMarch2020>{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-observer-of-russia-led-trade-bloc/30474675.html|title=Uzbekistan Says It Will Be 'Observer' Of Russia-Led Trade Bloc|date=2020-03-07|access-date=2020-03-07|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]}}</ref> In September 2023, Uzbekistan estimated that it will join EAEU in 2–3 years.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 Sep 2023 |title=Uzbekistan Moving Closer To Joining The Eurasian Economic Union |url=https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2023/09/04/uzbekistan-moving-closer-to-joining-the-eurasian-economic-union/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925221603/https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2023/09/04/uzbekistan-moving-closer-to-joining-the-eurasian-economic-union/ |archive-date=25 September 2023}}</ref> In October 2024, the chair of a parliamentary commission examining the potential for Uzbekistan to join the EAEU as a full member stated that "our conclusion is that Uzbekistan is best served by maintaining its observer status."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kun.uz/en/news/2024/10/18/akmal-saidov-uzbekistan-will-not-join-military-alliances-or-allow-foreign-bases-on-its-territory|title=Akmal Saidov: Uzbekistan will not join military alliances or allow foreign bases on its territory|date=2024-10-18|accessdate=2024-10-19|publisher=Kun.uz}}</ref>

[[Moldova]], [[Ukraine]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] have been offered by both the [[European Union]] and the Eurasian Economic Union to join their integration unions. All three countries signed Association Agreements with the EU on 21 March 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-430_en.htm|title = The EU's Association Agreements with Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine|date = 23 June 2014|access-date = 30 August 2014|website = Official website of the European Union}}</ref> However, break-away regions of Moldova ([[Transnistria]]),<ref>{{cite web|title=Russian Deputy Foreign Minister pleas for Transnistria's integration in Customs Union|url=http://actmedia.eu/daily/russian-deputy-foreign-minister-pleas-for-transnistria-s-integration-in-customs-union/52593|access-date=8 July 2014}}</ref> Ukraine ([[Donetsk People's Republic|Donetsk]] and [[Luhansk People's Republic|Luhansk]]){{citation needed|date=May 2023}} and Georgia ([[South Ossetia]] and [[Abkhazia]]){{citation needed|date=May 2023}} have expressed a desire to join the Eurasian Customs Union and integrate into the Eurasian Economic Union.

Ukraine submitted an application to participate in the Eurasian Economic Union as an observer in August 2013.<ref>[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/182869.html Ukraine seeking observer status in Eurasian Economic Union – Yanukovych], [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (19 December 2013)</ref> [[Viktor Yanukovych]]'s decision to abandon an association agreement with the [[European Union]] and exclusively pursue integration with the EAEU was a key factor in the [[Euromaidan|Euromaidan protests]] that ended his term as [[president of Ukraine]] followed by [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexation of Crimea by Russia]]. The country's membership in the EAEU was seen by some analysts as the key to the success of the union as Ukraine has the second largest economy of any of the 15 former republics of the Soviet Union. With high tensions between Russia and Ukraine in the wake of the crisis, Ukraine decided to pursue integration with the EU.<ref name="Economist" />

[[Turkey]] was extended an invitation to join the EAEU by [[Kazakhstan]]'s President [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] on 6 June 2014 but the country prefers to join the EU.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/news-349785-kazakh-leader-turkey-should-join-eurasian-union.html|title=Kazakh leader: Turkey should join Eurasian union|newspaper=Today's Zaman|date=6 June 2014|access-date=1 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630233732/http://www.todayszaman.com/news-349785-kazakh-leader-turkey-should-join-eurasian-union.html|archive-date=30 June 2014}}</ref>

Georgia's prime minister [[Bidzina Ivanishvili]] said in September 2013 he was studying the possibility of acceding to the Union, although he later clarified that Georgia's main strategy was still to integrate into the European Union.<ref>{{cite news |title=Georgian Prime Minister leaves open possibility of joining Eurasian Union |url=http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/863940.html |newspaper=[[Information Telegraph Agency of Russia]] |date=4 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Georgian PM commented on his statement on Eurasian Union |url=http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/georgia/2186772.html |newspaper=[[Trend News Agency]] |date=6 September 2013}}</ref> Russia's prime minister [[Dmitri Medvedev]] included Georgia as a prospective member in statements made in August 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Medvedev wants Georgia to join Eurasian Union |url=http://dfwatch.net/medvedev-wants-georgia-to-join-eurasian-union-81032 |date=7 August 2013}}</ref>

The member states of the EAEU have reached an agreement with China to conjunct the EAEU with the Belt and Road Initiative, opting for collaboration instead of competition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sahakyan |first=Mher |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781003439110 |title=Routledge Handbook of Chinese and Eurasian International Relations |date=2024-06-13 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-003-43911-0 |edition=1 |location=London |language=en |doi=10.4324/9781003439110}}</ref> There is also significant cooperation between the EAEU and China in the areas of high technology and digitalisation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sahakyan |first=Mher D. |date=2024-12-09 |title=China's Digital Silk Road and the Eurasian Economic Union's Member States: Cooperation, Challenges, and Opportunities |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03068374.2024.2421501 |journal=Asian Affairs |volume=55 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=603–622 |doi=10.1080/03068374.2024.2421501 |issn=0306-8374|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In 2018, [[Moldova]] became the EAEU's first observer state, and attended EAEU forums for a few years; however, it has not attended any more EAEU meetings since the full-scale [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] began in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Future of the Eurasian Economic Union |author=Luke Rodeheffer |work=Eurasia Daily Monitor |date=3 April 2024 |access-date=26 January 2026 |url=https://jamestown.org/the-future-of-the-eurasian-economic-union/}}</ref><ref name="Eurasia Daily Monitor B">{{Cite web |title=Eurasian Economic Union Struggles to Further Expand in Eurasia |author=Luke Rodeheffer |work=Eurasia Daily Monitor |date=26 February 2025 |access-date=26 January 2026 |url= https://jamestown.org/eurasian-economic-union-struggles-to-further-expand-in-eurasia/}}</ref> Russia's military aggression decisively moved Moldova on a path to EU membership instead, with Moldova's former Defence Minister [[Anatol Șalaru]] noting in August 2024 that trading with the EAEU would be practically impossible.<ref name="Eurasia Daily Monitor B"/> In October 2024, none of the main [[2024 Moldovan presidential election|presidential candidates]] even mentioned the Eurasian Economic Union; each of them regarded membership of the European Union as inevitable.<ref name="Eurasia Daily Monitor B"/> Furthermore, as of February 2025, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were resisting full membership of the EAEU as well.<ref name="Eurasia Daily Monitor B"/>

==Politics and governance== [[File:Decision making process of the Eurasian Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.jpg|thumb|250px|Current decision-making process of the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] and the Single Economic Space<ref>{{cite web|title=Decision making process in the Eurasian Economic Commission|url=http://eurasiancommission.org/en/nae/news/Pages/16-05-2014-5.aspx|publisher=Eurasian Commission|access-date=27 August 2014|language=ru|date=27 March 2014}}</ref>]] The Eurasian Economic Union has sought to base its model on the [[European Union]]. All institutions carry out their work in compliance with the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and the international agreements that provide the legal and regulatory framework of the Customs Union and the Single Economic Space.

===Supreme Eurasian Economic Council=== {{main|Supreme Eurasian Economic Council}} The Supreme Council, which is composed by the heads of state of the member states, makes important decisions for the union. It approves the budget and the distribution of the contribution of the Member States. The Supreme Council also determines the strategy, direction and prospects of integration and takes decisions aimed at achieving the goals of the union.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news|url = https://docs.eaeunion.org/docs/ru-ru/0003610/itia_05062014|title = Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union|date = 29 May 2014|access-date = 27 December 2024|publisher = eaeunion.org}}</ref><ref name=":0" >{{Cite journal|url = http://sps.yurclub.ru/home/document/560461571|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140816184013/http://sps.yurclub.ru/home/document/560461571|archive-date = 16 August 2014|title = Draft Treaty of the Eurasian Economic Union (May 2014)|date = 29 May 2014|access-date = 30 August 2014|website = yurclub.ru}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.zhgtu.kz/images/stories/eeu/31548839.doc |format=DOC |title=Draft Treaty of the Eurasian Economic Union (May 2014) |date=29 May 2014 |access-date=30 August 2014 |website=Zhambyl Humanitarian-Technical University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819090533/http://www.zhgtu.kz/images/stories/eeu/31548839.doc |archive-date=19 August 2014}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |url = http://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=31548839|title = Draft Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (May 2014)|date = 29 May 2014|access-date =30 August 2014 |website =Zakon}}</ref>

===Eurasian Economic Commission=== {{main|Eurasian Economic Commission}}

The Eurasian Commission was established as the supranational governing body of the Eurasian Economic Space on 1 January 2012.<ref name=tut.by/> The commission was modelled on the [[European Commission]].<ref name="bbc18Nov2011" /> Its headquarters are in [[Moscow]].<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal /> The commission monitors subordinate branches and advisory bodies. Its departments were greatly expanded on 1 January 2015, and the number of international employees increased from 150 to 1,200.

The Eurasian Commission can take decisions on not only the customs policy of the union, but also on the macro-economy, the competition regulations, the energy policy and the fiscal policy of the Eurasian Economic Union. It has strict anti-corruption laws.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |script-title=ru:Встреча президентов России, Республики Беларусь и Казахстана |url=http://kremlin.ru/news/13581 |work=kremlin.ru |language=ru |date=18 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011}}</ref>

The Eurasian Economic Commission consists of two bodies: the Council and the Collegium.

====Council==== The council is composed of the Vice Prime Ministers of the member states. The council of the Commission oversees the integration processes in the Union, and is responsible for the overall management of the Eurasian Commission. It monitors the commission by approving the draft budget of the union, the maximum number of personnel, and the qualification requirements for the commission's employees. The council convenes once every quarter.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

It also considers issues of customs cooperation, trade and development of Eurasian integration. The council regularly holds discussions on the important aspects of the EAEU and meets with business representatives of the member states.<ref>{{cite web|title=Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission|url=http://www.customsbemoscow.org/home/05-subjects/organisations/01-customs-union/eurasian-economic-commission/council-of-the-eurasian-economic-commission|website=CustomsBeMoscow|access-date=8 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215331/http://www.customsbemoscow.org/home/05-subjects/organisations/01-customs-union/eurasian-economic-commission/council-of-the-eurasian-economic-commission|archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>

====Board==== The Board is composed of ten commissioners, one of which is the chairman of the board.<ref group=journal>{{cite book|title=Eurasian Union Brochure 2014 – English|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/Documents/broshura26_ENGL_2014.pdf|pages=26–27|access-date=8 July 2014}}</ref> Each member state provides two commissioners to the Board of the Eurasian Commission who carry out the operational management and oversee the everyday work of the Eurasian Commission.<ref name=bbc18Nov2011/> All ten commissioners are appointed by the Supreme Eurasian Council for a four-year renewable term. The commissioners also receive the status of federal ministers in their respective countries.<ref name=tut.by/>

The Board of the commission is the executive body of the commission. It convenes once every week at least, and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Eurasian Economic Union. It has a wide range of activities, including monitoring the implementation of treaties, submitting annual progress reports and making recommendations. The Board also assists member states in the settlement of disputes, and carries out the draft of the union's budget. Part of its activities include being the intermediary between the departments of the commission and the heads of state of the member states.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

A number of departments are headed by the commissioners. The lower rank staff is composed of 84% Russian officials, 10% Kazakhs and 6% Belarusians, proportional to the populations of the member states.<ref name="bbc18Nov2011" /> The departments enable the Board of the Eurasian Commission to make decisions not only with regard to customs policies, but in such areas as [[macroeconomics]], regulation of [[Competition (economics)|economic competition]], [[energy policy]] and [[financial policy]]. The Commission departments are also involved in [[government procurement]] and [[Human migration|labour migration]] control.<ref name="tut.by" />

===Parliament=== As of 2015, the EAEU has no directly or indirectly elected body. In 2012, the creation of a Eurasian parliament was under consideration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Naryshkin Calls for Establishment of Eurasian Parliament|date=25 April 2012|url=http://en.ria.ru/russia/20120425/173043817.html|publisher=[[RIA Novosti]]|access-date=9 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=D.|first1=Mukhtarov|title=Home ' Central Asia ' Kazakhstan Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian MPs to discuss Eurasian Parliament creation|url=http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/kazakhstan/2061652.html|website=Trend|date=4 September 2012|access-date=9 July 2014}}</ref> However, it was considered too premature, and member states have instead begun harmonising national laws and legal codes.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Steven Blockmans|author2=Hrant Kostanyan|author3=Ievgen Vorobiov|editor1-last=CEPS|title=Towards a Eurasian Economic Union: The challenge of integration and unity|url=http://www.ceps.eu/system/files/CEPS%20Special%20Report%20No%2075%20-%20Towards%20a%20Eurasian%20Economic%20Union.pdf|date=December 2012|issue=75|page=3|access-date=9 July 2014|series=Special Report|publisher=Centre for European Policy Studies}}</ref>

Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] has upheld the idea of creating a parliament for the union.<ref>{{cite web|title=Creation of Eurasian Union parliament deemed possible|url=http://en.itar-tass.com/russia/708233|publisher=Itar-Tass|access-date=9 July 2014}}</ref>

===Court of the Eurasian Economic Union=== The Court of the Eurasian Economic Union replaced the Court of the [[Eurasian Economic Community]] (EurAsEC Court) in 2015. It is in charge of dispute resolution and the interpretation of the legal order within the Eurasian Economic Union. Its headquarters is in [[Minsk]].<ref>{{cite news|author1=Edward Borovikov|author2=Igor Danilov|title=Notes on the Future Court of the Eurasian Economic Union|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/b2b-notes-on-the-future-court-of-the-eurasian-economic-union/499094.html|newspaper=The Moscow Times|access-date=10 July 2014|date=28 April 2014}}</ref> The court is composed of two judges from each member state, appointed by the heads of government of the member states. Their term of office is nine years.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

===Budget=== The approved budget of the Eurasian Economic Union for 2015 exceeds 6.6 billion Russian roubles.<ref>{{cite news|title=EEU budget 2015 to exceed RUB 6.6bn|url=http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/EEU-budget-2015-to-exceed-RUB-66bn_i_77821.html|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=BelTA|date=4 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107232103/http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/EEU-budget-2015-to-exceed-RUB-66bn_i_77821.html|archive-date=7 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=budget>{{cite news|title=EEU budget 2015 to exceed RUB 6.6bn|url=http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2724891|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=Kazinform|date=8 December 2014|archive-date=7 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107231630/http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2724891|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=EEU budget 2015 to exceed RUB 6.6bn|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/176903/eeu-budget-2015-to-exceed-rub-6-6bn.html|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=Turkish Weekly|date=8 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107231851/http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/176903/eeu-budget-2015-to-exceed-rub-6-6bn.html|archive-date=7 January 2015}}</ref> The budget is formed from contributions by the union's member states. In 2015, 6 billion roubles will be allocated for the activity of the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]], 463 million roubles will be set aside for financing the operation and further development of the EAEU integrated information system designed to promote and inform consumers of the EAEU's activities, and over 290 millions roubles will finance the activities of the [[Court of the EEU|Court of the EAEU]].<ref group=note>These numbers only reflect the official budget (direct money) allocated for the functioning of the union. Vast amounts of additional funds come from national governments and other institutions to ease, promote or facilitate Eurasian integration.</ref><ref name=budget /> Extra expenses of infrastructure and accommodation of commission workers are financed by Russia.<ref name=tut.by/> In addition, Russia allocated US$1 billion to accelerate Kyrgyzstan's entry into the union.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russia to allot $1.2 billion to help Kyrgyzstan in accession to Customs Union|url=http://itar-tass.com/en/economy/734052|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=Tass|date=30 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Russia To Allocate $1.2 Billion To Help Kyrgyzstan Join Customs Union|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-to-allocate-12-billion-to-help-kyrgyzstan-join-customs-union/25404113.html|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty|date=30 May 2014}}</ref> Another US$177 million was provided by Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bishkek Astana wants $177 million for the CU|url=http://www.kursiv.kz/news/details/vlast/bishkek_khochet_ot_astany_177_mln_za_vstuplenie_v_ts/|access-date=7 January 2015|publisher=kursiv.kz|date=28 June 2014|archive-date=7 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107231702/http://www.kursiv.kz/news/details/vlast/bishkek_khochet_ot_astany_177_mln_za_vstuplenie_v_ts/}}</ref>

===Languages=== According to Article 110 of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (2014) the Russian language is the working language of the 'Bodies of the Union'.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.eaeunion.org/en-us/pages/displaydocument.aspx?s=bef9c798-3978-42f3-9ef2-d0fb3d53b75f&w=632c7868-4ee2-4b21-bc64-1995328e6ef3&l=540294ae-c3c9-4511-9bf8-aaf5d6e0d169&entityid=3610|title=Страницы - DisplayDocument.aspx|website=docs.eaeunion.org}}</ref>

==Economy== {| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="float:right |- |<timeline> ImageSize = width:auto height:370 barincrement:50 PlotArea = left:50 bottom:15 top:10 right:20 AlignBars = justify TimeAxis = orientation:vertical DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0.0 till:38 ScaleMajor = unit:day start:0.0 increment:2

PlotData = color:blue width:37 bar:China from:start till:34.64 bar:US from:start till:27.36 bar:India from:start till:14.53 bar:Russia from:start till:6.45 bar:Kazakhstan from:start till:0.78 bar:Belarus from:start till:0.28 bar:Armenia from:start till:0.06 bar:KG≈TJ from:start till:0.05 bar:UZ from:start till:0.35 bar:EAEU+2 from:start till:8.02

PlotData =

bar:China at:36.04 fontsize:S text: 34.64 shift:(-9,0) bar:US at:29.53 fontsize:S text: 27.36 shift:(-10,0) bar:India at:15.34 fontsize:S text: 14.53 shift:(-10,0) bar:Russia at:7.22 fontsize:S text: 6.45 shift:(-9,0) bar:Kazakhstan at:2 fontsize:S text: 0.78 shift:(-9,0) bar:Belarus at:2 fontsize:S text: 0.28 shift:(-9,0) bar:Armenia at:2 fontsize:S text: 0.06 shift:(-9,0) bar:KG≈TJ at:2 fontsize:S text: 0.05 shift:(-9,0) bar:UZ at:2 fontsize:S text: 0.35 shift:(-10,0) bar:EAEU+2 at:9 fontsize:S text: 8.02 shift:(-10,0)

TextData = pos:(0,0) text:Int$ Tn </timeline> |- |style="text-align:center; font-size:70%;"|Top 4 largest economies (China, the US, India, Russia) in the world by [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]]-adjusted GDP in 2023 according to the [[World Bank]], the members of the Eurasian Economic Union as well as [[Tajikistan]] and [[Uzbekistan]] that are forming a [[Common Economic Space of the Commonwealth of Independent States|common market within the CIS]] (EAEU+2)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true | title=World Bank Open Data }}</ref>{{check quotation}} |}[[File:GDP PPP 2021 Selection.svg|270px|thumb|Selection of GDP PPP data (top 10 countries and [[Trade bloc|blocs]]) in no particular order]]

===Internal market overview===

The Treaty on Increased Integration in the Economic and Humanitarian Fields signed in 1996 laid the first foundation for economic convergence. The treaty ensured the creation of a permanent executive organ to oversee integration of states that later would be part of the EAEU. It served as the blueprint for the future common market for goods, services, capital and labour.<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal /><ref name=":4" /> The [[Eurasian Economic Space|Single Economic Space]] established a [[single market]] across the territory of [[Belarus]], [[Russia]] and [[Kazakhstan]]. In 2015 with the entry into force of the EAEU Agreement, the single market was expanded to include [[Armenia]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. The countries represent a market of some 180 million people and a combined [[GDP PPP]] of around $5 trillion.

Eurasian Economic Union has the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|tenth-largest economy]] in the world by nominal GDP and the [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|fifth-largest]] by [[purchasing power parity]]. Since the turn of the century, member states have experienced economic growth with GDP averaging 6% to 8% growth between 2000 and 2007, rising again in 2010 after the [[2008 financial crisis]].

Since the establishment of the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] in 2010, trade between member states rose sharply. In 2011 mutual trade was $63 billion, 33.9% more than in 2010. In 2012, mutual trade was $68 billion and combined exports reached $594 billion, while imports were $341 billion.<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal /> The first integration stage primarily enhanced trade among member states, bolstered economies and created a legal and institutional foundation for the member states. The second stage includes the free movements of goods, people, services and capital.

The Eurasian Economic Union is designed to reach a number of macroeconomic objectives such as reducing commodity prices by reducing the cost of transportation of [[raw materials]], increasing return on new technologies and products due to the increased market volume, and promoting "healthy" competition in the [[common market]]. It is also designed to lower food prices, increase employment in industries and increase production capacity. EAEU members like Belarus and Kazakhstan (by its [[Nurly Zhol]] economic policy) seek to leverage the EAEU as a bridge between the European Union and the New Silk Road economic belt.<ref name="tvr">{{cite news |title=Alexander Lukashenko meets with new Chairman of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission |url=http://www.tvr.by/eng/news/prezident/aleksandr_lukashenko_vstretilsya_s_novym_predsedatelem_kollegii_evraziyskoy_ekonomicheskoy_komissii/ |agency=TVR}}</ref>

The Eurasian Union is considered as a major player in the world's energy sector, [[raw materials]], [[arms industry]] and [[agricultural production]]. In 2013 Russia was the 3rd most successful country in the world in attracting capital from abroad.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2014/01/29/russia-is-no-3-in-attracting-foreign-direct-investment-a31566 |title = Russia is No. 3 in Attracting Foreign Direct Investment|date = 29 January 2014|work =TheMoscowTimes.com |access-date = 2020-03-08}}</ref>

<gallery heights="140px"> File:Moscow-City (36211143494).jpg|The [[Moscow International Business Center]] is a commercial district in [[Moscow]] that is currently under construction. The complex includes some of [[List of tallest buildings in Europe|Europe's tallest skyscrapers]]. File:Spb 06-2017 img01 Spit of Vasilievsky Island.jpg|[[Saint Petersburg]], the second-largest city and cultural capital of [[Russia]] File:Mount Ararat and the Yerevan skyline (June 2018).jpg|[[Yerevan]], the capital and financial hub of [[Armenia]] File:Almaty, Kok-tobe exposition 3.jpg|[[Almaty]], the major commercial and cultural centre of [[Kazakhstan]] File:Bischkek.jpg|[[Bishkek]], the capital and financial hub of [[Kyrgyzstan]] File:View of Minsk (180819) 09.jpg|[[Minsk]], the capital of [[Belarus]] </gallery>

===Customs Union and Four Economic Freedoms=== {{main|Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Economic Space}} [[File:Знак EAC на креме для бритья.JPG|thumb|The [[Eurasian Conformity mark]] EAC]] The core objective of the Single Economic Space is the development of a [[single market]] and achieving the "four freedoms", namely the free movements of goods, capital, services and people within the single market. The four freedoms came into effect on 1 January 2015 (the day the Eurasian Economic Union was officially established). The free movement of people means that citizens can move freely among member states to live, work, study or retire.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} Citizens of the member states of the union may travel to other member states on an [[internal passport]]. Although Russia also admits access to citizens of other [[Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS]] states without a passport, it is expected that after 2015 only citizens of the Customs Union will have this privilege.<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://ria.ru/society/20121212/914456159.html Путин: въезд в РФ должен быть разрешен только по загранпаспортам] (Putin: passports will be required for entering Russia), 12 December 2012</ref> Member states have a [[common external tariff]] on all goods entering the market and unified methods of valuing imported goods since the creation of the [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] on 1 January 2010. Objectives include joint coordination in the area of energy, industry, agriculture and transport.

Roughly 75% of Belarusian goods are exported, about half of which go to other member states.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/belarus/|title = Trade – Belarus|access-date = 26 August 2014|publisher = European Commission}}</ref> Trade within the union primarily consists of Belarusian machinery and agricultural products which are exported to Russia. Low gas prices from Russian energy producers are guaranteed to member states or countries wishing to join the union.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://eng.belta.by/all_news/president/EEU-Treaty-is-beneficial-for-Belarus-Lukashenko-says_i_74134.html|title = EEU Treaty is beneficial for Belarus, Lukashenko says|date = 1 July 2014|access-date = 26 August 2014|publisher = Belarusian News|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140827030023/http://eng.belta.by/all_news/president/EEU-Treaty-is-beneficial-for-Belarus-Lukashenko-says_i_74134.html|archive-date = 27 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.monitorglobaloutlook.com/Briefings/2014/06/eurasian-union-will-redirect-belorussian-trade|title = Eurasian Union will redirect {{as written|Belarus|sian}} trade|date = 13 June 2014|access-date = 26 August 2014|publisher = Monitor Global Outlook|location = Belarus, Minsk|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140826193449/http://www.monitorglobaloutlook.com/Briefings/2014/06/eurasian-union-will-redirect-belorussian-trade|archive-date = 26 August 2014}}</ref>

=== Coordinated, harmonised and single policy === Besides free movement of goods, services, capital and labour without a work permit ("four economic freedoms" as in the European Union), the EAEU pursues coordinated, harmonised and single policy in the sectors determined by the Treaty and international agreements within the Union.

===Competition=== The [[Eurasian Economic Commission]] operates a competition policy to ensure equal competitive conditions in the commodity markets of the Single Economic Space. It also aims at harmonisation and improvement of legislation of each of the three countries in regard to competition policy. The commission serves as the competition regulator for the single market and is also responsible for antitrust issues. Special regulations limit state intervention in the economy.<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal /><ref>{{cite web|title=Competitiveness Policy|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/act/caa/Pages/default.aspx|publisher=Eurasian Commission|access-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

===Monetary union=== {{Quote box|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|width=350px|quote=The increased use of the national currencies of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and the creation of a single payment system can raise about a transition to a single currency for the union.|source=Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Director of Financial Policy Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission, 3 August 2014<ref>{{cite news|title=Media: Eurasian Economic Union may acquire a single currency|url=http://vz.ru/news/2014/8/3/698621.html|access-date=8 December 2014|publisher=VZ.ru|language=ru|quote=В случае успешного расширения использования национальных валют России, Белоруссии и Казахстана, создания единой платежной системы может быть поднят вопрос о переходе к единой валюте, пишет «Российская газета».}}</ref> }}

Kazakhstani president [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] had first proposed, in 2009, the creation of a common noncash currency called "yevraz" for the Eurasian Economic Community. It would have reportedly helped insulate the countries from the global economic crisis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/kazakhstan-suggests-a-new-currency/375212.html|title=Kazakhstan Suggests a New Currency – News|website=The Moscow Times|date=12 March 2009 |access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref> In 2012, the idea of the new joint currency found support from Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev and by 2014 proposals were drafted in Eurasian Commission documents for the establishment of a Eurasian Central Bank and a common currency to be called the [[altyn]] which is to be introduced by 2025.<ref>{{cite web|title=Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus to have new joint currency|date=10 April 2014|url=http://english.pravda.ru/russia/economics/10-04-2014/127325-russia_kazakhstan_belarus_new_currency-0/|access-date=8 July 2014}}</ref>

When discussing the Eurasian Economic Union, [[Vladimir Putin]] said the Eurasian Economic Union would include closer coordination of economic and monetary policy, including the use of a [[common currency]] in the future.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} Although the creation of a [[monetary union]] was not envisaged in the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty, Russian prime minister [[Dmitry Medvedev]] called for the introduction of a common currency for the Eurasian Economic Union. [[Leonid Slutsky (politician)|Leonid Slutsky]], head of the State Duma's CIS committee, backed Medvedev's proposal to start discussions on the creation of a monetary union. Slutsky said it could be introduced shortly after 2015, when the union's structure becomes clear.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Irina|first1=Filatova|title=What Euro Crisis? Russia Seeks Single Currency|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/what-euro-crisis-russia-seeks-single-currency/460456.html|newspaper=The Moscow Times|access-date=8 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Possible currency union within Eurasian Economic Union to be considered in future |date=10 April 2014|url=http://english.pravda.ru/russia/economics/10-04-2014/127325-russia_kazakhstan_belarus_new_currency-0/|publisher=Pravda|access-date=8 July 2014}}</ref> Belarusian president, [[Alexander Lukashenko]], circulated the idea of creating a "new [[euro]]" for the Eurasian economic bloc. In April 2014, discussions to introduce a single currency resumed.

Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister, [[Igor Shuvalov]], stated on 24 July 2014 that the Eurasian Economic Union will have a common currency unit in a span of five to ten years.<ref name=currency>{{cite web|title=Eurasian Economic Union to have common currency in 5–10 years|url=http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/742323|access-date=26 July 2014}}</ref>

===Energy=== The Eurasian Economic Union is seen as an energy superpower, producing about 20.7% of the world's natural gas, and 14.6% of the world's oil and [[gas condensate]] in 2012, making it the world's top producer in both domains. These figures are mainly due to Russian Membership of EAEU, with Kazakhstan contributing 1.9% and 0.6% in gas and oil production respectively. Considerably small oil and gas reserved were discovered in Belarus while there are no such resources in Armenia.<ref name="energycharter">{{Cite web |title=THE COMMON ENERGY MARKET OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION: Implications for the European Union and the role of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) |url=https://www.energycharter.org/fileadmin/DocumentsMedia/Occasional/1The_common_energy_market_of_the_EAEU-implications_for_the__EU_and_the_role_of_the_ECT.pdf |website=International Energy Charter}}</ref> It also produces 9% of the world's [[electrical energy]] and 5.9% of the world's coal, making it the third and fourth producer in the world, respectively. In [[Kazakhstan]], energy is the leading economic sector. The country holds about 4 billion tons of proven recoverable oil reserves and {{convert|2,000|km3|mi3}} of gas. Kazakhstan is the world's 17th largest [[oil exporter]] and the world's 23rd largest [[natural gas exporter]].

[[Russia]] has the world's largest [[natural gas reserves]],<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2253rank.html Country Comparison :: Natural gas – proved reserves] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307234405/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2253rank.html |date=7 March 2017 }}. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 3 February 2014.</ref> the 8th largest [[oil reserves]],<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2244rank.html Country Comparison :: Oil – proved reserves] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615184739/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2244rank.html |date=15 June 2013 }}. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 3 February 2014.</ref> and the second largest [[coal reserves]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/Energy-economics/statistical-review-2014/BP-statistical-review-of-world-energy-2014-coal-section.pdf|title=BP Statistical review of world energy 2014|publisher=BP|date=2014|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref> Russia is also the world's leading natural gas exporter<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2251rank.html Country Comparison :: Natural gas – exports] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226020904/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2251rank.html |date=26 December 2018 }}. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 3 February 2014.</ref> and the second largest [[natural gas producer]],<ref name=cia-gas>"[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2249rank.html Country Comparison :: Natural gas – production] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315051210/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2249rank.html |date=15 March 2016 }}", CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 3 February 2014.</ref> while also the largest oil exporter and the largest [[oil producer]]. While trade in oil and gas between resource-rich Russia and Kazakhstan is relatively low, the Belarus economy is heavily dependent on the access to the Russian hydrocarbons and – unlike the case with Kyrgyzstan and Armenia, Russia is Belarus's main trade partner accounting for 47% of all the trade. Belarus imports Russian crude oil (of which 45–50% were used for production of oil products to export) and natural gas (which were not directly re-exported) for the prices below the market ones, paying $173 for 1000 cubic metres of gas (for comparison – $250 for Armenia, $430 for Ukraine).<ref name="energycharter"/>

By 2019, Russia, Kazakhstan, [[Belarus]] and [[Armenia]] intend to create a common electricity market as well as a single [[hydrocarbons]] market by 2025. "With the creation of a single hydrocarbons market, we will have a deeper coordination that will allow us to be more competitive both in terms of pricing and in terms of getting high value added products in this very interesting and important market", stated Eurasian Commissioner [[Daniyal Akhmetov]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Plaschinsky|first1=George|title=Eurasian Integration: Does Lukashenka Have A Choice?|url=http://belarusdigest.com/story/eurasian-integration-does-lukashenka-have-choice-17740|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=Belarus Digest|date=6 June 2014|quote=Integrators postponed creation of the single electrical energy market to 2019 and the single financial and oil and gas markets to 2025.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908201918/http://belarusdigest.com/story/eurasian-integration-does-lukashenka-have-choice-17740|archive-date=8 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Mukhtarov|first1=Daniyar|title=Single hydrocarbons market of Eurasian Economic Union to be created by 2025|url=http://en.trend.az/business/energy/2277110.html|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=Trend|date=24 May 2014|quote=The single hydrocarbons market of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAU) will be created by 2025, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the Eurasian Economic Commission, Danial Akhmetov said.}}</ref>

===Infrastructure=== [[File:Trans-Siberia048.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[Trans-Siberian Railway]] is a vital link between the Russian Far East and the rest of Eurasia.]] The major economic centres are [[Moscow]], [[Minsk]] and [[Astana]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} The distance between Moscow and Minsk is 717 kilometres, and the distance between Moscow and Astana is 2700 kilometres, making infrastructure a key challenge for the integration of member states. Major infrastructure projects began during the 2000s in order to modernise and connect the regional bloc to other markets, facilitating both integration and trade in the region. In 2007 Moscow announced it will invest US$1 trillion by 2020 to modernise the country's infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russia to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/russia-investment-idUKL2121712020070921|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130032119/http://uk.reuters.com/article/russia-investment-idUKL2121712020070921|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 January 2017|work=Reuters|access-date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia: A Snapshot|url=http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/capital-projects-infrastructure/assets/russia-snapshot.pdf|date=2013|access-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

[[Kazakhstan]] ranks favourably in terms of kilometres of road per inhabitant as other developed countries in the world have much less roadway per inhabitant.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan – Infrastructure, power, and communications|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Kazakhstan-INFRASTRUCTURE-POWER-AND-COMMUNICATIONS.html|website=Encyclopedia of the Nations|access-date=6 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/utility/printdocument.aspx?id=1G2:3410100141|website=Encyclopedia.com|access-date=6 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120093720/http://www.encyclopedia.com/utility/printdocument.aspx?id=1G2:3410100141|archive-date=20 January 2015}}</ref>

Railways have been the primary way of linking countries in the Eurasian Economic Union since the 19th century. It has always been the main way of transport in the [[Russian Empire]] and the [[Soviet Union]] up until today. The union ranks 2nd in the world in terms of railway trackage (about 7.8% of the world's share). However it is still looking to improve cross-border trade within the union.

The [[Eurasian Development Bank]] has pledged to help in the construction of facilities to produce new generation freight cars and freight containers in [[Tikhvin]], [[Russia]] and in [[Osipovichi]], [[Belarus]] to respond to the increasing demand for rail transport. Projects have also been launched in Kazakhstan, as the landlocked country is highly dependent on railways for trade.

The most renowned railway in the union is the [[Trans-Siberian Railway]] which links the [[Russian Far East]] to Moscow. The Southern route also travels via Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Investing in development and integration|url=http://eabr.org/general//upload/Presentations/Буклет%20о%20проектах%20банка%20новый_анг.pdf|publisher=Eurasian Development Bank|access-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130031629/http://eabr.org/general/upload/Presentations/%D0%91%D1%83%D0%BA%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%20%D0%BE%20%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%85%20%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0%20%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B9_%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3.pdf|archive-date=30 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan – Infrastructure, power, and communications|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Kazakhstan-INFRASTRUCTURE-POWER-AND-COMMUNICATIONS.html#ixzz37MpBsJ7j|publisher=Encyclopedia of the Nations|access-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

The EAEU members cooperate with China's [[Belt and Road Initiative|Digital Silk Road]] and have incorporated Chinese technologies into their digital infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Parzyan |first=Anahit |url= |title=China and Eurasian Powers in a Multipolar World Order 2.0: Security, Diplomacy, Economy and Cyberspace |date=2023 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |others=Mher Sahakyan |isbn=978-1-003-35258-7 |edition= |location=New York |oclc=1353290533}}</ref>{{Rp|page=187}}

[[File:Turk-Sib railway.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[Turkestan–Siberia Railway]] connects the Central Asian republics to [[Siberia]].]]

====Single Eurasian Sky==== The Single Eurasian Sky programme, administered by the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]], outlines the creation of a single market for air services and a single [[Control zone|air traffic zone]]. The single air traffic zone would make it easier for airlines to draw up new flight paths, thereby increasing the number of flights flying through the region. Eurasian Commissioner, [[Daniyal Akhmetov]], said that it would be created on a step-by-step basis.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Akhmetov|first1=Daniyal|title="The CU railroad alliance to increase share of carriage from China to EU via the SES territory 10-folds," – Member of the EEC Board -Minister in charge of Energy and Infrastructure Daniyal Akhmetov|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/nae/news/Pages/22-05-2014-1.aspx|publisher=Eurasian Economic Commission|access-date=4 September 2014|date=22 May 2014}}</ref> In June 2014, Belarusian Airline [[Belavia]] stated that it was ready to move towards the development of the Single Eurasian Sky. The terms and conditions of operation in the common aviation market have not yet been agreed on. However, the project is likely to be modelled on the European Union's [[Single European Sky]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Belavia: Belarus ready to move pretty fast towards single Eurasian sky|url=http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/Belavia-Belarus-ready-to-move-pretty-fast-towards-single-Eurasian-sky_i_74020.html|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=Belarusian News: National Source of News|date=26 June 2014|location=Minsk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205222236/http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/Belavia-Belarus-ready-to-move-pretty-fast-towards-single-Eurasian-sky_i_74020.html|archive-date=5 December 2014}}</ref> The project will reportedly help turn the airspace of the Eurasian Union into a popular transit hub between Europe and Southeast Asia. "We should understand that currently, the aviation companies of Kazakhstan and Belarus are not able to compete with Russia's aviation companies. Therefore, the programme will envisage a phasing, creating a competitive environment and so on", Eurasian Commissioner Akhmetov said.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mukhtarov|first1=Daniyar|title=Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus developing Single Eurasian Sky programme|url=http://en.trend.az/casia/kazakhstan/2277034.html|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=Trend|date=22 May 2014}}</ref>

===Agriculture=== [[File:Ivan Shishkin - Рожь - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|250px|''[[Rye (Shishkin)|A Rye Field]]'' by [[Ivan Shishkin]]]] The Eurasian Economic Union is the top producer of [[sugar beet]] and [[sunflower]], producing 18.6% of the world's sugar beet and 22.7% of the world's sunflowers in 2012, as well as a top producer of [[rye]], [[barley]], [[buckwheat]], [[oats]] and [[sunflower seed]]. It is also a large producer of [[potatoes]], [[wheat]] and [[grain]] (and grain legumes).<ref name="eurasiancommission.org" group=journal />

Part of the competences of the [[Eurasian Economic Commission]] are agriculture subsidies. It is responsible for the coordination of agricultural policy-making between member states and ensuring collective food security. The [[Eurasian Development Bank]] finances projects to further integration and develop agriculture. It has disbursed approximately US$470 million for projects between 2008 and 2013.

===Projected economic impact=== [[File:EAEU GDP per capita.svg|thumb|650px|Past and projected GDP (nominal) per capita in EAEU countries{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}}{{dubious|reason=What is the currency used?|date=March 2020}}]]

Member states remain optimistic of the union and key partners in the region, namely [[China]], [[Iran]], [[Turkey]] remain interested in it. A common belief is that the Eurasian Economic Union has significant potential over the next two decades, with experts predicting a 25 percent growth in the member states' GDP by 2030, which equates to over US$600 billion.<ref name=leb>{{cite web|title=Leaders of Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus to meet in Astana to sign agreement establishing EEU|url=http://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/show-news/27182/Leaders-of-Kazakhstan-Russia-and-Belarus-to-meet-in-Astana-to-sign-agreement-establishing-EEU|publisher=Lebanese government}}</ref> The agreement will give member state citizens access to employment and education across the union. It will also entail collaborative policies in many sectors, including agriculture, energy, technology and transportation.<ref name=WaPost /> These collaborative policies are particularly interesting for countries in [[Asia]] seeking access to energy, trade routes in Central Asia and Siberia, and agricultural goods.

Former president [[Dmitry Medvedev]] of Russia stated that both the positive and negative experiences of the [[European Union]] will be taken into account and argued that the Eurasian Union will avoid the problems of economic gaps and disparity between countries,<ref name=":3" /> such as those found in the [[eurozone]], since the member countries have a comparable level of economic development, as well as common history and values.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=ru:Медведев: Евразийский экономический союз избежит проблем еврозоны |url=http://news.mail.ru/politics/7370197/ |work=[[Mail.ru|news.mail.ru]] |language=ru |date=18 November 2011 |access-date=19 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612165139/http://news.mail.ru/politics/7370197/ |archive-date=12 June 2012 }}</ref>

The [[European Union]] and the [[United States]] as well as other western countries remain critical of the Eurasian Economic Union, with analysts stating that without modernisation and real economic reforms, the union will have little impact.<ref name="WaPost" /> The popular magazine ''[[The Economist]]'' stated that the advantages of joining the union remain unclear<ref name="Economist">{{cite news|title=Where three is a crowd|newspaper=The Economist|date=30 May 2014|url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2014/05/introducing-eurasian-economic-union|access-date=1 June 2014}}</ref> and further remarked "The agreement was vague, with technical details left unresolved, making it a political show rather than an economic one".<ref>{{cite news|title=Vladimir Putin's European adventures|newspaper=The Economist|date=6 June 2014|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21603483-russian-presidents-strategy-towards-ukraine-and-west-may-not-have-worked-well-he|access-date=7 June 2014}}</ref> Outlets have also stated that without [[Ukraine]], the Eurasian Economic Union has lost a key member state necessary to the success of the union. Bloomberg's business magazine, [[Businessweek]] has affirmed that joining Putin's Eurasian Union looks like a bad deal, including for Russia. The union "won't really register on the radar of the global economy," said an analyst at the EU's Institute for Security Studies in Paris.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-29/putins-eurasian-union-looks-like-a-bad-deal-even-for-russia|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140530060729/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-29/putins-eurasian-union-looks-like-a-bad-deal-even-for-russia|archive-date = 30 May 2014|title = Putin's Eurasian Union Looks Like a Bad Deal, Even for Russia|last = Carol|first = Matlack|date = 29 May 2014}}</ref> Moreover, one [https://rsa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15387216.2017.1360193#aHR0cHM6Ly9yc2EudGFuZGZvbmxpbmUuY29tL2RvaS9wZGYvMTAuMTA4MC8xNTM4NzIxNi4yMDE3LjEzNjAxOTM/bmVlZEFjY2Vzcz10cnVlQEBAMA== research] states that so far EAEU was not able to contribute to economic growth in Armenia – quite the contrary, it significantly slowed the economic performance of the country.

===Pivot to Asia=== The union is actively seeking to increase trade with [[East Asia]]. It commenced talks for official trade cooperation with [[ASEAN]]. Officials of both unions discussed opportunities for developing cooperation between them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Customs Union could start official trade cooperation with ASEAN – EEC|url=http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=533140|access-date=8 January 2015|publisher=Interfax|date=1 September 2014|archive-date=15 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115001416/http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=533140}}</ref> The South Korean president launched a "Eurasian Initiative", which seeks to connect transportation, electrical, gas and oil links from Western Europe to East Asia.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Kwon|first1=Yong|title=South Korea's Eurasia Ambitions|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/08/south-koreas-eurasia-ambitions/|access-date=8 January 2015|magazine=The Diplomat|date=20 August 2014}}</ref> The initiative echoes [[China]]'s long-standing "[[One Belt, One Road|New Silk Road]]" project.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Iglauer|first1=Philip|title=Eastern interest in Eurasian economic deal|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-01-110614.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140612004030/http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-01-110614.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=12 June 2014|access-date=8 January 2015|work=Asian Times|date=11 June 2014}}</ref> The members of the union agreed to step up talks with [[Vietnam]] on creating a [[free trade zone]], to strengthen cooperation with China, including in information exchange on goods and services, and to set up expert groups to develop preferential trade regimes with [[Israel]] and [[India]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Samofalova|first1=Olga|title=Historic agreement makes Eurasian Union a reality|url=http://rbth.com/business/2014/06/02/historic_agreement_makes_eurasian_union_a_reality_37113.html|access-date=4 September 2014|newspaper=Russia Beyond the Headlines|date=2 June 2014}}</ref>

====Russia==== [[File:Russia and China sign major gas deal.jpeg|thumb|left|250px|On 21 May 2014, [[Russia]] and [[China]] signed a $400 billion gas deal. Starting 2019, Russia plans to provide [[natural gas]] to China for the next 30 years.]] The [[European Council on Foreign Relations]] and analysts suggest the Eurasian Union includes strategic interests as well as economic interests for its member states, especially Russia. In order to link both Europe and East Asia, Russia seeks to develop its eastern regions to increase its access to Asian markets. [[Russian Far East|Russia's Far East]] has gained even more importance due to its proximity to alternative markets since the [[European Union]] and [[United States]] imposed [[International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War|sanctions on Russia following the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war]].<ref name="Development Far East" group=journal>{{Cite book|isbn= 978-1-910118-03-0|author1=Alexander Gabuev|editor1-last=Liik|editor1-first=Kadri|title=Russia's Pivot to Asia: The development of the Russian Far East|date=May 2014|page=84|url=http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR103_RUSSIA_COLLECTION_290514_AW.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations|location=London |quote=This Asian vector of Russian domestic and foreign policy is now becoming even more important as the European Union and the United States impose sanctions on Russia. The Russian Far East, with its proximity to Asia, could become the new backbone of the Russian economy}}</ref>

China's rise as a major trading partner has been cited as a potential reason for Russia's loss of control over Central Asian economies. The union is seen as a way to counterbalance China's growing trade in [[Central Asia]] and the [[Eastern Partnership|European Union's Eastern Partnership]].<ref name="Trames" group=journal />

As the trade bloc seeks to profit from the growing economies of East Asia, Russia has made steps to develop its eastern territories, [[Siberia]] and the Russian Far East.<ref name="Development Far East" group=journal /> However, the development of the Russian Far East may face difficulties due to Russia's traditional orientation towards Europe and the region's backward infrastructure and underdeveloped economy.<ref name="Eurasian Russia in 21st Century" group=journal>{{Cite book|isbn= 978-1-910118-03-0|author1=Timofei Bordachev|editor1-last=Liik|editor1-first=Kadri|title=Russia's Pivot to Asia: Eurasian Russia in the twenty-first century|date=May 2014|page=27|url=http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR103_RUSSIA_COLLECTION_290514_AW.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations|location=London |quote=In the first months of 2014 the work of the recently created Ministry for the Development of the Far East was significantly reinvigorated. Some governmental agencies were relocated from Moscow to Vladivostok and some major companies have been advised to follow with their main offices. But Russia's "pivot" is still held back by its backward infrastructure, its corruption, its underdeveloped economy, its demographic problems, and above all its archaic Eurocentric economic thinking.}}</ref> In 2012 Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] called for Russia to "catch the Chinese wind in the sails of the Russian economy".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Vladimir|first1=Putin|title=Russia and the changing world|url=http://archive.premier.gov.ru/eng/events/news/18252/|access-date=2 October 2016|publisher=Prime Minister of the Russian Federation|date=27 February 2012|quote=First of all, I am convinced that China's economic growth is by no means a threat, but a challenge that carries colossal potential for business cooperation – a chance to catch the Chinese wind in the sails of our economy. We should seek to more actively form new cooperative ties, combining the technological and productive capabilities of our two countries and tapping China's potential – judiciously, of course – in order to develop the economy of Siberia and the Russian Far East.}}</ref> During the same year, a Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East was established and the country hosted a summit of the [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]] forum (APEC) in its eastern city of [[Vladivostok]]. The country also began striking deals and undertook massive efforts to improve infrastructure in its eastern territories.<ref name="Eurasian Russia in 21st Century" group=journal /> Russia's pivot to Asia included the important task of creating a Eurasian trade bloc. The countries seek to increase their competitiveness by sustaining domestic development and defending their interests in the region.<ref group=journal>{{Cite book|isbn= 978-1-910118-03-0|author1=Vladislav Inozemtsev|editor1-last=Liik|editor1-first=Kadri|title=Russia's Pivot to Asia: Russia turns east: Eurasian integration, regional development, and the West as East|date=May 2014|page=62|url=http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR103_RUSSIA_COLLECTION_290514_AW.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations|location=London |quote=He said the creation by 2015 of a Eurasian Economic Union was the most important task facing Russia in its "near abroad.}}</ref> An estimated 76% of Russia's exports depend on resources extracted (or manufactured) in Siberia. In order to transport goods from East Asia to Europe, they must be transported through Siberia by rail. Hence, the region plays an important role in trade. However, it remains less developed than Russia's western regions and modernisation plans are ongoing.

In 2013 the Russian government announced it would spend 450 billion roubles (US$14 billion) for the modernisation of the [[Trans-Siberian Railway|Trans-Siberian]] and [[Baikal–Amur Mainline|Baikal-Amur]] railways. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Trans-Siberian railway the country's "strategically vital transport artery". In July 2013 he stated "Rail freight traffic to our Far East ports has increased by 55 percent over the last 5 years and now comes to around 110 million tons a year". Projects to upgrade stations at the border with Mongolia, China and North Korea were also undertaken the same year.<ref group=journal>{{Cite book|isbn= 978-1-910118-03-0|author1=Alexander Gabuev|editor1-last=Liik|editor1-first=Kadri|title=Russia's Pivot to Asia: The development of the Russian Far East|date=May 2014|page=80|url=http://www.ecfr.eu/page/-/ECFR103_RUSSIA_COLLECTION_290514_AW.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=European Council on Foreign Relations|location=London |quote=The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Vladivostok in September 2012 cost the state 680 billion roubles (over $22 billion) – one-third of which came from the federal budget, with the rest put up by state companies such as Gazprom. In 2012 the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East was created and in 2013 long-time Putin ally Yury Trutnev was appointed to oversee the development of the region in the joint role of deputy prime minister and presidential envoy to the region. In 2013 the government also allocated 300 billion roubles ($10 billion)[...]}}</ref>

In 2016, Putin calls on Eurasian Economic Union, China, India, Pakistan, Iran and the CIS to join "Greater Eurasian Partnership".<ref>{{cite news|title=Plenary session of St Petersburg International Economic Forum|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/52178|access-date=2019-11-02|publisher=[[Kremlin]]|date=17 June 2016}}</ref>

Some experts also see the union as a way to curtail the loss of Russian influence in Central Asia.<ref name="Trames" group=journal>{{cite journal|last1=Yesdauletova|first1=Ardak|last2=Yesdauletov|first2=Aitmukhanbet|title=The Eurasian Union: Dynamics and Difficulties of the Post-Soviet Integration|journal=Trames|date=1 March 2014|issue=1|pages=12–13|url=http://www.kirj.ee/public/trames_pdf/2014/issue_1/Trames-2014-1-3-17.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014|quote=The Single Economic Space, which in the near future will be transformed into the Eurasian Union, has strategic aims as well as economic ones. Marlene Laruelle and Sebastien Peyrouse, both share this opinion about the diminution of Russia's influence on Central Asian countries. However, the Kremlin continues to conduct an active policy aimed at maintaining effective tools to influence the Central Asia region.}}</ref> Russian politicians have voiced their concerns over Russia's long southern borders and the challenges it may pose. By creating a regional trade bloc to keep its neighbours in Central Asia stable, Russia hopes to find securing its own borders easier.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Trenin|first1=Dmitri V.|last2=Malashenko|first2=Alesksei V.|last3=Lieven|first3=Anatol|title=Russia's Restless Frontier: The Chechnya Factor in Post-Soviet Russia|date=29 February 2004|publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|page=120|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tcab0VXTqnQC&q=southern+borders&pg=PA120|access-date=4 September 2014|chapter=4|isbn=978-0-87003-294-3}}</ref>

====Kazakhstan====

Neighbouring Kazakhstan has replicated Russia's attempt to access East Asian markets. In September 2013, the presidents of China and Kazakhstan signed commercial deals and launched China's "New Silk Road". On 20 May 2014, both presidents announced they would link Kazakhstan's railways to the [[Pacific Ocean]] by opening a new terminal in the Chinese port city of [[Lianyungang]]. China also signed agreements to make further investments in Kazakhstan's energy sector. Both countries announced they would put aside US$1 billion to modernise an oil refinery in [[Shymkent]] and a further US$150 million to open a new oil and gas plant near [[Almaty]]. The president of Kazakhstan also held talks with the heads of Chinese corporations and agreed to cooperate in the areas of [[Aerospace manufacturer|aircraft production]], [[telecommunication]] and [[mining]].<ref group=journal>{{cite journal|last1=Ernesto|first1=Gallo|title=Kazakhstan's "Pivot to China"?|journal=Policy Brief|date=4 June 2014|issue=154|url=http://www.isdp.eu/images/stories/isdp-main-pdf/2014-gallo-kazakhstans-pivot-to-china.pdf|access-date=4 September 2014}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> {{clear left}}

== Third-country economic relationships ==

The Union has signed a first free trade agreement<ref>{{cite news|url = http://rbth.com/business/2016/05/12/fta-bodes-well-for-vietnam-eurasian-union-economic-ties-experts_592315|title = FTA bodes well for Vietnam-Eurasian Union economic ties- experts|date = 12 May 2016|access-date = 2016-06-07|newspaper = [[Russia Beyond the Headlines]]}}</ref> with Vietnam.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Seminar discusses ways to optimise Vietnam-EAEU FTA|url = http://www.vietnambreakingnews.com/2015/08/seminar-discusses-ways-to-optimise-vietnam-eaeu-fta/|access-date = 2015-10-06|last = vovnews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Vietnam FTA – Eurasian alliance: wide doors|url = http://www.baomoi.com/FTA-Viet-Nam-lien-minh-A-Au-Cua-rong-nhung-khong-de-vao/c/17004039.epi|access-date = 2015-10-06|last = baomoi.com}}</ref>

Having completed a free trade agreement (FTA) feasibility study for Vietnam in November 2012<ref name="english.thesaigontimes.vn">{{cite web|url=http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/business/vietnam-economy/25534/|title=Vietnam to start FTA talks with Customs Union in 2013|access-date=3 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103233300/http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/business/vietnam-economy/25534/|archive-date=3 November 2014}}</ref> the then Customs Union, which later became the EAEU, decided to proceed with negotiations. The negotiations over the FTA began in early 2013 and lasted approximately two years – on 29 May 2015 the agreement was signed by Prime Ministers of all the parties to be later ratified by the parties. Trade between Vietnam and the Customs Union in 2011 was US$2.24 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://talkvietnam.com/2012/12/vietnam-and-customs-union-eye-stronger-trade-ties/|title=Vietnam and Customs Union eye stronger trade ties|author=qdnd|website=TalkVietnam|access-date=3 November 2014|archive-date=3 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103224226/http://www.talkvietnam.com/2012/12/vietnam-and-customs-union-eye-stronger-trade-ties/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Russia's economic development minister stated that the Turkish economic minister, [[Nihat Zeybekci]], put forward an initiative for closer cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union, including the formation of a [[free trade zone]] between the union and [[Turkey]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Turkey May Create Free Trade Zone with Eurasian Customs Union – Development Minister|date=19 July 2014 |url=http://en.ria.ru/politics/20140719/191039085/Turkey-May-Create-Free-Trade-Zone-with-Eurasian-Customs-Union-.html|access-date=26 July 2014}}</ref>

As announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister [[Arkady Dvorkovich]] on 9 December 2013, [[Israel]] is considering starting free trade negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name=":7">{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/10/c_132954367.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422172257/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-12/10/c_132954367.htm|archive-date=22 April 2014|title=Moscow eyes common free trade zone between Customs Union, Israel|access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref> The feasibility study was conducted between the two parties and the decision was made to proceed with free trade negotiations, which are expected to start before the end of 2016. Experts believe the negotiations will take around 2 to 3 years to finish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ria.ru/economy/20160926/1477902729.html|title=Израиль начнет переговоры о Зоне свободной торговли с ЕАЭС до конца года|work=РИА Новости |date=26 September 2016 |access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref>

[[Russian president]] [[Vladimir Putin]] stated at a July 2014 meeting of ambassadors and permanent representatives of the [[Russian Federation]] that he was ready to discuss a free trade area between the [[European Union]] and the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name="Putin spoke of a free trade area between the European Union and the Eurasian Union">{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2014/07/1/472475/ Putin spoke of a free trade area between the European Union and the Eurasian Union], [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (1 July 2014)</ref>

In February 2015, [[Egypt]]ian president [[Abdel Fattah al-Sisi]] announced his country would sign a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Union.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} The preliminary feasibility study has been conducted and the decision to launch negotiation process is expected to be made before the end of 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kommersant.ru/doc/3076713|title=Решение по созданию зоны свободной торговли между ЕАЭС и Египтом будет принято до конца года|newspaper=Коммерсантъ|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref>

There have been discussions on free trade negotiations with over 30 countries, some of them resulting in the preliminary feasibility studies. Such feasibility studies have been conducted with India and the Republic of Korea.

In May 2015, the Union gave the initial go-ahead to signing a free trade agreement with [[Iran]]. Described as the EAEU's "key partner in the [[Middle East]]" by [[Andrey Slepnev]], Minister for trade on the Eurasian Economic Commission board in an expert-level EAEU meeting in [[Yerevan]],{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} [[Viktor Khristenko]] furthermore noted that Iran is an important partner for all the EAEU member states. He stated that "Cooperation between the EAEU and Iran is an important area of our work in strengthening the economic stability of the region".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/246117/Iran-Eurasian-Economic-Union-mull-over-free-trade|title=Iran, Eurasian Economic Union mull over free trade|date=14 April 2015|website=Tehran Times}}</ref> In December 2015 a "temporary Agreement" was signed between Iran and the EAEU, which Commissioner Andrey Slepnev characterised as the "first step toward the materialization of free trade between Iran and the Union".{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

One of the key initiatives in the field of free trade and economic cooperation is the proposal on "linking" the Eurasian economic integration and China's strategic "[[One Belt, One Road|Silk Road Economic Belt]]" project. The relevant communique was signed by [[President of Russia]] [[Vladimir Putin]] and [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]] [[Xi Jinping]] on 8 March 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kremlin.ru/supplement/4971|title=Совместное заявление Российской Федерации и Китайской Народной Республики о сотрудничестве по сопряжению строительства Евразийского экономического союза и Экономического пояса Шелкового пути|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref> While the "linking" mostly is understood as support for infrastructure investments, there are ongoing negotiations between the EAEU and China on a "trade and economic agreement" in order to build "an open economic architecture without a political component, oriented on business and reducing barriers".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurasiancommission.org/en/nae/news/Pages/24-08-2016-1.aspx|title=Tigran Sargsyan's visit to Beijing: new impetus to "conjugation" of the EAEU and the SREB|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref>

As a result of Russia's [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]], the US and EU placed sanctions upon Russia and Belarus.<ref name="TimurSuleimenov">{{cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-asia/interview/kazakh-official-we-will-not-risk-being-placed-in-the-same-basket-as-russia/|title=Kazakh official: We will not risk being placed in the same basket as Russia|last=Gotev|first=Georgi|date=29 March 2022|website=[[Euractiv]]|access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> On 10 March 2022, Russia suspended exports of wheat, meslin, rye, barley, and corn to the Eurasian Economic Union to secure the country's food supplies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/russia-suspend-grain-exports-eurasian-economic-union-until-aug-31-2022-03-10/|title=Russia to suspend grain exports to Eurasian Economic Union until Aug 31|date=10 March 2022|website=[[Reuters]]|access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> The ban was reversed on 1 April 2022, although other restrictions on the trade of foods were simultaneously introduced.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eurasianet.org/russia-scraps-ban-of-cereals-to-eurasian-union|title=Russia scraps ban of cereals to Eurasian Union|last=Kumenov|first=Almaz|date=1 April 2022|website=[[Eurasianet]]|access-date=1 April 2022}}</ref> On 29 March a Kazakh government official stated that Kazakhstan would abide by US and EU sanctions and would not facilitate any circumvention, despite its membership of the EAEU. The official explained that Kazakhstan does not wish to be targeted by secondary sanctions, and instead will be seeking to expand its cooperation with the EU.<ref name="TimurSuleimenov"/>

As of 2023, negotiations were also well underway with Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. Negotiations with Iran and Egypt were almost finalised. The EEC was also preparing to revise its current agreement with China. The current, non-preferential agreement entered into force in October 2019 and does not provide any reduction in duties.<ref name="01Z">{{Cite web|url=https://www.russia-briefing.com/news/the-eurasian-economic-union-free-trade-agreements-latest-progress.html/|title=The Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreements: Latest Progress|website=Russia Briefing|date=16 March 2023|access-date=26 May 2023}}</ref>

On 15 December 2023, the EAEU signed a free trade agreement with Iran that will eliminate customs duties on almost 90% of goods. The agreement serves to replace a similar temporary agreement that has been in force since 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dev-isw.bivings.com/|title=Institute for the Study of War|website=Institute for the Study of War|access-date=23 January 2024|archive-date=25 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325065358/https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-24|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As of 2024, a potential free trade agreement between Mongolia and the EAEU is under discussion, but its future remains subject to domestic political and economic considerations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mongoliaweekly.org/post/mongolia-s-trade-with-russia-led-eaeu-faces-headwinds |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=www.mongoliaweekly.org |title=Mongolia's Trade with Russia-led EAEU Faces Headwinds |date=20 December 2024 }}</ref>

In 2024, it was reported that FTA agreements were being discussed at various stages with Pakistan and Israel, among others.<ref>{{cite web | title=РФ работает над соглашением о свободной торговле с возможными участниками БРИКС | url=https://dairynews.ru/news/rf-rabotaet-nad-soglasheniem-o-svobodnoy-torgovle-.html }}</ref>

On 22 January 2025, the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission adopted a Resolution on formation of a joint research group to study the feasibility of concluding a free trade agreement with the Republic of [[Tunisia]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Тунис | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/tunisia.php }}</ref>

The Eurasian Economic Union is discussing the possibility of concluding an agreement on the creation of a free trade area with [[Pakistan]], Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said on 16 April 2025. "We have set ourselves the task of ensuring free access to markets with a capacity of about 2 billion 200 million people."<ref>{{cite web | title=Оверчук: ЕАЭС обсуждает с Пакистаном соглашение о свободной торговле | url=https://tass.ru/ekonomika/23696873 }}</ref>

The free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union countries and Indonesia is expected to be signed in December 2025, according to [[Andrey Slepnev]], Minister of Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission. The EAEU and Indonesia announced the completion of negotiations on 9 July.<ref>https://www.interfax.ru/business/1035615</ref>

"We have signed principles on the creation of free trade area between India and the Eurasian Economic Union. I hope that this FTA will be established soon. It is about market access," said [[Indian Foreign Minister]] [[Subrahmanyam Jaishankar]] on 21 August 2025.<ref>https://iz.ru/1940554/2025-08-21/indiia-vyrazila-nadezhdu-na-skoroe-sozdanie-zst-po-soglasheniiu-s-eaes</ref> On 20 August in Moscow, at the headquarters of the Eurasian Economic Commission, India agreed and signed technical specifications defining the rules and parameters of the upcoming trade negotiations, including a list of issues of fundamental importance to the parties, [[Alexei Overchuk]] noted.<ref>{{cite web | title=ЕАЭС и Индия активизируют переговоры о создании зоны свободной торговли | url=https://trans.ru/news/eaes-i-indiya-aktiviziruyut-peregovori-o-sozdanii-zoni-svobodnoi-torgovli }}</ref>

=== Third-country EAEU Agreements === [[File:EAEU Trade Agreements.png|thumb|Trade Agreements of the Eurasian Economic Union on the official website in 2025<ref name="The EAEU Trade Agreements"/>]] After 1 January 2015, the members of the EAEU do not have the right to independently conclude a free trade ''in goods'' agreements because they delegated their powers to the supranational level according to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (Article 35). <ref name="consultant.ru">{{cite web | url=https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_163855/9fa1f4a7aeac9e996f0cd388105974c1b849933a/#dst100334 | title=Статья 35. Режим свободной торговли \ КонсультантПлюс }}</ref>

According to the website of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the EAEU has signed bilateral (one of the parties is the "Eurasian Economic Union and its Member States") agreements with<ref name="The EAEU Trade Agreements">{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/ | title=The EAEU Trade Agreements }}</ref>

* [[Vietnam]]<ref>{{cite web|title=VN–EEU FTA to come into force since 5 October|date=19 August 2016 |url=http://news.chinhphu.vn/Home/VNEEU-FTA-to-come-into-force-since-October-5/20168/28157.vgp|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wtocenter.vn/other-agreement/vietnam-eurasian-economic-union-fta-full-content|title=Vietnam - Eurasian Economic Union FTA (full content) | WTO and International trade Policies|date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006042130/http://wtocenter.vn/other-agreement/vietnam-eurasian-economic-union-fta-full-content |accessdate=25 February 2024|archive-date=6 October 2015 }}</ref> (signed on 29 May 2015, entered into force on 5 October 2016<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/vietnam.php | title=Socialist Republic of Vietnam }}</ref> and this Free Trade Agreement & Economic Integration Agreement covers trade in goods and trade in services<ref name="rtais.wto.org">{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=973 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref><ref name="economy.gov.ru">{{Cite web |title=Вьетнам |url=https://www.economy.gov.ru/material/departments/d11/soglasheniya_o_svobodnoy_torgovle/vetnam/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804121153/https://www.economy.gov.ru/material/departments/d11/soglasheniya_o_svobodnoy_torgovle/vetnam/ |archive-date=4 August 2020}}</ref>) * [[Iran]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/OTQ4OTMyMTAx|title=HKTDC Research|website=research.hktdc.com}}</ref> (the Interim Agreement was signed on 17 May 2018, and came into force on 27 October 2019<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/iran.php | title=Islamic Republic of Iran }}</ref> and this Free Trade Agreement covers trade in goods.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=1028 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref>) Full FTA signed on 25 December 2023<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-backed-union-signs-free-trade-pact-with-iran-2023-12-25/|title=Russian-backed union signs free trade pact with Iran|website=[[Reuters]] |date=25 December 2023 }}</ref> and came into force on 15 May 2025.<ref>{{cite web | title=Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Deal With Iran Goes Into Effect | website=The Moscow Times | date=2025-05-15 | url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/15/eurasian-economic-union-free-trade-deal-with-iran-goes-into-effect-a89095 | ref={{sfnref|The Moscow Times|2025}} | access-date=2025-05-18}}</ref> * [[China]] (signed on 17 May 2018, entered into force on 25 October 2019<ref name="People's Republic of China">{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/china.php | title=People's Republic of China }}</ref> and this Agreement is not a free trade agreement at all since it does not provide any reduction in duties,<ref name="01Z"/> but it creates a legal framework for trade and economic cooperation between the Union as a whole and China and on issues of customs cooperation, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade protection measures, issues of electronic commerce, intellectual property, competition and public procurement, as well as sectoral cooperation and the Parties recognise the importance of economic integration in the Asia-Pacific and Eurasia and the importance of conjunction of the Eurasian Economic Union and the [[Belt and Road Initiative]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Обзор ключевых положений Соглашения о торгово-экономическом сотрудничестве между Евразийским экономическим союзом и его государствами-членами, с одной стороны, и Китайской Народной Республикой, с другой стороны |url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/upload/medialibrary/8c7/Broshyura-KNR.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://french.xinhuanet.com/2018-05/18/c_137187365.htm|title=La Chine et l'Union économique eurasiatique signent un accord sur la coopération commerciale et économique_French.news.cn|website=french.xinhuanet.com}}</ref><ref name="People's Republic of China"/>) * [[Serbia]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.b92.net/biz/vesti/svet.php?yyyy=2019&mm=06&dd=06&nav_id=1551457 | title=Sporazum 1. Oktobra: Za Srbiju se otvara tržište od 180 miliona ljudi | date=6 June 2019 }}</ref> (signed on 25 October 2019, and entered into force on 10 July 2021<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/serbia.php | title=Republic of Serbia }}</ref> and this Free Trade Agreement covers trade in goods<ref>{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=1149 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref>) * [[Singapore]] (the EAEU-Singapore Framework Agreement and the EAEU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement were signed on 1 October 2019<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/torgovye-soglasheniya/singapore.php | title=Republic of Singapore }}</ref>) * [[Mongolia]] (Interim free trade in goods agreement signed on 27 June 2025<ref name="gov.kz">{{cite web | title=GOV.KZ - Единая платформа интернет-ресурсов государственных органов (ЕПИР ГО) | url=https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/1026720?lang=en }}</ref><ref name="neg.by">{{cite web | title=У Беларуси будет режим свободной торговли с еще двумя странами | url=https://neg.by/novosti/otkrytj/u-belarusi-budet-rezhim-svobodnoy-torgovli-s-eshche-dvumya-stranami/ }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">https://www.economy.gov.ru/material/news/soglasheniya_o_svobodnoy_torgovle_s_oae_i_mongoliey_sekonomyat_rossiyskomu_biznesu_poryadka_20_mlrd_rubley.html</ref>) * [[United Arab Emirates]] (Free trade in goods agreement signed on 27 June 2025<ref name="gov.kz"/><ref name="neg.by"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/>) * [[Indonesia]] (Free trade in goods agreement signed on 21 December 2025<ref>https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/news/soglashenie-o-svobodnoy-torgovle-podpisano-mezhdu-eaes-i-indoneziey/</ref>)

Officially, agreements with Egypt, India,<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 December 2019|title=Russia hopeful of India's free trade pact with EAEU|language=en|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/russia-hopeful-of-indias-free-trade-pact-with-eaeu/article30384075.ece|access-date=2021-07-09}}</ref><ref>[https://ficci.in/spdocument/20978/India-EAEU-FTA-Survey-Report-revised.pdf India EAEU FTA Survey Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126072416/https://ficci.in/spdocument/20978/India-EAEU-FTA-Survey-Report-revised.pdf |date=26 January 2022 }} [[Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry]] (FICCI). Accessed on 9 July 2021.</ref>, Israel<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 December 2019|title=Israel And EAEU Edge Closer To A Free Trade Agreement|language=en|work=russia-briefing|url=https://www.russia-briefing.com/news/israel-and-eaeu-edge-closer-to-a-free-trade-agreement.html/|access-date=2023-05-27}}</ref> are under development.<ref name="The EAEU Trade Agreements"/>

===Pre-2015 free trade in goods agreements=== {{main|List of bilateral free trade agreements|Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area|Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area}} [[File:CIS_Countries.PNG|thumb|The [[Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area|1994 CIS FTA Agreement]] signatories (all 12 countries). As of 2023, multilateral free trade regime under the 1999 Protocol has entered into force for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine while Russia and Turkmenistan refused to participate.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/884#documentCard | title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств }}</ref>]] [[File:CISFTA (orthographic projection).svg|thumb|The 2011 [[Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area]] among [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Belarus]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Moldova]], [[Armenia]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Tajikistan]]]]

Although the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union have delegated their powers to conclude free trade ''in goods'' agreements to the supranational level according to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (Article 35),<ref name="consultant.ru"/> the previous agreements with third countries concluded before 1 January 2015 continue to be in force (Article 102).<ref name="Статья 102. Переходные положения в">{{cite web | url=https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_163855/5612d6c0484a8192696030fd3f4c32dd293c3bb8/#dst101124 | title=Статья 102. Переходные положения в отношении раздела IX \ КонсультантПлюс }}</ref> According to the Article 102: "Member States have the right to unilaterally grant preferences in trade with a third party on the basis of an international agreement concluded by 1 January 2015 of this Member State with such a third party or an international agreement to which all Member States are parties."<ref name="Статья 102. Переходные положения в"/> Thus, agreements such as those within the Commonwealth of Independent States (the terms of the CIS FTA allow member states to enter into the FTA agreements with other countries, as well as to join/create custom unions<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aleksashenko |first=Sergei |date=7 March 2014 |title=For Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia Free Trade with Europe and Russia Is Possible |url=https://carnegiemoscow.org/commentary/56074 |access-date= |website=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace}}</ref>) and bilateral agreements that do not regulate relations with third countries remain in force for their parties.

The [[Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area|1994 CIS FTA Agreement]], 1999 CIS FTA Protocol (multilateral free trade is in force among 10 countries) and [[Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area|2011 CIS FTA Treaty]] (multilateral free trade is in force among 9 countries) have signed by all members of the EAEU. The multilateral free trade regime under the 1999 Protocol is not applied by Russia at all. As of 2023, the Protocol has entered into force for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine and 1 reservation was made by Azerbaijan on non-application in relation to Armenia and 2 specific opinions were expressed by Georgia and Ukraine.

2011 [[Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area]] was negotiated before the establishment of the EEU on 1 January 2015. The CISFTA treaty came into force at different dates for every state. The treaty came into force in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia at different dates between September and December 2012. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan applied the treaty starting 13 December 2013. In force since 2012, the 2011 multilateral CIS Free Trade Zone Treaty establishes [[Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area|a free trade area]] between Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia (now all EAEU member states), as well as Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Tajikistan. Russia has suspended the Agreement with respect to Ukraine from 1 January 2016, following the provisional application of the [[DCFTA]] between the [[Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement|European Union and Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurasianbusinessbriefing.com/russia-suspends-fta-with-ukraine/|website=Eurasian Business Briefing|title=Russia suspends FTA with Ukraine as EU agreement looms|date=17 December 2015|access-date=24 December 2015|archive-date=25 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225080953/http://www.eurasianbusinessbriefing.com/russia-suspends-fta-with-ukraine/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ukraine did the same thing on 2 January with regard to Russia.

Thus, in addition to all previous multilateral agreements, the following agreements apply on a bilateral basis according to the article 102. Bilateral free trade agreements with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Serbia and Montenegro<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=643&relation=I&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> as well as "zero tariffs" agreements with Abkhazia<ref>https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/international_contracts/international_contracts/2_contract/44614/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref><ref>https://yutu.customs.gov.ru/news/document/40830 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref> and South Ossetia<ref>https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/international_contracts/international_contracts/2_contract/44657/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref> are in force in Russia. Bilateral free trade agreement with Turkmenistan is in force in Belarus.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=112&relation=I&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> Bilateral free trade agreement with Turkmenistan is in force in Armenia.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=051&relation=I&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> Bilateral free trade agreement with Serbia is in force in Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=1248 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref>

=== Cooperation, Trade in Services and Investment Agreements === [[File:Russia stamp 2019 № 2526.jpg|thumb|Eurasian Economic Union stamp]] The members of the EAEU may conclude an agreement on ''investment and trade in services'' without the consent of EAEU supranational bodies, since these powers have not been transferred to a supranational level, however according to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (Article 35), an international treaty of the EAEU with a third party establishing a free trade regime may include other provisions related to foreign trade activities<ref name="consultant.ru"/> (i.e. Cooperation, Trade in Services and Investment). All Members of the Union retains autonomy (i.e., national competence) in matters of concluding agreements on free trade in services and investments. The process of concluding such agreements with third countries is carried out independently of the partners in the Union. The only condition prescribed in the Treaty on the EAEU is the obligation to provide to the Member States of the EAEU the same concessions, which are granted to the partner (partners) under that agreement (Article 38 of the Treaty and section 6 of Annex No. 16 to the Treaty).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Agreements on free trade in goods |url=https://economy.gov.by/en/aftingoods-en/ |website=Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus}}</ref>

The 2015 EAEU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement & Economic Integration Agreement covers trade in goods and trade in services.<ref name="rtais.wto.org"/><ref name="economy.gov.ru"/>

The [[Armenia–EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement]] was signed by Armenia and all [[EU member states]] on 24 November 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/documents-publications/treaties-agreements/agreement/?id=2017024|title=Agreement - Consilium|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> The World Trade Organization classifies this agreement as an agreement on trade in services.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicShowMemberRTAIDCard.aspx?rtaid=849 | title=WTO | Regional trade agreements }}</ref>

Russia has concluded 82 agreements on mutual protection of investments and investment promotion, including agreements with Cambodia, Iran, Morocco and the State of Palestine, which were signed after 1 January 2015. 65 agreements have entered into force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Перечень соглашений между Правительством Российской Федерации и правительствами иностранных государств о поощрении и взаимной защите капиталовложений |url=https://economy.gov.ru/material/departments/d11/investicionnye_soglasheniya/perechen_soglasheniy_mezhdu_pravitelstvom_rf_i_pravitelstvami_inostrannyh_gosudarstv_o_pooshchrenii_i_vzaimnoy_zashchite_kapitalovlozheniy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526192630/https://economy.gov.ru/material/departments/d11/investicionnye_soglasheniya/perechen_soglasheniy_mezhdu_pravitelstvom_rf_i_pravitelstvami_inostrannyh_gosudarstv_o_pooshchrenii_i_vzaimnoy_zashchite_kapitalovlozheniy/ |archive-date=26 May 2021 }}</ref>

On 8 June 2023, in Sochi, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed the [[Commonwealth of Independent States Agreement on Free Trade in Services, Establishment, Operations and Investment]] to partly integrate Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the common standards of the WTO ([[General Agreement on Trade in Services]]) and the EAEU even without their membership in the WTO (Uzbekistan) or the EAEU (Uzbekistan and Tajikistan).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cis.minsk.by/reestrv2/doc/6738#documentCard | title=Единый реестр правовых актов и других документов Содружества Независимых Государств }}</ref> Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have not decided to join the EAEU, but bringing country's legislation to the EAEU common standards can be considered as the first step.

The ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Moscow said that the UAE is striving for a free trade agreement by the end of 2023 with the EAEU to include provisions on trade in services and investment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.ru/world/oae-rasschityvayut-do-konca-goda-dogovoritsya-o-svobodnoj-torgovle-s-eaes/|title=ОАЭ рассчитывают до конца года договориться о свободной торговле с ЕАЭС - NEWS.ru — 13.06.23|date=13 June 2023 |accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>

On 22 August 2024, Belarus and China signed an agreement on trade in services and investment. Belarus is the first EAEU country with which China has concluded such an agreement.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sb.by/articles/belarus-i-kitay-podpisali-soglashenie-o-torgovle-uslugami-i-osushchestvlenii-investitsiy.html | title=Беларусь и Китай подписали соглашение о торговле услугами и осуществлении инвестиций | date=22 August 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://belta.by/society/view/belarus-i-kitaj-podpisali-soglashenie-o-torgovle-uslugami-i-osuschestvlenii-investitsij-656061-2024/ | title=Беларусь и Китай подписали соглашение о торговле услугами и осуществлении инвестиций | date=22 August 2024 }}</ref>

On 27 June 2025, Belarus signed a free trade agreement in services and investments with the UAE.<ref name="neg.by"/>

On 7 August 2025, Russia signed a free trade agreement in services and investments with the UAE.<ref>{{cite web | title=Россия и ОАЭ подписали соглашение о торговле услугами и инвестициях | date=7 August 2025 | url=https://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2025/08/07/1130029-rossiya-oae-podpisali }}</ref><ref>https://www.interfax.ru/russia/1040124</ref>

=== Unilateral preferences for economic assistance ===

The [[Generalized System of Preferences]] (GSP), instituted in 1971 under the aegis of [[UN Trade and Development]], has contributed over the years to creating an enabling trading environment for developing countries. EAEU members are among the few countries in the world that provide preferential treatment, according to the UNCTAD website.<ref>https://unctad.org/topic/trade-agreements/generalized-system-of-preferences {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2025}}</ref>

The EAEU has the Common System of Tariff Preferences for approved goods from 29 developing and 48 [[least-developed countries]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/tariff_preferences.php | title=Regulatory and legal framework }}</ref> As of 5 March 2021, they are [[Algeria]], [[Bolivia]], [[Vanuatu]], [[Venezuela]], [[Ghana]], [[Honduras]], [[Egypt]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Iran]], [[Cabo Verde]], [[Cameroon]], [[Kenya]], [[Republic of the Congo]], [[Democratic People’s Republic of Korea]], [[Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Cuba]], [[Morocco]], [[the Marshall Islands]], [[Federal States of Micronesia]], [[Mongolia]], [[Nigeria]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Pakistan]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Tunisia]], [[the Philippines]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[El Salvador]], [[Eswatini]] on the 1 list and [[Angola]], [[Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Benin]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Burundi]], [[Bhutan]], [[Haiti]], [[Gambia]], [[Guinea]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Djibouti]], [[Zambia]], [[Yemen]], [[Cambodia]], [[Kiribati]], [[Union of the Comoros]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Lao People’s Democratic Republic]], [[Lesotho]], [[Liberia]], [[Mauritania]], [[Madagascar]], [[Malawi]], [[Mali]], [[Mozambique]], [[Myanmar]], [[Nepal]], [[Republic of the Niger]], [[Palestinian territories|Palestine]](according to the [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 43/177]]), [[Rwanda]], [[Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe]], [[Senegal]], [[Syrian Arab Republic]], [[Solomon Islands]], [[Federal Republic of Somalia]], [[Sudan]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Tanzania]], [[Timor-Leste]], [[Togolese Republic]], [[Tuvalu]], [[Uganda]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Chad]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[South Sudan]] on the 2nd list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 Mar 2011 |title=DEVELOPING BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES of the Eurasian Economic Union's Common System of Tariff Preferences |url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/upload/medialibrary/780/List-of-Developing-Countries-and-Least_developed-beneficiary-countries-_-_GSP_.pdf}}</ref>

The system of tariff preferences is aimed at promoting the economic growth of countries that objectively need economic assistance from the Union. In 2021, a decision was published to exclude 75 developing countries and 2 least developed countries from the lists, but at the same time, the status of the beneficiary country of the common system of tariff preferences of the EAEU is preserved for states in need of economic assistance from the EAEU.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/news/eaes-sovershenstvuet-edinuyu-sistemu-tarifnyh-preferentsij/ | title=ЕАЭС совершенствует единую систему тарифных преференций }}</ref> The first list of countries was approved in 2009 and did not change dramatically until 2021. As of May 2020, there were 153 countries in it, including Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, China and South Korea. The list was revised in 2021 so that there would be no injustice when lower-income countries provide tariff preferences to high-income countries. A country can obtain for tariff preferences if its income level is [[World Bank high-income economy|determined]] by the [[World Bank]] as "low-income" or "lower-middle-income", that is, the gross national income per capita in such a country is less than $4,045.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rbc.ru/politics/05/03/2021/603e0f409a7947421ef8242b | title=ЕАЭС отказался от тарифных преференций для 76 стран | date=5 March 2021 }}</ref> The import duties applicable to products eligible for tariff preferences and originating from developing countries were at the level of 75% of the [[Most favoured nation]] duty rates and from least-developed countries at the level of 0%.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news11_e/acc_rus_10nov11_e.htm | title=WTO | 2011 News items – Working Party seals the deal on Russia's membership negotiations }}</ref>

At the same time, the members of the Union themselves are recipients of tariff preferences. Kyrgyzstan was granted preferences from Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=417&relation=E&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> Armenia was granted preferences from Canada, the EU, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=051&relation=E&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> Belarus was granted preferences from Japan, Norway and Switzerland.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=112&relation=E&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> Kazakhstan was granted preferences from Japan, Norway, Switzerland and the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=398&relation=E&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> In 2013, the [[World Bank]] announced that Russia had graduated to a [[high-income economy]] based on the results of 2012<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/new-country-classifications | title=New Country Classifications | date=2 July 2013 }}</ref><ref name=WB2013>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702131322/http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups|archive-date=2014-07-02|title=Country and Lending Groups|publisher=World Bank|access-date=1 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.iep.ru/en/world-bank-updates-its-country-classification-by-gni-per-capita.html | title=World Bank updates its country classification by GNI per capita }}</ref> but in 2016 it was reclassified as an [[upper-middle income economy]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/new-country-classifications-2016 | title=New country classifications by income level: 2016–2017 | date=July 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups | title=World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk }}</ref> due to changes in the exchange rate of the Russian ruble, which is a [[floating currency]]. As a result of the World Bank's designation of a high-income economy, [[Barack Obama]] issued a proclamation: "I have determined that Russia is sufficiently advanced in economic development and improved in trade competitiveness that it is appropriate to terminate the designation of Russia as a beneficiary developing country effective October 3, 2014."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/07/message-congress-respect-russia-s-status-under-generalized-system-prefer | title=Message to the Congress -- with respect to Russia's status under the Generalized System of Preferences | date=7 May 2014 | access-date=4 January 2024 | archive-date=4 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104155043/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/05/07/message-congress-respect-russia-s-status-under-generalized-system-prefer | url-status=live }}</ref> [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] (CBP) indicated that Russia formally graduated from the GSP program on 4 October 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbp.gov/trade/trade-community/outreach-programs/trade-agreements/special-trade-programs/gsp/gsp-renewal | title=Renewal of the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) | U.S. Customs and Border Protection | access-date=4 January 2024 | archive-date=4 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104155044/https://www.cbp.gov/trade/trade-community/outreach-programs/trade-agreements/special-trade-programs/gsp/gsp-renewal | url-status=live }}</ref> Thus, Russia does not have these preferences.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.macmap.org/en/query/trade-agreement?reporter=643&relation=E&partner=all | title=Market Access Map }}</ref> In 2024, the World Bank again reclassified Russia as a high-income economy based on 2023 results.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk |url=https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups |access-date=1 July 2024 |website=datahelpdesk.worldbank.org}}</ref>

==International cooperation and interaction== International cooperation and interaction with third countries, other integration associations and international organisations<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/ | title=International cooperation }}</ref> can happen under legal framework for international cooperation, including the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, Procedure for the EAEU International Cooperation, Main Directions of the EAEU International Activities, Regulation on the Procedure for Admission of New Members to the EAEU and Termination of Membership in the EAEU, Regulation on the Observer State Status at the EAEU and Strategic Directions for Developing the Eurasian Economic Integration.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/npa.php | title=Regulatory legal framework for international cooperation }}</ref>

According to the commission's website, over the years memoranda, events and statements have been adopted with third countries and international organisations, including the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]] (UNCTAD), [[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe]], Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea, Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Republic of Ecuador, International Trade Center, [[MERCOSUR]], and [[OECD]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dotp/memorandymi/default.php | title=Memoranda with third countries and international organizations }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/comission/department/dotp/memorandumy.php | title=Меморандумы с третьими странами и международными организациями }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/comission/department/dotp/mezhdunarodnye-organizatsii.php | title=Взаимодействие с международными организациями }}</ref>

The commission's website has published information and news on international cooperation (documents, memoranda, visits, summits, events, conferences, negotiations with officials, representatives and ambassadors, etc.) <ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/napravleniya/ | title=Directions of international cooperation }}</ref> with dozens states (namely Austria, Angola, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Iran, Spain, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Kenya, China, Colombia, Cuba, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Morocco, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, New Zealand, UAE, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, USA, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Faroe Islands, Philippines, France, Czechia, Chile, Ethiopia<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/napravleniya/gosudarstva/index.php | title=Государства }}</ref>) and dozens regional associations and international organisations (Andean Community, ASEAN, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, BRICS, African Union, East African Community, Dialogue on Cooperation in Asia, European Union, Latin American Economic System (SELA), MERCOSUR, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Subsystem for economic integration in Central America, CICA, CIS, Union State of Russia and Belarus, Pacific Alliance, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Economic Community of Central African States (ESCA), ECOSOC, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNCTAD<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/napravleniya/org/index.php | title=Региональные объединения и международные организации }}</ref>). According to the commission's website, for the purpose of forming favourable conditions for the development of interaction with the EAEU and as the first step to institutionalise cooperation, it has become a practice in the EEC to conclude memoranda of cooperation (third countries, regional integration associations and international organisations). Broad cooperation in the format of memoranda of cooperation is established with the governments of Bangladesh, Jordan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Cuba, Morocco, Moldova, Mongolia, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, the Faroe Islands and Chile, as well as with the Andean Community, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the African Union, the Pacific Alliance, the Latin American Economic System (SELA) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR). The EEC interacts with the Government of Greece in the format of a joint declaration.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/memorandumy.php | title=Memoranda of cooperation (Third countries, regional integration associations and international organizations) }}</ref>

There are various formats of interaction between third states and the Eurasian Economic Union. One of the simplest formats is obtaining the observer status at the Union. The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the highest supranational body of the Eurasian Economic Union, granted observer state status to the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Uzbekistan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/comission/department/dep_razv_integr/mezhdunarodnoe-sotrudnichestvo/o-statuse-gosudarstva-nablyudatelya.php | title=Observer state status at the EAEU }}</ref>

===Foreign affairs=== The Eurasian Economic Union mainly uses its [[arms industry]],<ref name="SIPRI">[http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/toplist.php Top List TIV Tables-SIPRI] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214003447/http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/toplist.php |date=14 February 2013 }}. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2012-05-09.</ref> [[raw materials]],<ref name=usgs>Richard M. Levine and Glenn J. Wallace. [https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/2005/myb3-2005-am-aj-bo-gg-kz-kg-md-rs-ti-tx-up-uz.pdf "The Mineral Industries of the Commonwealth of Independent States"]. ''2005 Minerals Yearbook''. [[U.S. Geological Survey]] (December 2007). This article incorporates text from this U.S. government source, which is in the [[public domain]].</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Countries and regions: Russia|url=http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/russia/|publisher=European Commission|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref> gas and oil reserves,{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} and railways<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan plans to become a logistics hub between Asia and Europe|url=http://www.railwaypro.com/wp/?p=14076|publisher=Railway Pro|access-date=27 August 2014|date=21 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Strategy of Russian Railways|url=http://eng.rzd.ru/statice/public/en?STRUCTURE_ID=7|publisher=Russian Railways|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref> as its key assets for trade with foreign countries.

Although Russia and Belarus are the only members of the Eurasian Economic Union under the sanctions from the West, other members of the Eurasian Economic Union have repeatedly used the bloc as a platform to articulate their opposition to sanctions and trade wars.<ref name=":13">{{Cite book |last=Korolev |first=Alexander S. |url= |title=China and Eurasian Powers in a Multipolar World Order 2.0: Security, Diplomacy, Economy and Cyberspace |date=2023 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |others=Mher Sahakyan |isbn=978-1-003-35258-7 |edition= |location=New York |chapter=Political and Economic Security in Multipolar Eurasia |oclc=1353290533}}</ref>{{Rp|page=16}}

===Economic partners=== The Eurasian Economic Union must negotiate as a whole to sign free trade agreements with other countries. Key players for the Eurasian Economic Union are the [[European Union]], [[Turkey]], [[Iran]], [[China]] and the [[Korean peninsula]]. The EAEU has sought to increase its trade with partners in the [[Middle East]] and [[East Asia]] in order to profit from the growing trade between Europe and Asia.

Because of disagreements with the Eurasian Economic Union's largest member, Russia, the European Union does not officially recognise the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref name=":13" />{{Rp|page=19}} Tensions with the European Union in 2014 have led both unions to pressure [[post-Soviet states]] to join their integration unions. Both sides have accused each other of carving spheres of influence.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.cfr.org/europe/european-unions-eastern-partnership/p32577|title = The European Union's Eastern Partnership|last = Jeanne|first = Park|date = 14 March 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014|publisher = Council on Foreign Relations|archive-date = 8 September 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140908065300/http://www.cfr.org/europe/european-unions-eastern-partnership/p32577|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/lavrov-has-harsh-words-for-eu/494681.html|title = Lavrov Has Harsh Words for EU|last = Bodner|first = Matthew|date = 17 February 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014|newspaper = The Moscow Times}}</ref> Members of the union, especially Russia have tried to diversify their trade by signing economic agreements with China,<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/27/what-russia-china-relations-mean-for-the-dollar.html|title = What Russia-China relations mean for the dollar|last = Clinch|first = Matt|date = 27 May 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014}}</ref> Iran<ref>{{cite news|url = http://qz.com/166851/why-russia-would-buy-500000-barrels-of-iranian-oil-a-day-and-undermine-the-nuclear-negotiations/|title = Why Russia might be crazy enough to buy Iranian oil and undermine nuclear talks|last = LeVine|first = Steve|date = 14 January 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014|work = QUARTZ}}</ref> and Turkey.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/eu-looks-alternatives-russian-gas-turkey-vacillates-between-east-west-1584836|title = As EU Looks For Alternatives To Russian Gas, Turkey Vacillates Between East And West|last = Kotsev|first = Victor|date = 19 May 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014|publisher = IBTIMES|newspaper = International Business Times}}</ref> Trade with North and South Korea has also risen.<ref>{{cite web|title=President of Russian Railways attends opening of transshipment terminal in North Korean port Rajin|date=23 July 2014 |url=http://en.portnews.ru/news/184086/|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kirk|first1=Donald|title=S. Korean Dream Line: Rail Link Via N. Korean Eco Zone To Russia|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/donaldkirk/2014/03/06/s-koreas-dream-line-rail-link-through-russia-via-n-korea-zone/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310204145/http://www.forbes.com/sites/donaldkirk/2014/03/06/s-koreas-dream-line-rail-link-through-russia-via-n-korea-zone/|archive-date=10 March 2014|website=Forbes|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia–Korean Visa Exemption Program to Stimulate Bilateral Trade by 40%|date=30 July 2014 |url=http://koreabizwire.com/russia-korean-visa-exemption-program-to-stimulate-bilateral-trade-by-40-study/15773|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref>

A rising China has been increasingly interested in Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref>{{cite magazine|url = https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/how-significant-is-the-eurasian-economic-union/|title = How Significant Is the Eurasian Economic Union?|date = 4 June 2014|access-date = 19 August 2014|magazine = The Diplomat|last = Casey|first = Michel}}</ref> Analysts see the union as a potential way China could facilitate its investments in the region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why China is unfazed by Russia's creation of a Eurasian Union|url=http://www.worldreview.info/content/why-china-unfazed-russia-s-creation-eurasian-union|publisher=World Review|access-date=27 August 2014|date=17 July 2014|archive-date=10 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010220725/http://www.worldreview.info/content/why-china-unfazed-russia-s-creation-eurasian-union|url-status=dead}}</ref> Historically, China held close economic ties with many countries throughout [[Eurasia]]. Under the [[Han Dynasty]], its trade routes extended to the [[Roman Empire]]. The [[Economy of the Han Dynasty]] and other subsequent dynasties exchanged numerous goods with countries throughout Europe and Asia. Both China and the union have stated they would benefit from recreating trade routes modelled on the historic [[Silk Road]].<ref>{{cite web|title=China's 'New Silk Road' Vision Revealed|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/05/chinas-new-silk-road-vision-revealed/|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref>

Railways transport goods from China to the European Union through Kazakhstan and Russia. The country has pushed for the construction of more railway lines to connect [[Berlin]] to east China to reduce shipping time. It proposed major high-speed railway lines going towards Europe via Russia and Kazakhstan and another through the Middle East via [[Tajikistan]], a potential future member for the union.<ref>{{cite web|title=China Establishing New Silk Roads|date=8 July 2014 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/china-establishing-new-silk-roads/1953455.html|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=China considers high-speed 'silk railroad' to Europe|date=7 August 2014|url=http://www.nce.co.uk/china-considers-high-speed-silk-railroad-to-europe/8667079.article|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref> China has signed numerous energy deals with Russia and Kazakhstan, as it tries to move from [[coal]] to less pollutant alternatives.<ref>{{cite magazine|url = https://thediplomat.com/2014/07/central-asias-energy-rush/|title = Central Asia's Energy Rush: The region's major powers are in a tussle to control its rich energy sources|last = Romanowski|first = Michał|date = 3 July 2014|access-date = 30 August 2014|magazine = The Diplomat}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kazakhstan-china-deals-idUKBRE98608520130907|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170130032214/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kazakhstan-china-deals-idUKBRE98608520130907|url-status = dead|archive-date = 30 January 2017|title = China, Kazakhstan to ink deals worth $30 billion on Saturday|last = Zhumatov|first = Shamil|date = 7 September 2013|access-date = 30 August 2014|work = Reuters|location = Astana, Kazakhstan}}</ref>

Iran has sought to diversify its economy as well, seeing the EAEU and China as key economic partners. Relations between Russia and Iran have increased as both countries are under U.S. sanctions and are seeking new trade partners. in 2014 the two countries signed a historic US$20 billion energy deal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vladimir Putin signs historic $20bn oil deal with Iran to bypass Western sanctions|date=6 August 2014 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11014604/Vladimir-Putin-signs-historic-20bn-oil-deal-with-Iran-to-bypass-Western-sanctions.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11014604/Vladimir-Putin-signs-historic-20bn-oil-deal-with-Iran-to-bypass-Western-sanctions.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=7 August 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia and Iran strike oil agreement|website=[[CNBC]]|date=6 August 2014|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/08/06/russia-and-iran-strike-oil-for-food-agreement.html|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref> A free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union came into force on 27 October 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441768/Trade-agreement-with-EAEU-officially-declared-to-Iranian-customs|title=Trade agreement with EAEU officially declared to Iranian customs|date=2019-11-08|website=Tehran Times|language=en|access-date=2019-12-26}}</ref>

Kazakhstan seeks to enhance its ties with Turkey, a key player in the region. In July 2014, Turkey announced closer economic ties with the EAEU, including a possible free trade agreement in the near future.<ref>{{cite web|title=Turkey Proposes Free Trade Zone with Eurasian Union|date=21 July 2014 |url=http://asbarez.com/125154/turkey-proposes-free-trade-zone-with-eurasian-union/|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref>

===Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh===

[[File:Dmitry Medvedev 2 November 2008-3.jpg|thumb|250px|Azerbaijani President [[Ilham Aliyev]], Russian president [[Dmitry Medvedev]] and Armenian president [[Serzh Sargsyan]] hold peace talks in [[Moscow]] on 2 November 2008.]] In September 2013, Armenia announced its intentions of joining the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. At the time of joining the Union, the Republic of Armenia already had preferential treatment within the framework of the CIS as a party to the Free Trade Zone Agreement of 18 October 2011, and therefore enjoyed significant tariff benefits. According to an IMF representative in Armenia, Armenia's membership to the Eurasian Economic Union resulted in about $250 million a year in customs revenue. Armenia also benefited in the form of secured privileges for 752 products until 2020, which implies no EAEU tariffs due to Union membership.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://greater-europe.org/archives/5454 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001225929/http://greater-europe.org/archives/5454 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=1 October 2018 |title=Why Armenia Chose the Eurasian Economic Union |website=greater-europe|access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref> Joining the Union allowed the country to get even more tangible economic effects due to the functioning of the Common Economic Space, the use of common technical regulation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, non-tariff regulation. Such results confirm that for the implementation of full-scale freedom of movement of goods, liberalisation of tariff regulation alone is not enough.<ref name=ack>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67852 |title=Giorgi Lomsadze: Will Karabakh "Join" Russia's Customs Union? |website=EurasiaNet.org |access-date=10 December 2013}}</ref> The region of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], however, is disputed between [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan]]. Tensions rose further in the [[Caucasus]] region on 30 July 2014 due to clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Armenia Blames Azerbaijan for Deadly Incident|url=http://www.radiofree.org/us/armenia-blames-azerbaijan-for-deadly-incident/|access-date=7 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024065455/http://www.radiofree.org/us/armenia-blames-azerbaijan-for-deadly-incident/|archive-date=24 October 2014}}</ref>

Experts estimated that with the accession of Armenia, the internationally unrecognised [[Nagorno-Karabakh Republic]] would not be integrated into the Eurasian Union.<ref name=ack /> Armenia is a permanent political, military and economic ally of Russia, whereas Azerbaijan holds close ties with Armenia's long-standing enemy Turkey. The Kazakh president [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] expressed concern in 2013 that no reliable customs border between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh could be drawn. However, Nazarbayev expressed that he holds all the existing disagreements preventing Armenia's integration into Eurasian Economic Union are surmountable.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eng.belta.by/politics/view/kazakhstan-views-disagreements-on-eurasian-economic-union-as-resolvable-3675-2014/|title=Kazakhstan views disagreements on Eurasian Economic Union as resolvable |website=BelTA |date=29 April 2014 |access-date=29 April 2014}}</ref> The chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Armenian Parliament, [[Artak Zakarian]], announced on 14 May 2014 that Armenia will not build any customs borders, including with the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://asbarez.com/123001/armenia-rules-out-tariffs-on-karabakh |title=Armenia Rules Out Tariffs on Karabakh |website=Asbarez |date=14 May 2014 |access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref>

Following the [[2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh]], the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ceased to exist.

According to Eurasian Economic Commission statistics, Eurasian Economic Union countries experienced a 1.9% GDP increase between January–June 2018, compared to the same period in 2017. Armenia had the greatest GDP growth index throughout the reporting period – 8.3%. The EEU's industrial output increased by 3.3%, with reprocessing industry increasing by 62.7% and mining increasing by 27.9%. Again, Armenia had the largest growth in industrial production – 9.6% – despite a 12.7% fall in mining.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Armenia leads EEU countries on level of economic growth – official EEC data |url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/956452.html |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=armenpress.am |date=30 November 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

===Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan=== Previously, [[Tajikistan]] was on track to become a potential member of the union, having signed the treaty on the Eurasian Customs Union and the Single Economic Space. However, due to border disputes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the integration process in Tajikistan has stalled.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":6">{{cite news|url = https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21608806-plan-export-electricity-looks-cursed-mi-casa-no-es-tu-casa|title = A plan to export electricity looks cursed|date = 26 July 2014|access-date = 26 August 2014|newspaper = The Economist}}</ref> Both countries exchanged fire in December 2013 and August 2014, which resulted in casualties.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite news|url = http://en.itar-tass.com/world/746643|title = Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan border guards engage in shootout again|date = 26 August 2014|access-date = 26 August 2014|publisher = Itar Tass}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://news.yahoo.com/two-killed-border-skirmish-between-tajikistan-kyrgyzstan-113727690.html|title = Two killed in border skirmish between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan|access-date = 26 August 2014|agency = Reuters}}</ref> Both countries have since announced they would resolve conflicts and improve border cooperation. Officials hope to make significant progress by the end of 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan improve border co-operation "Central Asia Online"|url=http://www.eng.24.kg/bigtiraj/173808-news24.html|access-date=8 January 2015|publisher=24.kg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128115338/http://www.eng.24.kg/bigtiraj/173808-news24.html|archive-date=28 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Turn To Soviet Archives in Border Talks|url=http://www.indiagazette.com/index.php/sid/229157427|access-date=8 January 2015|work=India Gazette|date=7 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128114501/http://www.indiagazette.com/index.php/sid/229157427|archive-date=28 January 2015}}</ref> In March 2020, Uzbekistan announced that it wished to become a Eurasian Union observer state.<ref name=UzbekistanMarch2020/>

===International response=== Former president of the European Commission [[José Manuel Barroso]] stated at the [[World Economic Forum]] that the EU supports the regional integration, including the Eurasian Union. He also praised Kazakhstan for joining the bloc. He criticised the post-Soviet space, saying "the integration in the region is not sufficient". However, he warned that the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]] is a major obstacle to good cooperation between the EU and the Eurasian Union.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015|url=http://www.weforum.org/sessions/summary/regions-transformation-eurasia|publisher=World Economic Forum|access-date=25 January 2015|date=22 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Davos 2015 – Regions in Transformation: Euroasia|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wb409Nlhlw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/9Wb409Nlhlw |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|website=youtube.com| date=22 January 2015 |publisher=World Economic Forum|access-date=25 January 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Tensions between the EAEU and the [[European Union]] (EU) occurred as both have sought to deepen their ties with several [[Post-Soviet states|former Soviet republics]]. The EU has signed free trade agreements with [[Ukraine]], [[Moldova]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. However, separatists in all three countries back closer ties with [[Russia]]. Ukraine planned to sign an [[European Union Association Agreement|EU association agreement]] in 2013, but abruptly cancelled the signing under Russian pressure to join the EAEU. This led to [[Euromaidan|mass protests]] against Ukraine's president,<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/war-in-ukraine-a-result-of-misunderstandings-between-europe-and-russia-a-1004706.html Summit of Failure: How the EU Lost Russia over Ukraine]. ''Der Spiegel''. 2014-11-24.</ref> with the EU supporting a [[Agreement on settlement of political crisis in Ukraine|failed political settlement]] before president Yanukovych fled to Russia,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/viktor-yanukovych-russia-ukraine-coup|title=Viktor Yanukovych urges Russia to act over Ukrainian 'bandit coup'|author=Shaun Walker|website=the Guardian|date=28 February 2014|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref> and Russia then [[annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexing]] the [[Crimea|Crimean peninsula]] (following a [[2014 Crimean status referendum|disputed referendum]]) and supporting separatists in Eastern Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news|title=Guide to the EU deals with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine|work=BBC News|date=27 June 2014|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28038725|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Lithuania ratifies Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova agreements with EU|date=9 July 2014|url=http://dfwatch.net/lithuania-ratifies-ukraine-georgia-moldova-agreements-with-eu-61065|access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref> In response, some member states of the European Union have sought to find alternatives to Russian gas, while others have voiced their support for the construction of the [[South Stream]] pipeline which circumvents Ukraine. Later the already started construction of the pipeline, under US sanctions on Russia and pressure on EU, the project was abandoned. Analysts believe Russia backs the Eurasian Economic Union in order to limit western influence in the region.<ref name=":5">{{cite news|url = https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21608807-not-all-goes-smoothly-russia-its-backyard-power-failure|title = Power failure – Not all goes smoothly for Russia in its backyard|date = 26 July 2014|access-date = 26 August 2014|newspaper = The Economist}}</ref>

Western analysts generally see the Eurasian Economic Union as a way to reunite many of the former Soviet republics. For example, ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' author Abigail Hauslohner wrote the treaty was intended "to further bolster [Russia]'s ties to former Soviet republics."<ref name=WaPost>{{cite news|title=Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus form Eurasian Economic Union|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=29 May 2014|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-kazakhstan-belarus-form-eurasian-economic-union/2014/05/29/de4a2c15-cb01-4c25-9bd6-7d5ac9e466fd_story.html|access-date=1 June 2014}}</ref> The United States expressed its opposition to the Eurasian Union, claiming it is "an attempt" to re-establish a [[Soviet Union|USSR]]-type union among the former Soviet republics.<ref name=Hillary/> In December 2012, former [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] claimed "It's not going to be called that [Soviet Union]. It's going to be called customs union, it will be called the Eurasian Union and all of that, but let's make no mistake about it. We know what the goal is and we are trying to figure out effective ways to slow down or prevent it".<ref name=Hillary>[http://bigstory.ap.org/article/clinton-fears-efforts-re-sovietize-europe Clinton fears efforts to 're-Sovietize' in Europe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307132319/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/clinton-fears-efforts-re-sovietize-europe |date=7 March 2014 }} – Associated Press, 6 December 2012</ref>

Kazakhstan's president [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] called it "a hard-won achievement" and "a blessing for our people."<ref name=WaPost /> Public support in Kazakhstan for the country's accession to the EAEU stood at 68% in June 2014, with 5.5% opposed.<ref>[http://www.demos.kz/rus/index.php?article=28 Большинство казахстанцев поддерживают вступление Казахстана в Евразийский экономический союз, но 33% считают, что это не принесет им никакой выгоды] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310211730/http://demos.kz/rus/index.php?article=28 |date=10 March 2016 }}. ''Demoscope''. 2014-06-14.</ref>

[[Thailand]], [[Iran]], [[New Zealand]], [[Tunisia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://itar-tass.com/en/economy/771189|title=Tunisia hopes to set up free trade zone with Customs Union, EEU|publisher=ITAR-TASS|date=14 January 2015|access-date=14 January 2015}}</ref> [[Turkey]], and [[Vietnam]] are among the countries that expressed a desire to conclude trade agreements with the new Eurasian Economic Union after the treaty was signed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Putin's answer to EU – Eurasian Union|author=Vladimir Radyuhin|work=The Hindu|date=29 May 2014|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/putins-answer-to-eu-eurasian-union/article6062067.ece|access-date=1 June 2014}}</ref> In 2018, the [[Faroe Islands]] signed a new memorandum of understanding with the EEU. The MoU is designed to boost trade and cooperation between the two sides.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russian fish money keeping Faroes out of EU sanctions|author=Martin Breum|work=euobserver|date=14 September 2018|url=https://euobserver.com/foreign/142847|access-date=8 June 2020}}</ref>

===Existing integration projects=== {{Supranational PostSoviet Bodies|size=400px|align=right}}

The [[Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union|Eurasian Customs Union]] has already brought partial economic integration between the three states, and the Eurasian Economic Union is said to be a continuation of this customs union.<ref name="Boris N. Mamlyuk 2014"/> However, the impact or legacy of that agreement is unclear<ref>{{cite SSRN |ssrn=2414597|title=Russia and Regional Trade Integration in a Historical Perspective: A Response to William E. Butler|date=2015|author=Boris N. Mamlyuk}}</ref> – trade between the three states actually fell 13% during the agreement's first year.<ref name=Economist />

A number of other regional organisations also provide the basis for further integration: the [[Union State]] of Russia and Belarus; the [[Collective Security Treaty Organisation]], consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan; and the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] comprising most of the post-Soviet countries.<ref group=journal>{{cite web |last1=Brusis|first1=Martin|title=A Eurasian European Union? Relaunching Post-Soviet Economic Integration |website=European Consortium for Political Research |url=http://www.ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/1f692ccb-986b-4c38-92c0-c0a0aa55edad.pdf |url-access=subscription |pages=8, 13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Russia–Belarus Union State most advanced post-Soviet integration bloc – Lukashenko|url=http://itar-tass.com/en/russia/754950|access-date=6 January 2015|publisher=Tass}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CSTO states plan to set up collective air force|url=http://itar-tass.com/en/world/768382|access-date=6 January 2015|publisher=Tass}}</ref>

==Geography== {{multiple image |align=right |image1=Strusta Lake - Panorama.jpg |width1=300 |caption1=[[Strusta Lake]] in the [[Vitebsk Region]], [[Belarus]], is the sixteenth largest lake in Belarus and the third largest among the [[Braslau Lakes]]. |width2=190 |caption2=The [[Khan Tengri]] Peak above North [[Engilchek Glacier]], [[Kazakhstan]] |image2=Vue globale du versant N du khan Tengri.jpg}} The Eurasian Economic Union is located at the eastern end of [[Europe]], bounded by the [[Arctic]] in the north, the [[Pacific Ocean]] to the east and [[East Asia]], the [[Middle East]] and part of [[Central Asia]] to the south. It lies between latitudes [[39th parallel north|39°]] and [[82nd parallel north|82°N]] and longitudes [[19°E]] and [[169th meridian west|169°W]]. The union extends across much of northern [[Eurasia]]. Its member states cover an area of over 20,000,000 square kilometres, which is approximately 15% of the world's land surface.<ref>{{cite web|title=General Information|url=http://eaeunion.org/#about-info|publisher=Eurasian Economic Union|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref>

The [[Eastern European Plain]] encompasses [[Belarus]] and most of [[European Russia]]. The plain is mostly mountain-free and comprises several [[plateaus]]. [[Russia]]'s northernmost regions are [[tundra]]. The Russian Tundra is located on the coastline with the [[Arctic]] and is known for its total darkness in the winter. [[Taiga]] reaches Russia's southern borders in [[Siberia]] and accounts for 60% of the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geography of Russia|url=http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his241/notes/geography/geography.html|publisher=Northern Virginia Community College|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref> Towards the [[Ural Mountains]] and in northern [[Kazakhstan]], the climate is mostly temperate. Southwestern Russia and Kazakhstan are mostly [[steppe]]. The [[Kazakh steppe]] covers one-third of Kazakhstan and is the world's largest dry steppe region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan, Republic of Kazakhstan " City Info " Geography|url=http://www.kazakhstan.com/v/geography/|website=kazakhstan.com|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref> [[Armenia]] is mostly mountainous and its climate is continental. The landlocked country shares no direct border with other members states. It is located in the southwestern part of Asia, occupying the northeastern part of the [[Armenian plateau]], and is located between the [[Caucasus]] and the [[Near East]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Geographic Characteristics of the Republic of Armenia|website=Marzes of the Republic of Armenia in Figures, 2002–2006|url=http://www.armstat.am/file/article/marz_07_e_2.pdf|publisher=National Statistical Service of The Republic of Armenia|access-date=15 January 2016|page=6|date=2007|quote="Republic of Armenia is situated in south-western part of Asia. The country occupies the north-eastern part of Armenian plateau – between Caucasus and Nearest Asia"}}</ref>

A large number of lakes and rivers are found in the Eurasian Economic Union.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belarus/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109091720/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/belarus|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 January 2021|title=Belarus – Geography|access-date=7 November 2007|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|year=2007|website=The World Factbook}}</ref> Major lakes include [[Lake Ladoga|Ladoga]] and [[Lake Onega|Onega]], two of the [[largest lakes in Europe]]. The largest and most prominent of the union's bodies of fresh water is [[Lake Baikal]], the world's deepest, purest, oldest and most capacious fresh water lake.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lake Baikal—A Touchstone for Global Change and Rift Studies|publisher=United States Geological Survey|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/baikal/}}</ref> The Baikal lake alone contains over one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. Russia is second only to Brazil in volume of the [[total renewable water resources]]. Of the union's numerous rivers,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Angara River|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|year=2007|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/24432/Angara-River|access-date=26 December 2007}}</ref> the [[Volga]] is the most famous, not only because it is the [[longest river in Europe|longest in Europe]], but also because of its major role in history. In Siberia the [[Ob River|Ob]], [[Yenisey]], [[Lena River|Lena]] and [[Amur River|Amur]] are among the [[longest rivers in the world]].

The Eurasian Economic Union's highest peak is the [[Khan Tengri]] in the [[Tian Shan]] mountains, Kazakhstan, 7,010 m above sea level. The lowest point in the Eurasian Economic Union is the [[Karagiye Depression]] in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan's Caspian shore includes some of the lowest elevations on Earth. According to a 2005 estimate by the United Nations, forests cover 40% of [[Belarus]]. 11,000 lakes and many water streams are found in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belarus|url=http://fatbirder.com/links_geo/europe/belarus.html|website=Fatbirder|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref> Russia is known for its extensive mineral and energy resources, the largest reserves in the world, making it the world's largest producer of [[oil]] and [[natural gas]].<ref>{{cite web|title=BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2014|url=http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/Energy-economics/statistical-review-2014/BP-statistical-review-of-world-energy-2014-full-report.pdf|website=BP Global|access-date=7 January 2015|archive-date=9 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609095748/https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/Energy-economics/statistical-review-2014/BP-statistical-review-of-world-energy-2014-full-report.pdf}}</ref>

According to estimates, the Eurasian Economic Union's population of 176 million people is mostly urbanised, with Russia and Belarus having over 70% of their population living in urban areas. In Armenia over 64% of the population lives in urban areas. Kazakhstan's urban population comprises 54% of the country's total population.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Belarus|url=http://un.by/en/aboutbelarus/population/|publisher=United Nations|access-date=8 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017223223/http://un.by/en/aboutbelarus/population/|archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref>

<gallery heights="140px"> File:Эльбрус с перевала Гумбаши.JPG|[[Mount Elbrus]] – [[Russia]] File:The Armenian plateau near Mount Masis.jpg|Mountain range – [[Armenia]] File:Lama River, Moscow region, Russia – 1.jpg|[[Lama River]] – in the [[Moscow Oblast|Moscow region of Russia]] File:Charin.jpg|[[Sharyn Canyon]] – [[Kazakhstan]] File:Bringing the sheep home, on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul (3968109583).jpg|On the southern shore of [[Issyk-Kul]] lake, [[Issyk-Kul Region]] – [[Kyrgyzstan]] File:Фото путешествия по Беларуси 353.jpg| Winter – [[Belarus]] File:Aragats mountain, Aragatsotn, Armenia.jpg|A view of [[Mount Aragats]] from [[Aragatsotn (village)|Aragatsotn]] – [[Armenia]] File:Munku-Sardyk.jpg|A view of Mount [[Mönkh Saridag]] – [[Okinsky District]], [[Russia]] File:Ayghr lake.jpg|[[Lake Ayger]] – [[Armenia]] File:Lake Servech.jpg|Lake Servech – [[Belarus]] File:Касмалинский ленточный бор 2005 год. (Алтайский край. Россия).jpg| Winter in the [[Altai Krai]] – [[Russia]] File:Karakol Valley.jpg|[[Tian Shan]] mountain range – [[Kyrgyzstan]] </gallery>

==Demographics==

The combined population of all member states is 185,332,000 as of 2024. {{Largest urban centers of the Eurasian Union}}

[[File:Countries with population larger than Eurasian Economic Union.jpg|right|thumb|Countries with population larger than Eurasian Economic Union in 2018|250px]]

The Eurasian Economic Union has 22 cities with more than 1 million inhabitants, the largest being [[Moscow]]. The most densely populated areas are the capital cities of member states and [[European Russia]]. [[Siberia]] is the region with the least inhabitants. In [[Russia]] about 160 different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples live within the country's borders.<ref name=ethnicgroups>[http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_nac_02.php Ethnic groups in Russia] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622084055/http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_nac_02.php |date=22 June 2011 }}, 2002 census, ''Demoscope Weekly''. Retrieved 5 February 2009.</ref> [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Belarus]] are home to sizeable ethnic Russian minorities. Though the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union's populations are comparatively large, [[list of countries by population density|its density is low]] because of the enormous size of Russia and Kazakhstan. The Eurasian Economic Union's average birth rate in 2010 was roughly 12.5 births per 1000 people, higher than the [[European Union]], which has an average of 9.90 births per 1000 people.

==See also== {{div col}} *[[Economic Cooperation Organization]] *[[ASEAN]] *[[Collective Security Treaty Organization]] *[[Comecon]] *[[Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations]] *[[Enlargement of the Eurasian Economic Union]] * [[Eurasian economic integration]] *[[Eurasian Economic Community]] *[[Eurasian Patent Convention]] *[[Eurasian Patent Organisation]] *[[Eurasianism]] *[[Soviet Union]] *[[New Union Treaty]] *[[Union State]] *[[Warsaw Pact]] *[[List of multilateral free-trade agreements]] {{div col end}}

==Notes and references==

===Notes=== {{reflist|group=note}}

===References=== '''Journal articles and studies''' {{reflist|group=journal}}

'''Online sources''' {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.eaeunion.org/?lang=en Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)] *[http://eec.eaeunion.org/en/ Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)] *[https://docs.eaeunion.org/en-us/ Legal portal of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)]

{{Eurasian Economic Union}} {{Eurasian Integration}} {{Europe topics (small)|state=collapsed}} {{International power|state=collapsed}} {{Trade|state=collapsed}} {{Regional organisations|state=collapsed}} {{portal bar|Asia|Europe|Russia}} {{Authority control}}

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