The countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States have concluded a number of agreements among themselves in the field of citizens' mobility rights, which regulate visa-free travel, recognition of documents, cooperation in the field of employment and the common labor market.
According to the Article 5 of Belavezha Accords, the High Contracting Parties shall recognize and respect each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of existing borders within the Commonwealth. They shall guarantee the openness of borders, freedom of movement of citizens and freedom of information within the Commonwealth. According to Article 7, the High Contracting Parties indicate that through common coordinating institutions, their joint activities will consist in coordinating foreign policy activities, cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy, in the development of transport and communication systems, cooperation in the field of environmental protection, migration policy and the fight against organized crime. [1]
The Eurasian Economic Union overlaps with the Commonwealth of Independent States.
In Bishkek on 9 October 1992, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan concluded the Agreement on visa-free movement of citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States within the territory of its participants. The Agreement entered into force on 9 October 1992. For Georgia, the agreement entered into force on 1 August 1997. On 21 July 1997, Azerbaijan sent notification of accession, but since Armenia did not agree to Azerbaijan's accession, the Agreement never entered into force for Azerbaijan. Turkmenistan withdrew in 1999. Russia withdrew in 2000. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan withdrew in 2001. In particular, the document is in force for Georgia as of 2024. [2]
Agreement on mutual recognition of visas of the participant states of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 13 November 1992. [3] Protocol on the termination of the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Visas of the Participant States of the Commonwealth of Independent States of 13 November 1992 signed on 21 November 2014. [4] The Agreement terminated on 13 December 2019. [5]
Agreement on the Establishment of the Consultative Council on Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Population of the Participating States of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 13 November 1992. [6]
Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters signed on 22 January 1993. In particular, the document is in force for Georgia as of 2024. [7]
Agreement on assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons signed on 24 September 1993. [8]
Agreement on cooperation in the field of labor migration and social protection of migrant workers signed on 15 April 1994. In particular, the document is in force for Ukraine as of 2024. [9]
Convention of the Commonwealth of Independent States on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed on 26 May 1995. [10]
Agreement on Cooperation for the Formation of a Single (Common) Educational Space of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 17 January 1997. [11]
Agreement on the provision of medical assistance to citizens of the participant states of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 27 March 1997. In particular, the document is in force for Ukraine as of 2024. [12]
Convention on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal cases signed on 7 October 2002. [13]
Agreement on mutual recognition and equivalence of documents on secondary (general) education, primary vocational and secondary vocational (specialized) education signed on 15 September 2004. [14]
Decision on the Concept of Cooperation of the Participating States of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Combating Illegal Migration signed on 16 September 2004. [15]
Agreement on cooperation in the field of professional development and retraining of specialists of the participant states of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 25 May 2007. [16]
Convention on cross-border cooperation of the participant states of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 10 October 2008. [17]
Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families of the Participating States of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 14 November 2008. In particular, the document is in force for Ukraine as of 2024. [18]
Agreement on the Unified System of Registration of Third Country Nationals and Stateless Persons Entering the Territories of the Participating States of the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 18 October 2011. [19]
Resolution on the Concept of the Common Migration Space of the CIS Participating States signed on 17 May 2012. [20]
Decision on the Model Agreement on Readmission signed on 23 November 2012. [21]
Agreement of the participant states of the Commonwealth of Independent States on mutual recognition of documents on higher/higher professional education signed on 31 May 2013. [22]
At the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government held in Minsk on 28 May 2021, an agreement on cooperation in the field of promoting employment of the population of the CIS member states was signed. The document was developed by the Advisory Council on Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Population of the CIS participating states in accordance with the Priority Measures for the formation of a common labor market and regulation of labor migration for 2017–2020. [23] [24] The agreement entered into force in 2022. On 30 May 2024 at the Commonwealth Headquarters Representatives of the CIS countries discussed cooperation on the creation of a common labor market. [25]
Agreement on Free Trade in Services, Establishment, Operations and Investment signed 8 June 2023. [26]
On 6 March 2024, representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and the CIS Executive Committee finalized the work on updating the Concept of Phased Formation of a Common Labor Market and Regulation of Labor Force Migration. [27]
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and is its legal successor. It covers an area of 20,368,759 km2 (7,864,422 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. The CIS encourages cooperation in economic, political, and military affairs and has certain powers relating to the coordination of trade, finance, lawmaking, and security, including cross-border crime prevention.
European integration is the process of industrial, economic, political, legal, social, and cultural integration of states wholly or partially in Europe, or nearby. European integration has primarily but not exclusively come about through the European Union and its policies.
At present, there are six multi-lateral free trade areas in Europe, and one former free trade area in recent history. Note that there are also a number of bilateral free trade agreements between states and between trade blocks; and that some states participate in more than one free trade area.
The Belovezha Accords is the agreement declaring that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had effectively ceased to exist and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in its place as a successor entity. The documentation was signed at the state dacha near Viskuli in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus on 8 December 1991, by leaders of three of the four republics which had signed the 1922 Treaty on the Creation of the USSR:
The Economic Court of the Commonwealth of Independent States is a judicial organ which was formed in order to provide exercising of its economic commitments by the participating states. The Court is empowered to consider the disputes in the fulfillment of economic commitments in accordance with international treaties within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Court considers other disputes under the agreement of the participating states. It is also empowered to interpret international treaties and the acts of the CIS bodies. The location of the Economic Court is the city of Minsk, Republic of Belarus.
Myechyslaw Ivanavich Hryb is a Belarusian politician who was the eleventh Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus from 28 January 1994 to 10 January 1996. In his capacity as the head of state, Hryb adopted the first Constitution of Belarus. He succeeded Stanislav Shushkevich and was head of state from 28 January to 20 July 1994 until Alexander Lukashenko replaced him in the new office called President of Belarus, which became the new head of state office. He continued as a parliamentary speaker. Hryb is now a politician in the opposition and a member of the Social-Democratic Party.
The Single Economic Space Agreement (SES) or Common Economic Zone Agreement (CEZ) is an international agreement on the intention to create conditions for the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor without the creation of supranational bodies, signed on 19 September 2003 by Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Initially this project was a separate one, but in June 2006, the implementation of this project was incorporated into the Eurasian Economic Community.
Treaty on Free Trade Area is an international treaty on a free trade regime in goods signed by 8 post-Soviet states on 18 October 2011, at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of Government in St. Petersburg and entered into force on 20 September 2012. It creates Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area (CISFTA) among Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. This Treaty and other agreements within the Commonwealth of Independent States do not regulate relations with third countries, the terms of the CIS FTA allow member states to enter into the FTA agreements with other countries, as well as to join/create custom unions.
Visitors to Armenia must obtain a visa from one of the Armenian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an e-Visa. Citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States and citizens of all Eurasian Economic Union and European Union member states may enter Armenia without a visa.
Visa requirements for Georgian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Georgia.
Visitors to Georgia must obtain a visa from Georgian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or one of the countries whose citizens may obtain an e-Visa.
Visitors to Ukraine must obtain a visa from one of the Ukrainian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
In international law, a depositary is a government or organization to which a multilateral treaty is entrusted. The principal functions of a depositary are codified in Article 77 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In Azerbaijan, migration policy is handled by the State Migration Service, and appropriate departments of Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population, Ministry of Healthcare, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of İnternal Affairs, State Border Service, State Committee of Republic of Azerbaijan for Refugees and IDPs and State Security Service. Migration Code, Law on Citizenship, Law on Immigration are the foundations of migration policy in Azerbaijan. An independent migration office - State Migration Service was established on March 19, 2007 to regulate fast-paced migrant and prepare comprehensive and efficient migration policies.
Relations between Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are multilateral international relations between a third state and a supranational organization.
The Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area is an international agreement on the intention to create a free trade regime in goods signed by 12 post-Soviet states on 15 April 1994, at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of State in Moscow and entered into force on December 30, 1994. Article 1 indicated that this was "the first stage of the creation of the Economic Union", but on 2 April 1999 the countries agreed to remove this phrase from the agreement. Article 17 also confirmed the intention to conclude a free trade agreement in services.
The Agreement on Free Trade in Services, Establishment, Operations and Investment is an international agreement on the creation a free trade regime in services and investment signed by 7 post-Soviet states namely Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on 8 June 2023, at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Sochi, Russia to partly integrate Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the common standards of the WTO and the EAEU even without their membership in the WTO (Uzbekistan) or the EAEU. It entered into force for Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Tajikistan on 5 June 2024. It entered into force for Russia on 24 July 2024. On 14 October 2024, Armenia notified of its ratification of the Agreement and it enters into force for Armenia on 13 November 2024.
Eurasian economic integration is the process of economic integration of post-Soviet states which are geographically located in the center of the continent of Eurasia. Eurasian integration has been taking shape since 1991, originally via the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1991, as noted in the World Trade Organization report. Currently, integration is primarily implemented through organizations that are open to accession by any post-Soviet countries, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Eurasian Economic Union. An economic union means the deepest stage of economic integration.
The Common Economic Space is the goal and the result of the process of economic integration of post-Soviet states envisaged by the Article 7 of the Agreement on the creation the Commonwealth of Independent States signed on 8 December 1991. According to Article 7, the High Contracting Parties indicate that through common coordinating institutions, their joint activities will consist in coordinating foreign policy activities, cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy, in the development of transport and communication systems, cooperation in the field of environmental protection, migration policy and the fight against organized crime.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly known as the Soviet Union was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. It was a founding member of the United Nations as well as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, its UN seat was transferred to the Russian Federation, the continuator state of the USSR.
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