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Further Reading

Belarus-Russia Union State

The Custom Union agreement between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan was reached on December 2009 and due to come into law July 1, 2010. Complication with Belarus resulted in a slight delay and it came into force on July 6, 2010, when all three countries finally ratified it. Some customs procedures at the Russian / Belarusian and Russian / Kazakhstani border have been slightly changed by the Unified Custom Code, but the national custom posts on the borders between the three countries will remain until at least July 1, 2011. Initially most changes in custom procedures apply to passengers' luggage and cash.

The unified Custom Union Code (CUC) determines terminology, codes, and import duties on commodities shipped to the Custom Union. Custom codes and custom import duties for most food and agricultural products remain the same as Russian codes and import duties. Initially, most rules and requirements for food and agriculture imports to Russia remain unchanged. The Custom Union Commission adopts the Union's legislative documents, including those documents pertaining to the unification of veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

The Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation entered the way towards full-scale unity on April 2nd, 1996, when, impressing their peoples' will, the Presidents of the two countries, Alexander Lukashenko and Boris Yeltsin signed a Contract on the creation of a Belarusian and Russian Community in Moscow.

On April 2nd, 1997, the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation signed the Contract on the Belarus and Russia Union that added a new impulse to the process of the omnibus integration of the two states.

An important stage on the way to constructing relations and developments between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation was the signing of a Declaration on further unity between Belarus and Russia, the Contract on the equal rights of citizens, the Agreement on the creation of equal conditions for enterprises and the Protocol to it on December 25th, 1998. The two countries' Presidents stated in these documents their hard determination to continue stage-by-stage movements towards a free-will coalition, the result of which had to be a union state, with the national sovereignty of the Union's states-members to be kept.

The Contract on the equal rights of citizens as well as the Agreement on the creation of equal conditions for enterprises, stated some specific tasks and terms of major integration problem salvation in front of Belarus' and Russia's State administration authorities, and allowed them to concentrate their efforts on the most important decisive directions of the co-operation. Realisation of the measures planned in these documents had to create some premises for a breakthrough to a new working stage - creation of the Union State.

The Contract on the creation of the Union State came into force on January 26th, 2000.

In the course of the Contract's development, some normative legislative acts that regulate the Union State authorities' activities, i.e. the Statute and Regulation of the Highest State Council, regulations on the legal status and social guarantees of the Union State's officials and a number of others have been worked on and enacted.

Decisive meaning in organising effective work on the Contract's for realising the creation of the Union State are given to the Union State's authorities.

Formed and in force are the Highest State Council, Council of Ministers and Continuous Committee of the Union State. Created are Neighbouring and Customs Committees, the Committee on Security, and the Broadcaster organisation of the Union State. Also in force are united Ministries' collegiums and administrations of Belarus and Russia.

The working out of the structure of other sphere and functional bodies within the Union State has also been started, as well as suggestions for the formations of Courts, Commissions on human rights, and Treasury and Counter Chambers of the Union State.

One of the most important rings in the structure of the union bodies that are to be formed is the Parliament. Its lower chamber - the Chamber of Representatives will be elected on the basis of a general election right within a secret vote.

On the account of Union budget funds, about 40 joint programmes and events receive financing. In the past two years, much work has been implemented on improving the budget process. One thing that has already been worked out and enacted is the order to provide budgetary means for the realisation of joint programmes of a reversionary and recoverable basis that gives an opportunity to further and significantly increase the Union budget on account of the frequent usage of existing financial resources.

Approximately 180 enterprises of the Republic of Belarus and more than 250 Russian ones take part in realising the joint programmes.

Major efforts by Belarus and Russia are directed at preparing and enacting the documents that form a basis for the area of economic unity. The creation of equal conditions for enterprises is to make an economic foundation for the future Union State, as well as create conditions for the equal rights of Belarusian and Russian citizens.