Establishing the Concept of Eurasian Integration Legal Order in Russian Jurisprudence

The idea of forming an integration association in the post-Soviet space has been in development for more than three decades. The first significant step in this direction was the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States on December 8, 1991. Since then, concepts surrounding “integration building” have fluctuated, leading to the conclusion of various international treaties, yet many norms remain unimplemented and only exist on paper. Employing a retrospective method reveals that each new phase of interstate cooperation in the Eurasian space has been driven by external challenges. In the late 2010s, a renewed impetus for integration emerged, culminating in the signing of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union in 2014. Despite this treaty having reached its 10th anniversary in 2024, Russian academia is still lacking an independent scientific field dedicated to studying integration processes. An inductive approach shows that integration is primarily analyzed from an economic perspective; however, legal scholarship must also develop concepts related to legal integration, which, while connected to economic aspects, are not synonymous with them. Moreover, current studies tend to examine Eurasian integration in a “mechanical” manner, focusing on the individual branches of law that have been transferred to the level of the integration association and its institutions. The science of international law often emphasizes comparative studies of integration association law, rather than analyzing Eurasian Economic Union legal order specifically. Additionally, there is a lack of exploration into the value foundations of Eurasian Integration. Addressing these gaps holds significant theoretical and practical importance, as it can shape understanding of Eurasian Economic Union, establish a doctrinal basis for its rule of law, and influence how member states’ institutions interpret and apply this body of law.

Keywords: Eurasian Economic Union; Commonwealth of Independent States; integration; values; internal market