Global integration essence and possibilities. Global integration and unity of mankind. Integration groupings of socialist and transitional countries

Regional and global integration

Developing on two levels - global and regional, The integration process is characterized, on the one hand, by the growing internationalization of economic life, and on the other hand, by the economic convergence of countries on a regional basis. Regional integration, growing on the basis of the internationalization of production and capital, at the same time expresses a certain divergence in the world market system, i.e. a parallel trend developing alongside a more global one. It represents, if not a denial of the global nature of the world market, then to a certain extent an attempt to close it within the framework of a group of developed leading countries. We are talking about a qualitative shift, due both to the growing economic needs of the economic rapprochement of different countries, and the all-encompassing nature of the deepening of contradictions within the world capitalist system. To find a way out of these contradictions, as well as to solve the problems dictated by the acceleration of the internationalization of national economic complexes, modern countries seek through the ultimate deepening of regional economic integration.

Within the framework of the regional complex, not only the sphere of circulation is internationalized and integrated, but also the central phase of the circulation of capital, i.e. production itself, the technological process of creating a product. As a result, there is an interweaving of the circulation of total national capitals as a whole. Here lies the main boundary separating integration from pre-integration forms of internationalization of economic life. Let us also note that integration as an economic phenomenon is still quite general, since nowhere in the world has there been a process of complete integration, culminating in the unification and loss of independence of the participants in the association. So integration is is the process of unification , but not yet the unification of individual parts into a single whole. All this, however, is directly related to the most advanced form of integration - the European Union.

Thus, international economic integration (MPEI) - this is a steadily ongoing process of convergence of a number of states on the path to unification - from the declaration of integration to the closest cooperation in the field of economy, finance, attracting labor, the creation of supranational bodies of economic and political power, which form a common basis for conducting domestic and foreign economic policy of integrating states.

The extensive joint activity of the integration group and the created mechanisms of power leads to the development of uniform rules for the activities of various subjects of economic, legal, cultural, political, military and other activities in the direction of integration. This activity strengthens cooperation and regulation of economic, social, and in some cases - political issues in accordance with the tasks that were officially set by treaties and agreements at different stages of the integration development of countries.

Principles, types and forms of integration

The experience of many integration associations of the XX century. shows that they are formed mainly on two basic principles. One principle is the powerful proactive role of the state (a classic example is the creation and development of the European Union); another principle is the predominant role of large private entrepreneurship, which literally forces the state to take the path of integration rapprochement with one or another group of countries (examples: the Treaty between the USA, Canada and Mexico, NAFTA).

In the first case, it develops institutional type of integration , in the second - private-corporate. The global process of economic integration is likely to creamy character , since it is pushed, on the one hand, by developed countries and their governments, on the other hand, by powerful TNCs and TNBs, and on the third hand, by large and influential international financial, economic and financial organizations and institutions (WTO, WB, IMF), as well as structures UN.

The CMEA should also be referred to the institutional type of integration, since it was organized exclusively at the interstate level, although in order to solve primarily the economic problems of the Eastern European countries.

The role of the state factor is also significant in the formation of various regional integration groups in the zones of developing countries, which is obviously due to the fact that large-scale entrepreneurship in developing countries is still being formed and does not have sufficient influence to become the leading force for "pushing through" integration associations and relevant interstate agreements.

In terms of scale, integration associations are divided into:

  • 1) bilateral - the least common in practice (for example, the integration association of Australia and New Zealand acting on the basis of an agreement);
  • 2) multilateral - the most common in regional integration;
  • 3) continental - Latin American Economic Integration (LEI), Organization of African Unity (OLE).

At present, both types of integration are dynamically developing - both global and regional forms. Integration processes cover Europe, North America, vast areas of the Indian-Pacific basin, Latin America, Africa, the zone of Arab countries. Each regional integration group has its own characteristics and mechanisms of formation and functioning. Some of them show their vitality, and the participating countries benefit for their peoples; others exist only on a formal basis, although sometimes the governments of these countries conclude important treaties and agreements.

International regional organizations active in Europe:

  • o EU;
  • o EACT.

Regional organizations active in Europe:

  • o Nordic Council (Nordic countries);
  • o Council of the Baltic Sea States.

Regional associations of the states of Central and Eastern Europe and Asia:

  • o CIS;
  • o Euro-Asian Free Trade Agreement; transformed in 2005 into the EurAsEC;
  • o Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC);
  • o Organization of the countries of Central Asia;
  • o Baltic Free Trade Area;
  • o Russian-Belarusian Economic Union (transformed in 1997 into the Union of Belarus and Russia);
  • o Kazakh-Kyrgyz-Uzbek Free Trade Agreement;
  • o Cooperation Organization of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM);
  • o Agreement on the Common Economic Space of the CIS (2004);
  • o Shanghai Cooperation Organization (IIIOC, 2005);
  • o Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus (2009).

In news feeds or news broadcasts, one often hears the word “integration”, as a rule, in the context of some economic or political event or situation. It is quite densely included in our vocabulary, but at the same time its meaning is not clear to everyone. This article will help answer the question of what integration is. In addition, you will be able to fill gaps in knowledge and better understand what is happening on the political and economic Olympus.

What is integration?

The Latin word "integration" means the process of combining different parts into a single whole. At the same time, depending on the context of the use of this term, the definition is specified and supplemented. In the economic context, integration is the process of active convergence, merger and mutual adaptation of national economic systems. They are inclined to self-regulation and self-development on the basis of political and economic agreements agreed between states.

International level

International economic integration consists of a number of criteria that ultimately determine its essence:

  • It is possible only between countries that are close to each other in terms of social and ideological structure, have political compatibility of systems and comparability in terms of economic level of development.
  • International economic integration is effective and even more successful only at an equally high level of development of productive forces, that is, it is possible between developed countries.
  • It has its own internal logical sequence of ongoing activities, since the various components of integration are closely interconnected and interdependent.
  • It is managed and directed at the highest level - interstate and intergovernmental.

European variant

European integration has a rather long history, where for several decades the search for the optimal path for the development and formation of a united Europe has been carried out. So far, it has not yet been found, since countries trying to unite have very heterogeneous processes, which makes integration difficult. Let's consider what European integration is.

The longest, on a large scale and with global processes, integration began in Western Europe as early as 1958. The formation of the European Economic Community (EEC) marked the beginning of the creation of the European Union (EU), the purpose of which was the formation of a single economic and financial market. And in 2002, European integration continued with the creation of a single union currency, which led to a more complex stage of integration - political.

Signs of integration

There are a number of features that can be used to classify the changes taking place in the country as prerequisites for integration or the direct beginning of this process:

  1. Mutual interweaving and penetration into other areas of production processes.
  2. Profound changes in the economic structure in the countries participating in the integration.
  3. Necessary and purposeful management of merger processes.
  4. The emergence in connection with this factor of various structures at the interstate level.

Forms of integration

Forms (or stages) of integration have several levels. First of all, as a rule, a free trade market is formed, aimed at the gradual reduction and further rejection of customs duties and payments between the participating countries in terms of mutual trade in various goods. The second stage is the creation of a customs union, which implies mutual duty-free trade relations and a single foreign trade tariff in relations with countries that are not united by integration.

The third stage is the creation of a single market. This means free trade and production processes within the integration countries, as well as the creation of a centralized governing body. The goal is a single market as one state, where there is a free and unhindered movement of goods, services, labor and capital. At the fourth stage, an economic union is created, then a monetary one. A unified policy is being pursued with regard to the economy, finance, the currency of the integration participants, as well as citizenship.

Integration conditions

There are a number of conditions under which integration can be not only possible, but also successful:

  • The economies of the merging countries should be at approximately the same level.
  • All countries of the association should be at the stage of growth: economic, political, cultural, and so on.
  • Political decisions are needed at the level of the governments of the participating countries.
  • Preferably close territorial location of the powers, common borders.
  • It is necessary to decide on the leader state in the association.

Development

There are a number of factors influencing the development and acceleration of the integration processes. These include:

  • openness and transparency of the national economies of countries striving for integration;
  • division of labor at the international level;
  • dynamic development of the global infrastructure and market;
  • output of production beyond the borders of their country and its optimization at the global level;
  • strengthening and redistribution of financial flows;
  • migratory labor flows;
  • international development of the scientific and technical sector;
  • creation and development of international systems for the management of transport, communications and information.

All of the above factors stimulate the stages of merging and contribute to the transition of the merger to a fundamentally new level of quality. Integration and development together increase competition, lead to an increase in scale, the progression of specialization and cooperation of production, which, in turn, contribute to economic recovery.

Advantages and disadvantages

Despite the fact that the implementation of integration processes carries a lot of positive factors for the national economies of the merging participating countries, there are also negative aspects. The most common integration problems are:

  1. The processes of rapprochement and merger are held back by the incomplete and weak complementation of the economies of the participating countries.
  2. Infrastructure is evolving unevenly.
  3. There is a difference in economic levels and, accordingly, in the potentials for further development.
  4. Instability of the political system is possible in at least one participating country.

Faced with such obstacles on the integration path, countries drag out the process of unification for many years, which cannot have a positive effect on their economy and leads to negative consequences. What is integration for countries with a less developed economic sector? It leads to an outflow of various resources and their redistribution towards more stable members of the coalition. In addition, the increase in production within the framework of an integration association carries with it the deferred effect of losses precisely from the increase in scale. There is a risk of collusion between the participating countries on a certain segment of the goods market, which will undoubtedly lead to an increase in prices for them.

The advantages of integration processes include an increase in the size of the market for free trade, which, in turn, leads to competition between countries. This gives impetus to provide better conditions for trade, as a result of which there is an improvement in infrastructure and the latest world technologies are also actively disseminated.

Integration examples

There are enough of them in the world. Here is an example of the largest, well-known and successful associations:


1

There are currently two trends in the global economy. On the one hand, the integrity of the world economy, its globalization is increasing, which is caused by the development of economic relations between countries, the liberalization of trade, the creation of modern communication and information systems, world technical standards and norms. On the other hand, there is an economic rapprochement and interaction of countries at the regional level, large regional integration structures are being formed - developing towards the creation of relatively independent centers of the world economy. The main advantage of international integration groupings is the more beneficial use of opportunities for mutually beneficial economic ties that contribute to an increase in GDP production and the efficiency of its use, which is a condition for sustainable economic growth. The above reasons make us interpret the concept, essence and content of the sustainable development of national economies in a new way in the context of international economic integration.

internationalization.

Integration processes

National economy

International economic integration

1. Bauman Z. Integration. Consequences for man and society / Per. from English. - M.: Publishing house "The whole world", 2007.

2. Great economic encyclopedia. - M.: Eksmo, 2008. - S. 249.

3. Dahin V. Underwater reef of globalization // Free Thought. - 2008. - No. 4. - P.55-61.

4. Zhuravskaya E. G. Regional integration in the developing world: non-Marxist theories and reality (on the example of ASEAN). - M.: Nauka, 1990.

6. Moses G. Processes of globalization and regionalization in the world economy // The Economist. - 2006. - No. 9. - S. 3-7.

7. Economic and legal dictionary / Ed. A. N. Azrilyana. - M.: Institute of New Economics, 2004.

In modern conditions, the increasing internationalization and openness of national economies, the international division of labor, the dynamic change in market conditions, the exit of the production cycle, financial flows, the movement of labor beyond the national framework, modern systems of transport, communications and information and other factors contribute to the rapid development of integration processes and the transition them to a new quality level.

Many scientists are engaged in research and integration in general, and its individual elements, relationships and manifestations. In domestic economic science, the problems of integration are considered in the works of E. M. Korostyshevskaya, E. F. Gershtein, G. R. Margolit, A. Marshak, A. Molotnikov, A. Radygin and others. A very significant scientific and practical potential has been accumulated, which was formed as a result of many years of debatable study of integration problems. However, among the researchers of this problem there is no unequivocal opinion, as well as a single theoretical approach to the interpretation of its nature and content.

Integration as a phenomenon has existed for a long time and as a concept has been used in the scientific literature for several decades.

As you know, the term "integration" was first used in the 30s of the twentieth century by a number of German and Swedish scientists and, translated from Latin (from Latin integratio - restoration, replenishment from integer - whole), integration means combining any parts into a whole , elements .

In this study, the issues of interest to us are related to the economic aspect of the study of integration processes and lie within the economic plane.

Here is a typical definition of integration given in many textbooks on economics and economic dictionaries: integration - (from integer - whole) - is “the association of economic entities, deepening their interaction, developing ties between them”.

International economic integration (MPEI) is "an objective process of developing particularly deep and stable relationships between individual groups of countries, based on their implementation of a coordinated interstate policy" .

The main features of international economic integration are:

  • interpenetration and interweaving of national production processes;
  • structural changes in the economies of the participating countries;
  • necessity and purposeful regulation of integration processes.

To the advantages of international economic integration:

  • an increase in the size of the market - a manifestation of the effect of scale of production;
  • increased competition between countries;
  • providing better trading conditions;
  • expanding trade in parallel with improving infrastructure;
  • dissemination of new technologies.

The negative consequences of international economic integration are:

  • outflow of resources (factors of production) of more backward countries in favor of stronger partners;
  • increase in prices for goods as a result of oligopolistic collusion between transnational corporations of the participating countries;
  • the effect of losses from increasing the scale of production.

The following forms of international economic integration are distinguished (with increased integration towards the end of the list):

  • Preferential zone;
  • Free trading zone;
  • Customs Union;
  • Common Market;
  • Economic Union;
  • Economic and monetary union.

The preferential zone is a form of international integration. The preferential zone unites countries in whose mutual trade customs duties on imported goods are reduced or canceled.

A free trade area (FTA) is a type of international integration in which customs duties, taxes and fees are abolished in the participating countries, as well as quantitative restrictions in mutual trade in accordance with an international treaty.

Customs Union (CU) - 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.

An economic union is one of the types of trade blocs, characterized by the following features:

  • The existence of agreements on the freedom of movement of other factors of production, i.e. financial and human capital;
  • Existence of agreements on harmonization of fiscal and monetary policies.

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is one of the types of trade blocs, characterized by the following features:

  • Cancellation of customs duties in trade between the countries of the union, a form of collective protectionism from third countries;
  • The existence of agreements on the freedom of movement of other factors of production, that is, capital and labor;
  • Availability of agreements on harmonization of fiscal and monetary policies;
  • The presence of supranational governing bodies and the implementation of a unified macroeconomic policy.

At the end of the XX century. economic integration has become 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 groups.

In recent years, the Russian Federation has been increasingly taking part in the processes of internationalization of the world economy, which is largely due to the fact that the world community has learned to see modern Russia as a full-fledged partner. The volume of foreign trade both with the CIS countries and with far-abroad countries grew continuously until the onset of the global economic crisis. At present, after a sharp decline, there has been a positive trend again.

The increase in the openness of the Russian economy has led to an increase in foreign investment, an increase in financial strength ratings, a decrease in risk indicators for foreign investors, and finally, to the entry of the Russian Federation into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The main problems hindering the development of integration processes in the Russian economy, from our point of view, include:

1. Insufficient level of internal integration of the national economy. No state of a federal type can count on effective economic integration with other countries, provided that a sufficient level of economic integration has not yet been achieved within the country. In the case of Russia, this is expressed in the extremely uneven development of the economies of the country's regions (and this is a large gap in the standard of living of the population and the development of productive forces), as well as in the low level of interregional economic cooperation. The vast majority of small and medium-sized enterprises work only for the domestic market of the region, without establishing business contacts outside it.

2. The absence of a unified state system for assessing the development of integration processes in the national economy, as well as in the economies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It is rather difficult to assess the level of development of integration processes in the form of a quantitative indicator, which is explained by the multifactorial nature of the processes under consideration. At the same time, for public authorities, the availability of data on the level of development of economic integration is very important, since it greatly facilitates the monitoring of integration processes and allows for a more successful foreign economic policy. Today, most regions of the Russian Federation either do not have such assessment systems at all, or use different methods for calculating the integral assessment indicator, which makes their results incomparable.

3. Poorly developed infrastructure, especially the poor condition of transport systems. The effectiveness of the process of international economic integration largely depends on the level of infrastructure development in the integrating countries. In Russia, the state of transport systems is generally unsatisfactory, certain sections of federal highways are generally unsuitable for transportation. The level of development of information infrastructure in the regions of Russia also remains low.

4. The historical role of Russia as an undisputed leader in the post-Soviet space, which often prevents the country's leadership from adequately perceiving its partners from the CIS countries. Economic integration in the vast majority of cases involves an equal partnership built on mutually beneficial cooperation, which assumes that the parties take into account each other's interests. The leadership of the Russian Federation is often unwilling to make concessions, having become accustomed to the role of an undisputed leader, capable of dictating its terms. In particular, it is this factor that significantly slows down cooperation between Russia and Belarus.

First, it seems rational to develop a unified system for assessing the level of development of integration processes in the national economy and in the economies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. This step will greatly facilitate the task of monitoring the process of international integration, open up new opportunities for planning measures to develop integration processes and control their implementation. With the development of such a system, public authorities will receive a new powerful tool for conducting regional policy, which should have a positive impact on the country's economy as a whole.

Secondly, it is necessary to improve regional policy, while stimulating the development of international and interregional integration processes at the federal level should pursue the goal of balanced development of regions. The authorities of each region, when regulating interregional economic relations, should have guidelines for building international and interregional relations and understand the strategic tasks of developing the country's economic system as a whole.

Further, the state should pay more attention to the development of transport and information infrastructure in the regions of Russia. While allocating more funds to finance relevant programs, it is necessary to tighten control over their targeted spending at the same time. Moreover, in this area, we see it as expedient to develop projects on the basis of public-private partnership. Both the state benefits from this - by increasing tax revenues, and business - by reducing costs and entering new markets.

And, finally, the country's leadership should form a slightly different understanding of the processes of economic integration with the CIS countries, pay more attention to the needs of its partners and, perhaps, more often compromise without dictating its conditions directly. This will strengthen economic and political ties in the post-Soviet space and improve the image of the Russian Federation in the international arena.

As a result of the implementation of the proposed set of measures, Russia should overcome the main obstacles that prevent it from fully using the huge economic potential offered by international economic integration. In turn, the development of integration processes in the Russian Federation should give a powerful impetus to the development of the national economy as a whole.

Reviewers:

Pozdnyakova Tamara Alekseevna, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Department "Taxes and Taxation" of the North Caucasian Mining and Metallurgical Institute (State Technological University), Vladikavkaz.

Khekilaev S. T., Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Department of Economics and Enterprise Management, North Caucasian Mining and Metallurgical Institute (State Technological University), Vladikavkaz.

Bibliographic link

Takazova M.T. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND PROBLEMS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA // Modern problems of science and education. - 2013. - No. 1.;
URL: http://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=8431 (date of access: 12/22/2019). We bring to your attention the journals published by the publishing house "Academy of Natural History"

The power of regional economic integration lies not only in expanding the growth opportunities for the countries of the region by lowering trade barriers and making goods cheaper for consumers. There are important external dividends that are received by successful and dynamically developing integration blocs, thanks to which the pull of the expanding economic bloc improves the conditions for trade and investment with the outside world.

In economic integration, success begets success, including in terms of creating a sufficiently large economic mass, whose force of attraction (the “gravitational model” in international trade) becomes more and more powerful compared to neighboring economies.

An illustrative example in this respect is the evolution of EU integration, which followed the example of building a critical mass of large economies in Europe (France and Germany as key heavyweights), which served to attract trade flows from neighboring economies. As a result, the gravitational pull of trade flows caused the so-called "domino effect", which led to the fact that more European countries began to join the ever-expanding and massive European Union. Since then, times have changed, and in a situation where the next cycle of "integration growth" can be carried out by the global South, whose nation-states and integration blocs are still largely fragmented, especially in Eurasia.

The current system of a highly integrated developed world and a largely fragmented global South may persist for quite some time if developing countries do not intensify their efforts to unite existing integration blocs within common integration platforms. The first step in this process could be to create a critical mass first in Eurasia by bringing India, China and Russia together in an expanded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO+), which will create a framework for bringing other regional blocs of the global South in Eurasia (such as ASEAN) into the broadest platform for developing countries on the continent. It will also form the basis for engaging the EU in more active economic cooperation with the emerging economies of Eurasia, while an enlarged SCO+ can also contribute to the creation of a global platform for South-South integration, either based on BRICS+ or TRIA (see Ya. Lissovolik, "Imago Mundi: coordinated actions of the continents in the direction "South - South"").

An appropriate sequencing of a global framework for South-South engagement that is becoming significant enough to enable full cooperation with the developed world could progress through the following steps:

    The Russia-India-China Triangle: Closer Coordination Between the Three Countries in Promoting the SCO as a Key Integration Platform for the Emerging Economies of Eurasia

    Greater Eurasia: Creation of an expanded SCO+ structure that will already be large enough to establish closer ties with the EU in building a pan-continental alliance and promoting integration ties

    Integration of the Global South: Creation of a BRICS+/BEAMS and/or TRIA structure that engages other regional blocs from the developing world in the formation of ever-broader coalitions and mega-blocs of the Global South

    Global North-South Platform: An expanded integration platform of the global South is likely to exert a stronger “gravitational pull” towards the developed world, including with regard to coordinating the creation of North-South integration structures

It follows that there is a certain sequence of actions that can be followed in building a more balanced global economic architecture. The most important part of this sequence is related to addressing the fragmentation and gaps in the regional layers of global governance (especially in the global South), which in recent decades has become increasingly important for the development and maintenance of macroeconomic stability. The formation of a more coordinated framework in relations between developed and developing integration economic platforms is unlikely to provide a breakthrough without more active steps on the part of the global South in strengthening South-South integration. For the developing world, two key integration tools in achieving greater engagement with developed economies are related to the SCO+ framework (to build cooperation with the EU in Eurasia) and the BRICS+ framework (to enhance cooperation between the developed world at the global level).

Ultimately, sustainable globalization or economic integration is unlikely to be achieved solely at the level of global economic organizations and without progress in creating coordinated structures within major regional integration mechanisms. Instead of making minor changes to the system of global institutions, a comprehensive renewal of the regional factor of global governance and its greater alignment with other levels of global governance may be the key to a successful restructuring of the world economic architecture.

The phenomena of integration can be traced in global and regional levels.

At the global level, integration manifests itself:

  • 1. in the creation of international legal relations between regional integration associations;
  • 2. in the creation, functioning and development of transnational markets for goods and services (within the WTO system and outside this system).

As method international legal regulation of integration processes is not only coordinating, inherent in MP, but also subordinate method (elements of supranational regulation in the EU).

However, the integration at the regional level acquires the most comprehensive and manageable character: in Europe, North and South America, Asia, the Pacific region, the Middle and Middle East, and Africa.

56. An integration association is an economic space with a special (preferential) legal regime. From the point of view of the MEP, in connection with the integration processes, the problem arises of the relationship between this "intra-integration" regime and the PNP. Similar questions arose in connection with the creation of the EEC, EFTA, and LAST.

Assuming that, by virtue of the PNB third States may demand "intra-integration" benefits, which will mean the impossibility of integration, a ban on integration.

This problem was considered in the International Law Commission of the United Nations in the preparation of the "draft articles on most favored nation clauses", which could become an international convention.

It should be noted that Art. Text XXIV of the GATT provides for "customs unions", "free trade zones" as an exception to the scope of the PNB. However, in practice, none of the customs union or free trade area agreements fully met the requirements of the GATT, and yet all of these associations were recognized as having the right to exemption from obligations arising from the PNB.

With this in mind, it can be argued that the benefits provided by states to each other within the framework of integration associations do not fall within the scope of the NSL either on the basis of an international treaty (GATT, bilateral trade agreements providing for such exceptions), or on the basis of established international legal custom.

In connection with the establishment of international legal ties between integration associations, new features are also being introduced into the practice of applying the NSP: there is a kind of “transfer” of the application of this principle from the interstate level to the level of “integration association to integration association”.

For example, in 1983, an Agreement on Economic Cooperation was concluded between the EEC and the Andean Pact, which provides (Article 4) for the mutual provision of MFN.

A similar provision was contained in the agreement between the EEC and the ASEAN member countries, as well as in the draft framework agreement between the EEC and the CMEA.