The concept of integration (based on the Latin integration - connection) can be defined as the process of combining parts into a whole. It follows that economic integration- this is the unification of economic entities, the deepening of their interaction, the development of connections between them. Economic integration manifests itself in the expansion and deepening of production and technological ties, sharing resources, pooling capital, creating favorable conditions for each other to implement economic activity, removing mutual barriers. Economic integration is a characteristic feature modern stage world economy, which at the end of the 20th century became a powerful tool for the accelerated and harmonious development of regional economies and increasing the competitiveness in the world market of countries participating in integration groupings.

Economic integration takes place both between enterprises, firms, companies, corporations, and at the level of national economies of entire countries, that is, international economic integration is considered as a three-level model. At the micro level, i.e. at the corporate level, when individual companies enter into direct economic relations and develop integration processes. At the national level, participating countries voluntarily transfer a number of political and economic functions. At the interstate level, when the purposeful activities of the state contribute to the integration processes of intertwining labor and capital within a particular group of countries, it ensures the functioning of special integration instruments.

International economic integration is a process of economic interaction between countries, leading to the convergence of economic mechanisms, taking the form of interstate agreements and coordinatedly regulated by interstate bodies. Between the countries participating in labor, there is a more intensive exchange of goods, services, capital, and labor. As a result, national economies “penetrate” each other, intertwining many different phases of scientific, technical, production, investment, financial and commercial activities.

Currently, international trade has become increasingly complemented by various forms of international movement of factors of production (capital, labor and technology), as a result of which not only finished goods, but also factors of its production began to move abroad. The profit contained in the price of a product began to be created not only within national borders, but also abroad. Economic integration has become a logical result of the development of international trade in goods and services and the international movement of factors of production.

There are several main types of integration associations: free trade zone, customs union, common market, economic union, political union.

Classic forms of international economic integration: free trade zones, when trade restrictions between countries participating in the integration association are abolished and, above all, customs duties are reduced or abolished altogether; a customs union, when, along with the abolition of foreign trade restrictions, a single customs tariff is established and a unified foreign trade policy is pursued in relation to third countries; the common market, marked by the signing of a treaty covering the “four freedoms” of crossing national borders for goods, services, capital and people; economic and monetary union, when agreements on a free trade zone, customs union and common market are supplemented by agreements on the implementation of a common economic and monetary policy, and supranational institutions for managing the integration association are introduced.

Free trade Area(Free trade area) is a type of international integration in which customs duties, taxes and fees, as well as quantitative restrictions in mutual trade in accordance with an international treaty are abolished in the participating countries. This is a deeper type of integration than preferential agreements. Each participating country retains the right to independently and independently determine the trade regime in relation to third countries. In most cases, the conditions of a free trade zone apply to all goods except agricultural products. A free trade area can be coordinated by a small interstate secretariat located in one of the member countries, but usually they do without it, and the countries agree on the main parameters of their development at periodic meetings of the heads of the relevant departments. Customs borders and posts that control the origin of goods crossing their state borders are maintained between the participating countries.

North American Free Trade Agreement - NAFTA - an agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, which entered into force in 1994. The agreement provides for the gradual elimination of customs tariffs and non-tariff barriers for both industrial and agricultural goods, protection of intellectual property rights, development of common rules for investment, liberalization of trade in services and creation of an effective mechanism for resolving trade disputes between participating countries;

European Free Trade Association - in 1960 an agreement was signed between Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland;

Baltic Free Trade Area - an agreement between Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, signed in 1993 (lost force in 2004, from the date of accession of the participating countries to the European Union);

Central European Free Trade Agreement - an agreement between Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic, signed in 1992 (lost force in 2004, from the date of accession of the participating countries to the European Union);

Australia-New Zealand Deepening Trade Agreement economic ties- signed by these two countries in 1983;

Free trade area between Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela - the agreement was signed by these countries in 1992;

The Bangkok Agreement is an agreement between Bangladesh, India, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Sri Lanka, signed in 1993.

A customs union is an agreement between two or more states (a form of interstate agreement) on the abolition of customs duties on trade between them, a form of collective protectionism from third countries.

The Customs Union also provides for the formation of a “single customs territory”.

Typically, member countries of the Customs Union agree on the creation of interstate bodies coordinating the implementation of externally agreed trade policy. As a rule, this consists of holding periodic meetings of ministers heading the relevant departments, which in their work rely on the permanent interstate Secretariat.

In fact, we are talking about a form of interstate integration that involves the creation of supranational bodies. In this regard, the Customs Union is a much stricter form of integration than, for example, a free trade area.

The common market is a form of economic integration of countries that involves the free movement of goods, works and services, as well as factors of production: capital, labor resources across the borders of member countries common market.

The common market was one of the stages of integration processes in Europe. The Common Market Agreement was signed by six European countries (Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) in Rome in 1957 (Treaty of Rome). The common market in Europe arose on the basis of the positive experience of the European Coal and Steel Community. Subsequently, in Europe, the deepening of integration processes led to the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Union (EU).

Economic Union-- the most complex form of interstate economic integration, which involves the implementation of a unified economic and monetary and financial policy, the creation of a system for regulating socio-political processes, the coordination of national tax, anti-inflation, currency and other measures; To speed up the formation of an economic union, the European Union in December 1991 decided in Maastricht to accelerate the implementation of the above goals and introduce a single euro currency with the formation of a single issuing central bank

Political union-- the highest level of regional integration -- involves the transformation of a single market space into an integral economic and political entity; in the most general outline we can talk about the emergence of a new multinational subject of world economic and international political relations, which speaks on behalf of all participants in this union.

International economic integration has forms that are adequate to it as a special economic process.

Its specific forms, changing as integration deepens, are:

• - organizing cooperation through the creation of joint bodies to coordinate economic development; free trade zones organized by states (which should be distinguished from joint venture zones);
• - common markets for goods and services (including transport, information, etc.);
• - common capital and labor markets; interstate banks and other interstate structures in the real sector of the economy.

The following forms of economic integration are distinguished: A preferential zone unites countries in whose mutual trade customs duties on imported goods have been reduced or abolished. Free trade area (FTA) is a type of international integration in which customs duties, taxes and fees are abolished in participating countries, as well as quantitative restrictions in mutual trade in accordance with an international treaty. Each participating country retains the right to independently and independently determine the trade regime in relation to third countries. In most cases, the conditions of a free trade zone apply to all goods except agricultural products. Customs borders and posts are maintained between the participating countries. North American Free Trade Agreement - NAFTA - an agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico; European Free Trade Association between Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland; Australia-New Zealand Trade Agreement to Deepen Economic Ties; Free trade zone between Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela; Customs Union, Customs Union - an agreement between two or more states (a form of interstate agreement) on the abolition of customs duties in trade between them, a form of collective protectionism from third countries. The common market is a form of economic integration of countries that involves the free movement of goods, works and services, as well as factors of production - capital, labor resources - across the borders of countries that are members of the common market. The common market was one of the stages of integration processes in Europe. An economic union is one of the types of trade blocs, characterized by the following features: a customs union, a common market, and the presence of agreements on the harmonization of fiscal and monetary policies. Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is one of the types of trade blocs, characterized by the following features: Customs Union, Common Market, Economic Union, The presence of supranational governing bodies and the implementation of a unified macroeconomic policy

More on the topic Forms of economic integration:

1. Content and forms of international economic integration
2. 1. CONTENT AND FORMS OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

Integration in its development goes through a number of stages:

• · Free trading zone,
• · Customs Union,
• · common market,
• · economic union,
• · political union.

All these stages, or forms, of integration have a common characteristic feature. It consists in the fact that certain economic barriers are eliminated between countries that have entered into one type of integration or another. As a result, a single market space is emerging within the integration association, where free competition develops. Under the influence of market regulators - prices, interest, etc. - in this single space, a more efficient territorial and sectoral structure of production arises. Thanks to this, all countries benefit by increasing labor productivity, as well as by saving costs on customs control over foreign economic relations. At the same time, each form of integration has specific features. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Free trade Area - primary form economic integration", in which countries abolish restrictions in mutual economic relations, but retain complete independence in pursuing their domestic and foreign policies. Under the conditions of a free trade zone, countries voluntarily renounce the protection of their national markets only in relations with their partners in this association, and in relation to third countries, they act not collectively, but individually, i.e., each participant in the free trade zone sets its own tariffs with third countries.

A specific type of regional integration is the customs union. The Customs Union is an association of states to expand mutual economic cooperation and pursue a joint foreign economic policy. It is created on the basis of an agreement between two or more states and involves the abolition of customs duties and other barriers to goods in the relations between the contracting states and the formation of a single customs space. Unlike a free trade zone, a customs union involves the introduction of a common customs tariff in relation to other countries and the implementation of a common foreign trade policy. The members of the union jointly erect a single tariff barrier against third countries. This makes it possible to more reliably protect the emerging single regional market space and act in the international arena as a cohesive trading bloc. But at the same time, the participants of this integration association lose part of their foreign economic sovereignty.

The third stage in the development of integration associations is the common market. The common market is one of the forms of economic integration of states, which involves the removal of barriers in economic relations between the countries (in the field of movement of goods, capital, labor) creating this organization, and their implementation of common foreign economic and some elements of internal economic policy, since in conditions of significant the role of the state in economic development, the abolition of barriers in mutual relations does not yet lead to the real creation of a single economic territory. Here are all the specifications customs union retain their meaning. In addition, within the framework of the common market, restrictions on the movement of various factors of production are eliminated, which strengthens the economic interdependence of the member countries of this type of integration association. The fourth stage of the integration association is the creation of a mature unified domestic market. This stage of integration is usually called an economic union. An economic union is one of the forms of economic unification of states, a more developed form of economic integration, which involves not only the removal of barriers to mutual trade, as in a free trade zone or customs union, but also the implementation of a common economic policy. At the same time, supranational regulation associated with the functioning of an economic union involves intervention not only in the sphere of exchange, but also in the sphere of production. This regulation, in the context of private entrepreneurship and the operation of the law of value as the main regulator of production, is intended to make only certain adjustments to the market mechanism in order to stimulate reproduction processes on the scale of all participating countries, change inter-industry proportions, weaken certain social contradictions, etc. For this purpose, a tax policy common to all countries, subsidizing the development of individual industries or regions from the general funds of the union, drawing up common economic development programs and other measures can be used. However, even in the conditions of an economic union, the national state retains in its hands such an important economic function, as the redistribution of national income through the state budget. The concentration in the hands of the national state of a fairly significant part of the created product is one of the significant forms of economic isolation of individual countries within the union, which constitutes the objective basis for the contradictions between them.

The formation of an economic union is much slower than a customs union or a common market. But it's coming. This stage provides, along with a common customs tariff and freedom of movement of goods and factors of production, the implementation of a common economic and social policy, as well as the unification of legislation in key areas of the economy. At the stage of economic union, there is a need for bodies endowed not only with the ability to coordinate actions and monitor developments, but also to make operational decisions on behalf of the group as a whole. Governments consistently renounce some of their functions and thereby cede part of state sovereignty in favor of supranational bodies.

As the economic union develops in the countries, the prerequisites for the highest level of regional integration - a political union - are being formed. This type of regional integration involves the transformation of a mature single market space into an integral economic and political organism. During the transition from an economic union to a political one, mutual foreign economic relations of the countries participating in it turn into intrastate economic relations and the problem of international economic relations within a given region ceases to exist.

The main forms of international economic integration today are:

European Union (EU);

North American Model of Integration (NAFTA);

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC);

Latin American Free Trade Association (LAST);

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

· European Union. The starting point for the creation of the European Union (EU) should be considered the Paris statement of May 9, 1950, by French Foreign Minister R. Schumann, who proposed placing all coal and steel production in France and Germany under common interethnic leadership. Germany supported the French proposal in 1951. The Paris Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was signed, which included six states: Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The creation of the EU was primarily due to the fact that it was in Western Europe after the Second World War that the contradiction between the international nature of modern production and the narrow national-state boundaries of its functioning manifested itself most forcefully. In addition, until the beginning of the 90s. Western European integration was pushed forward by the direct confrontation on the continent of two opposing social systems.

An important reason was the desire of Western European countries to overcome the negative experience of two world wars and to exclude the possibility of their occurrence on the continent in the future. In its evolution, the EU has gone through all forms of integration: a free trade area; Customs Union; economic and monetary union, political union (the formation of the third and fourth forms has not yet been completed), developing in depth and breadth. Integration in breadth means an increase in the number of full members of the Union and associate members. Development in depth is the formation of a regional economic mechanism in Western Europe and the expansion of areas subject to interstate regulation and unification. At the same time, the official and unofficial names of this integration group were repeatedly changed, which reflected its evolution. The emergence of the EU was aimed at creating a common market and, on this basis, increasing economic stability and living standards. The EU Treaty determined the sequence of events:

1. abolition of customs duties, import and export quantitative restrictions, as well as all other trade restrictions on the movement of goods within the community;

2. introduction of a common customs tariff and a common trade policy towards third countries;

3. free movement of factors of production (capital and labor), freedom to create branches within the EU and free trade in services between member countries;

4. implementation of a common agricultural and transport policy;

5. creation of a monetary union;

6. coordination and gradual convergence of the economic policies of the participating countries;

7. unification of tax laws;

8. alignment of domestic legal norms that are important for the common market.

Already after the First World War, the European idea was present in political discussions, but did not lead to concrete steps. Then, following the devastation of World War II, European leaders became convinced that cooperation and common effort were the best way to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in Europe. The process began on May 9, 1950, with a speech by Robert Schumann, the French Foreign Minister, proposing to merge the coal and steel industries of France and the Federal Republic of Germany. This concept was realized in 1951 by the Treaty of Paris, which established the European Coal and Steel Community with six member countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The success of the Treaty has encouraged the six countries to expand the process into other areas. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. They were accordingly aimed at creating a customs union and breaking down internal trade barriers within the Community, as well as the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This is the stage of creating a free trade zone (1958?1966). It achieved goals 1 and 2 stipulated by the Treaty of Rome. In addition, since 1962, a common agricultural policy was introduced, providing for national agricultural producers the opportunity to sell their products at prices significantly higher than the world average (by 30% or more)? a single agricultural market was created. In 1967, the executive bodies of the three Communities merged, creating the basic structure recognized today, with the main institutions being the European Commission, the Council, the Parliament and the Court of Justice. The formation of a customs union (1968–1986) and further expansion of the EU’s scope of activities take place. A targeted agricultural policy is complemented by a unified conservation policy environment and in research and technological development. Joint scientific and technological policy at this stage of EU development was concentrated in the coal, metallurgical industries and nuclear energy. In 1984–1987 a “framework” comprehensive program was adopted, which introduced medium-term planning of scientific and technical activities. Within its framework, since 1985, an independent large-scale multi-purpose cooperation program between 19 European countries “Eureka” has been operating. Next, the creation of a common market (1987?1992). Based on the Single European Act, as well as the document signed in 1985 on the program for creating the country's internal market, the EU eliminated the remaining barriers to the movement of goods and factors of production. The largest achievement of the integration process during this period was the adoption and implementation of the program for creating a single internal market of the EU by the end of 1992, as a result of which the following goals were achieved between EU countries:

1. all tariff and non-tariff restrictions in mutual trade in goods and services have been eliminated, all restrictions on interstate movement of capital within the EU have been eliminated and mutual recognition of financial licenses has been introduced;

2. national restrictions on the import of industrial goods from third countries have been eliminated;

3. minimum technical requirements for standards, mutual recognition of test results and certification have been introduced;

4. markets are open public procurement for companies from other EU countries.

During the same period, EU countries moved to pursue a unified policy in certain sectors: energy, transport, issues of social and regional development. In 1991, the Agreement on the creation of a Single European Economic Area (SES) was signed between the EU and 3 EFTA countries. The SES Treaty provides for the free movement of goods, services, capital and people between the countries of Western Europe; cooperation in the field of science, education, ecology and social security; creation of a unified legal system. The functioning mechanism of the EU is based primarily on the political and legal management system, which includes both general or interstate bodies and elements of national-state regulation. The Council of the European Union (CEU) serves as the interstate governing body of the EU. It holds sessions at least twice a year at the level of heads of state and government, and also regularly meets at the level of various ministers (foreign affairs, economics, finance, agriculture, etc.). The EU at the highest level makes strategic integration decisions like the Single European Act and has the most important rule-making functions. EU Commission (EC) ? executive body, a kind of government of the EU, implementing the decisions of the CJEU. At the same time, the CEC issues directives and regulations, i.e. also has rule-making competencies. The CES consists of 20 members (commissioners) responsible for specific issues (agriculture, energy, etc.) and appointed for a period of five years by national governments, but independent of the latter. The residence of the CES is located in Brussels; its staff numbers approximately 15 thousand people. Among the bodies of the European Union, the CES plays key role in the sense that it is in his apparatus that ideas and specific proposals regarding the ways and forms of further development of the Union are developed.

The European Parliament (EP), headquartered in Strasbourg, has been elected since 1979. by direct voting of citizens in all countries? EU members. It currently includes 626 deputies, and the representation of each country depends on the size of its population. After the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty on November 1, 1993. The functions of the EP were significantly expanded, going far beyond the scope of its predominantly advisory powers. These include the adoption of the EU budget, control over the activities of the CEU and the right to entrust it with the development of specific proposals for the development of integration, the right to make decisions jointly with the CEU on individual issues EU legislation.

To date, the EU has officially recognized 11 states as candidates for accession to the Union. With six of them, which are called “first-line candidates,” the CEC began the negotiation process in 1998. This group (its entry will actually become the fifth stage of the expansion of the Union) includes Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, as well as Cyprus (Greek). The “second-stage candidates” with whom formal negotiations were not yet conducted in 1998, but will begin in the near future, include Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. The specific timing of EU enlargement is now quite difficult to determine. The lag behind the EU candidate countries in terms of economic development is a reflection of the lower competitiveness of their national economies. This, of course, gives rise to significant problems in the field of trade. Full integration of candidate countries into the EU foreign trade regime will require a long transition period. At the same time, it can be unequivocally stated that the greatest difficulties in fully integrating candidate countries into the EU mechanism will not be related to the area of ​​trade. Already done in this direction important steps during the implementation of the "European agreements". Trade between EU member states and candidate countries has already undergone fundamental liberalization, especially for manufactured goods (with reservations for some “sensitive” goods, such as ferrous metals and textiles). The candidate countries, even those from the second tier, have also noticeably adapted their foreign trade regimes to EU requirements. The main difficulties are concentrated in the financial sector. In general, the essence of the problems is as follows. From the very beginning of the existence of this integration grouping, the entire EU mechanism is aimed at bringing less developed countries and regions to the level of more developed ones, preventing new manifestations of “economic divergence”, or, on the contrary, ensuring “economic convergence”. Therefore, all EU member countries with GDP per capita above the Union average are net sponsors of the EU, i.e. they contribute to the EU budget (primarily its agricultural, regional and social funds) more financial resources than they receive from there. Conversely, countries with relatively low GDP per capita are net recipients of the EU. The latter currently include Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, as well as, to a limited extent, Finland, which is likely to leave the group of recipient countries in the near future. Even greater difficulties arise from the current state of the EU labor market. In most EU member countries, the share of unemployed in the self-employed population, even according to underestimated official data, is 10-12%, which creates, for example, huge problems in financing unemployment insurance funds. The total number of unemployed people in the EU, according to official data, is about 18 million. Thus, at least at first, EU enlargement brings more problems to its member countries than benefits. However, politically, EU enlargement would certainly lead to the strengthening of young democracies (as was the case with Greece, Spain and Portugal during their transition from dictatorship to democracy) and a general stabilization of the situation on the continent. None of the EU member states is interested in having countries with unstable regimes near their borders. In this regard, it is quite natural that the most consistent advocates of EU enlargement are Germany and Austria. The Union's decision to officially recognize 11 states as first and second priority candidates was made primarily for political reasons and considerations.

· North American model of integration (NAFTA). The integration process in North America has been developing for several decades, but the political institutions that contribute to the formation of this process have become widespread relatively recently. This is due to the fact that the main initiator of the integration process in North America is the United States, whose level of economic development is exceptionally high. Until the late 1980s, the United States did not feel the need to enter into agreements with any countries. At the same time, neither Canada, nor especially Mexico, were ready to join the United States in the same integration association.

However, in 1985 Negotiations began on concluding a bilateral US-Canadian free trade agreement, which was signed in 1988. The agreement provided for the liberalization of mutual trade in goods and services over a ten-year period, the settlement of disputes arising between states, and ensuring wide access for American businesses to the Canadian market. The conclusion of the Agreement had a beneficial effect on such sectors of the American economy as the automotive industry, the printing industry, and agriculture. At the same time, American and Canadian companies operating in the mining, metallurgy, and shipping industries faced some difficulties as a result of the Agreement. However, economic interdependence between the United States and Canada continued to increase. The United States-Canada-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed in 1994, is a new stage in the development of international economic relations on the North American continent. This tripartite agreement was intended to form a single economic space by eliminating customs barriers between states and ensuring the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor across their borders. The elimination of tariffs on goods from the United States, Canada and Mexico is gradual, over a maximum period of 15 years. The elimination of tariffs between the United States and Canada, which began as part of the 1988 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement, was completed in 1998. For the bulk of U.S.-Mexico and Canada-Mexico trade, NAFTA either immediately eliminates existing tariffs or eliminates a cap period of 5 to 10 years on them. Only for some of the most sensitive goods the Agreement provides for a 15-year period of elimination of duties. Canada and Mexico have eliminated all tariff and non-tariff barriers to mutual agricultural trade, with the exception of dairy products, poultry, eggs, sugar and syrup. Canada immediately following the signing of NAFTA exempted Mexico from import restrictions related to wheat, barley and their products, beef, veal and margarine. In addition, restrictions were lifted in other sectors of the economy, including the automotive industry and the textile industry. Tariffs on most textile goods were canceled by Canada and Mexico in 2002, and tariffs on clothing - in 2004. At the same time, it should be noted that today NAFTA, unlike the EU, as the most developed integration association, does not exist supranational bodies management having the right to make decisions binding on all parties to the Agreement; NAFTA does not have a unified economic or monetary policy. In addition, compared to the EU, which provides assistance to its less developed member countries such as Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, NAFTA does not provide for such assistance. This means that Mexico is forced to cope with its economic difficulties on its own. The effectiveness of the Agreement can only be determined after 10 years, which is primarily due to the scale of the US economy compared to Canada and Mexico. Although in general there is an increase in exports and imports in the field of trade, primarily between the United States and Mexico, there is an increase in employment and income levels of the US population, and an increase in labor productivity is observed. In addition, there is a transfer of part of the business from the United States to Mexico, with a simultaneous migration of the population from Mexico to the United States. All this can be explained, to a certain extent, by the positive impact of the formation of NAFTA on international economic cooperation on the North American continent. As for the impact of NAFTA on the Canadian economy, it is too early to say what its impact will be. This is due to the fact that the Canadian economy is very closely and has long been tied to the US economy. Mexico still plays a minor role in the Canadian economy. The creation of such a significant trade and economic bloc could not but affect the mood of business circles in the rest of the countries of the Western Hemisphere. It is no coincidence that soon after the creation of the NAFTA integration association, some countries expressed a desire to join it South America.

· Organization of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Today, quite active efforts are being made to develop international cooperation within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, formed in November 1989. At the initial stage, it functioned as a ministerial meeting. Since 1993, regular meetings of heads of state and government have been held. Currently, the forum participants are 21 countries: Australia, Brunei, Vietnam, Hong Kong (as a special zone of China), Indonesia, Canada, China, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore, USA, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, Chile, Japan. Thus, it represents countries with very significant and growing economic potential. In terms of its character, goals and even composition of participants, APEC looks rather atypical. This economic association was created by states with very different conditions and levels of economic development, economic structures, traditions, ideology and even the psychology of people. However, industrial development and developing countries cooperate here as equal partners. More than 2.5 billion people live in APEC member countries; the total GDP of these countries exceeds 26 trillion. dollars (2004). They account for more than 50% of world trade. While maintaining a consultative status, APEC is actually turning into a fairly effective mechanism within which regional rules for conducting trade, economic, scientific and technical and investment activities, as well as international business. Within APEC, work is underway to expand economic and technological cooperation by adopting individual action plans, studying the possibilities of using new electronic computing technologies and ensuring their availability for all countries in the region, as well as developing human potential, introducing the latest methods of corporate governance in international business.

· Latin American Free Trade Association (LAST). Integration processes in Latin America and other regions of the world Integration in Latin America led to the creation in 1960 of the Latin American Free Trade Association (LAST), which included Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Chile , Ecuador. This organization provided for the liberalization of mutual trade, the establishment of customs barriers against third countries, and an increase in domestic trade turnover. Since then, according to the Treaty of Montevideo II, signed in 1980, LAST was transformed into the Latin American Integration Association (LAI), which, in addition to the above-mentioned countries, included Uruguay. Gradually, Latin American states began to move from the practice of creating multilateral associations to organizing small groups. One of them is the Common Market (MERCOSUR) created in 1995 between Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Later, Paraguay joined MERCOSUR, and Chile and Bolivia announced their participation as associate members. In MERCOSUR, 95% of mutual trade is not subject to duties, and the remaining tariffs are planned to be eliminated in the near future. Thanks to the creation of MERCOSUR, there was a significant increase in domestic trade, interaction with other integration associations increased (for example, a Cooperation Agreement was signed with the EU in 1995), and investment activity increased both between the parties to the Agreement and third countries. In addition, a preliminary agreement was signed to establish a free trade area between MERCOSUR and the Southern African Development Community.

· ASEAN is an international integration association formed on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok. It included Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, then Brunei Darussalam (in 1984), Vietnam (in 1995), Laos and Myanmar (in 1997), Cambodia (in 1999). Papua New Guinea has special observer status. ASEAN is one of the world's largest integration associations, with a total population of about 500 people, and the total GDP of the ASEAN countries reaches almost 1 trillion. dollars The statutory goals of the Bangkok Declaration on the Establishment of ASEAN were to promote the development of ecu - economic and cultural cooperation of member countries, strengthening peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The task of transforming ASEAN into one of the global political and economic centers of a multipolar world stimulated this regional grouping of countries to actively solve a number of extremely important economic tasks: the formation of a free trade zone and an investment zone, the introduction of a single currency and the creation of a comprehensive economic infrastructure, the formation of a special structure for managing foreign economic activity. During its existence, ASEAN has established itself as a mature political organization. Countries with underdeveloped economies, but possessing the necessary raw materials and labor resources with foreign support from financial, technical, and scientific means, are able to achieve high rates of economic development. When extensive growth due to the influx of foreign investment was exhausted, the countries of Southeast Asia began to search for internal intensive factors of economic development, for example through regional integration within ASEAN, which has not yet brought them the desired effect, but has created a broad, unified economic space for fruitful international business.

· Integration processes within the CIS. The vital need for economic integration for the countries of the USSR republics can be explained by a number of reasons. Political independence did not give these countries economic independence. After the collapse of the USSR, young states began to acutely feel the insufficient development of productive forces and the increasing dependence of their economies on the West. By joining forces in the fight against the unequal division of labor, the former USSR republics are achieving fairer economic relations. After the collapse of the USSR, these new problems were called upon to be solved by the Commonwealth of Independent States - CIS. A very important integrating factor within the CIS is the presence of a jointly created, unified and integral infrastructure (transport, energy, communication systems). Violation of the unity of the infrastructure that existed within the USSR excludes for each of the states of the post-Soviet space the possibility of its effective operation. Fixed assets created in accordance with uniform technical and economic conditions and state standards, as well as a general system for training specialists and scientific personnel in all spheres of the economy continue to be important. One of the main integrating factors remains the need to restore and develop closer trade and economic cooperation within the CIS. The fundamental legal documents of the CIS are the Agreement on the Creation of the CIS (December 8, 1991, Minsk), signed by Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, and the Protocol to this Agreement (December 21, 1991, Alma-Ata), according to which the Commonwealth 8 more countries included - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In December 1993, Georgia joined the Commonwealth. On January 22, 1993, the CIS Charter was adopted, containing the main directions of the Commonwealth’s activities, among which the primary ones are: the formation of a common economic space on the basis of market relations, coordination of credit, financial and social policies, assistance in the development of trade and economic relations of member states, the creation of a common information space, implementation of joint projects and programs in the field of science and technology, education, healthcare, culture and sports. The legal basis for the development of economic integration ties within the CIS was the Treaty on the Establishment of an Economic Union, signed on September 24, 1993. The Treaty symbolized the awareness of the need for integration interaction, the need to prioritize the economic aspects of integration, to obtain real results, mutual benefits from close interstate cooperation. The agreement provided for a gradual deepening of integration through the creation of a free trade zone, a customs post, a common market for goods, services, capital and labor, and a monetary union, which undoubtedly opened up wide opportunities for the development of international business. For the real functioning of the Economic Union, constructive decisions are needed, a well-founded concept for its construction, which was defined in the long-term plan for the integration development of the CIS, adopted on October 21, 1884. This Plan provided for at least the restoration of previous economic ties, as well as the formation of a customs and payment union by the Supreme Bodies The CIS are the Council of Heads of State (CHS) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG). The powers of the CHS include resolving any fundamental issues related to the common interests of the participating states. The SGP coordinates cooperation between executive authorities and economic, social and other areas of common interests. The SGP holds four meetings a year, the CUG - two. By the beginning of the 21st century. The CIS failed to radically solve many vital problems, including the organization of qualitatively new economic relations between sovereign states, the formation and preservation of a common economic space. With the effective development of integration within the CIS, international business can contribute to a faster and painless overcoming of the economic crisis, as well as the CIS gaining a worthy place in the world community and the global economy. In October 2000, in Astana (Kazakhstan), the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), which is not only a form of legal and organizational formalization of the unification of five states, but also the basis for their translation interstate cooperation to a new level. The goals of the EurAsEC are proclaimed: effective promotion the process of strengthening the customs union and common economic space, the implementation of other tasks defined in the basic documents previously signed by the parties. The organizational and legal design of the economic union of the five CIS member states fully fits into the concept of multi-speed and multi-level integration and in no way contradicts the prospects for the development of cooperation within the CIS. Moreover, forms and methods of economic interaction will be tested in the EurAsEC, which can then be applied on a broader basis. As an open association, the Eurasian Economic Community is ready and able to play the role of a catalyst and driver of integration processes in the economic space of two continents - Europe and Asia, which will open up even greater scope for conducting international business. The integration process is objective in nature. Its main goal is to establish, with the active assistance of the participating states, sustainable comprehensive trade and economic relations between the national economies of two or more countries with a similar socio-economic system. During the development of the integration process, there is an interpenetration, and in the future, a merging, to one degree or another, of national reproduction processes, a convergence of social and institutional structures of different countries.

The Belarusian leader is convinced of the advisability of “combining the capabilities of countries with major international projects, primarily with the economic belt of the Silk Road.” He reminded the meeting participants that his country is already actively participating in it, developing the Chinese-Belarusian industrial park "Great Stone". In addition, Lukashenko is confident that stable relations between the CIS states will be facilitated by a broad dialogue between the Commonwealth and the Eurasian Economic Union.

The President of the Republic of Belarus proposed to instruct the Executive Secretary of the CIS and the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission to intensify preparations for the signing of an updated memorandum on deepening interaction between the EEC and the CIS Executive Committee. “This document will allow Commonwealth partners to quickly and fully receive information on the development of Eurasian integration and objectively assess the prospects for increasing cooperation in priority areas,” he stated.

Lukashenko called on the CIS leaders for unity and joint action “against the background of the destruction of the existing international trade system,” emphasizing that strengthening economic cooperation remains a constant priority for Minsk in the Commonwealth. At the same time, he noted that world market relations are increasingly losing signs of civilized interaction between countries.

“At the instigation of the West, the international trade system created over decades is being categorically and unilaterally destroyed. The use of illegal mechanisms is becoming the norm and putting our economies in a vulnerable position,” the speaker noted. “On the one hand, we must join forces to jointly protect interests in the global market. On the other hand, we must intensify mutual trade and investment, expand industrial cooperation. We must respond by consolidating and increasing the role of the Commonwealth as a regional player,” Lukashenko said.

The President stated with regret that, in his opinion, it has not yet been possible to fully formulate a theoretical model and create a practical strategy for economic integration in the CIS. He took the initiative to update the economic block in the Concept for the further development of the CIS, which, in his words, “can become the ideological basis for a more complete use of scientific, production and investment potential within the Commonwealth. It is necessary to reasonably link this with the development of the CIS Economic Development Strategy for the period after 2020."

According to the Belarusian leader, modern guidelines should be consolidated in both the concept and strategy and common points of economic growth should be identified.

Accounting