Шепетинская О.И., студентка гр. ЭК-532
Рябикина Е.В., старший преподаватель
«Ростовский государственный экономический университет
(РИНХ)»
Development of integration
associations in the world practice
Integration
Associations are not only a characteristic feature of the international
economic integration, but also a powerful tool of the accelerated development
of regional economies and their competitiveness in the global market. The need
and relevance of these entities is confirmed by the creation of a large number
of integration associations in the last decades. Integration associations as a
form of international economic integration are the characteristic feature of
modern stage of world economy.
In the Western
Europe due to the needs in the deployment of integration processes the European
Union appeared – economic, political and currency unification. Despite the lack
of effective control of economies of EU members and their level of socio –
economic development, the European Union at the moment, of course, is the most
developed integration grouping in the world. On the basis of successful
economic integration political ties between the member countries of the
Association develop, and the currency of Union – the Euro in the coming years
will be able to push for a world currency – the dollar.
It should be
noted that activities of highly integrated associations, and EU firstly, more
significant and noticeable. So the EU dates back to 1957. At the present stage
of development the supranational bodies of the Union unreservedly carry out a
single trade, monetary, competitive, economic, scientific – technical and other
types of policies. In domestic affairs the EU also shows the close relationship
of States parties: we can see joint fight against crime, there is a common
citizenship, efforts in tax fiscal, social and educational fields are
coordinated.
Now the EU's 493
million people, about 22% of global GDP, about 18% of world merchandise trade
and 26% in services (not taking into account the volumes of domestic trade
Union), the source of 45% of foreign direct investment in the world, etc.
However, the current stage of development of the European Union is
characterized, on the one hand, the scale of expansion, and, on the other hand,
low socio-economic level of the candidate countries and some member countries
of the EU, which affect on the successful functioning of the Association. So in
1973 and in 1995, developed countries became members of the European Union, and
in 1980-ies – countries, which were considerably behind of the EU in terms of
socio – economic development in all indicators. This is also evidenced by the
recent expansion of the EU in 2004. At the moment the European Union consists
of 28 States which are quite heterogeneous, differing from each other in terms
of socio – economic development. The heterogeneity of economic development of
the EU illustrates the share of GDP in total EU GDP. In addition, in terms of
the accession of new States to the Union there is no effective monitoring of
performance of economies of EU member States, in particular those that joined
the Union later and did not differ by economic stability. In this situation,
the alignment tools of socio-economic disparities are the structural funds,
financial resources which are formed due to the growth in the GDP of the
European Union.
In addition, the
feature development of the European Union at the present stage is the need for
institutional reforms on the basis of the integration Association. Reception in
EU of new member States entails the reform of the internal structure of the
Union and a clearer delineation of competences of the EU with the participants.
However, despite
the existing problems of development, the EU is a unique international
education, which combines elements of both international organizations and
State, but formally is neither the one nor the other. The Union is not a
subject of international public law, but has the authority to participate in
international relations and plays an important role.НачалоформыКонец формы
Besides the EU,
the most significant and dynamic integration groupings in the Americas, NAFTA
and MERCOSUR may be the beginning of the American free trade area and
Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will actively evolve through
the restructuring of the economies of its member countries.
The main
obstacles in the integration process in the post-Soviet space in the person of
the Commonwealth of Independent States were fears to limit their sovereignty,
economic hardship, failure to complete the construction of a new socio-economic
system, etc. Based on such factors as existing in the past the division of
labor, technological interdependence, the elements of a common cultural and
civilization space, the member countries of the CIS, however, were unable to
organize effectively its activities in the post-Soviet space – there were many
agreements, but most of them had not been fulfilled.
However, on the
basis of the CIS have a regional Association with a higher level of
integration. So the prospects of the Eurasian integration processes assigned to
the new integration Association – the Eurasian economic Union, which in terms
of geopolitical change, and the established import substitution and the
experience of other associations is able to show results in the near future.
Despite the existing problems in the functioning of the Association, the
Eurasian economic Union is actively developing and in the nearest future it is
planned to unite political and economic interests of countries located in the
European and Asian parts of the vast continent.
Thus integration
gives significant benefits not only to associations, but also each state member
separately: the size of the market increases, terms of trade become better,
with the expansion of trade infrastructure is improving, advanced technology
apply. Intensive integration processes in modern stage, reflecting the trend of
economic development of individual countries and regions, lead to changes in the
structure of the world economy.
List of sources used:
1. Richard E. Baldwin, Charles Wyplosz. The economics of European integration// McGraw – Hill
Higher Education, 2006.
2.
Eurasian Economic
Integration: facts and figures [Electronic resource] // www.eurasiancommission.org: materials of Eurasian Economic Commission.
3.
Ultanbaev Rafael. Eurasian
economic community in new integration conditions// Central Asia
and the Caucasus. - №4. – 2006.