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A Eurasian (or a Soviet) Union? Consequences of further economic integration in the Commonwealth of Independent States

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  • Hartwell, Christopher A.

Abstract

On January 1, 2012, the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia took a big step in regional integration by removing all barriers to trade, capital, and labor movements between the three countries. Policymakers have signaled that even this landmark step is merely a way station en route to a comprehensive ‘Eurasian Union’ by 2015. However, is this idea of greater integration a good one, and if so, what shape should the integration take? This article examines the opportunities and challenges for both deeper (i.e., more intensive) and broader (i.e., more inclusive) integration in the Eurasian space and concludes that greater integration will work for all only if it is based on fostering the trade liberalization that has been missing from the region. Moreover, including Ukraine is not necessary for the integration to succeed, but Central Asian nations should be encouraged to follow the example of a liberalized Eurasian Union. Acting as the European Union did in the post-war era, the Eurasian Union could help member countries take the liberalizing steps they could not take on their own.

Suggested Citation

  • Hartwell, Christopher A., 2013. "A Eurasian (or a Soviet) Union? Consequences of further economic integration in the Commonwealth of Independent States," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 56(4), pages 411-420.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:56:y:2013:i:4:p:411-420
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2013.03.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Harry G. Broadman, 2005. "From Disintegration to Reintegration : Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union in International Trade," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7511, December.
    2. Raballand, Gael & Kunth, Antoine & Auty, Richard, 2005. "Central Asia's transport cost burden and its impact on trade," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 6-31, March.
    3. Vinokurov, Evgeny, 2010. "The System of Indicators of Eurasian Integration," MPRA Paper 22227, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. International Monetary Fund, 2008. "Russian Federation: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2008/308, International Monetary Fund.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pablo PODADERA RIVERA & Anna GARASHCHUK, 2016. "The Eurasian Economic Union: prospective regional integration in the post-Soviet space or just geopolitical project?," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7, pages 91-110, December.
    2. Bianco, V. & Proskuryakova, L. & Starodubtseva, A., 2021. "Energy inequality in the Eurasian Economic Union," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. Libman, Alexander, 2015. "Ukrainian Crisis, Economic Crisis in Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union," MPRA Paper 63861, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Angelina A. Kolomeytseva & Maria A. Maksakova, 2019. "Integration Potential in Energy Sector: Eurasian Economic Union Case," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(2), pages 174-181.
    5. Gharleghi, Behrooz, 2019. "Economic integration and macroeconomic shocks in Eurasia," MPRA Paper 95545, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Christopher A. Hartwell, 2023. "In our (frozen) backyard: the Eurasian Union and regional environmental governance in the Arctic," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-22, April.
    7. Falkowski Krzysztof, 2017. "Long-Term Comparative Advantages of the Eurasian Economic Union Member States in International Trade," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 53(4), pages 27-49, December.
    8. ARMAN MAZHIKEYEV & Huw Edwards, 2015. "Consequences Of Asymmetric Deeper Eurasian Economic Integration," EcoMod2015 8365, EcoMod.
    9. Liliana Proskuryakova & Georgy Ermolenko, 2022. "Decarbonization Prospects in the Commonwealth of Independent States," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Irena Benešová & Luboš Smutka & Lenka Rumánková & Adriana Laputková & Zuzana Novotná, 2016. "Regional Cooperation of the Post-Soviet Countries - Can it Be Influenced by the Structure of the Economy?," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 64(6), pages 1843-1856.
    11. Cristian CARAMAN & CLiviu-George MAHA, 2019. "Foreign Trade And The Prospects Of Regional Integration Of The Republic Of Moldova," EURINT, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 6, pages 168-184.
    12. Rilka Dragneva & Christopher A. Hartwell, 2022. "The Crisis of the Multilateral Order in Eurasia: Authoritarian Regionalism and Its Limits," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(2), pages 95-105.
    13. Victor Ye. Kovalev & Aleksandr N. Semin, 2021. "Resilience of Russia’s agri-food market under customs imbalances of the Eurasian integration," Journal of New Economy, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 22(3), pages 28-43, October.

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