WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG71/5
13 October 2000
(00-4237)
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements Original:  English
ACCESSION OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC TO THE CUSTOMS UNION
BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, BELARUS AND KAZAKHSTAN
The following text reproduces the Agreement on Customs Union and Single Economic Area
between the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic ofKazakhstan.
_______________
AGREEMENT ON CUSTOMS UNION AND SINGLE ECONOMIC AREA
BETWEEN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION,
THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
Signatory states to this Agreement hereinafter referred to as the Parties;
Being guided by the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation On Deepening Integration in Economic and
Humanitarian Fields of 29 March 1996, hereinafter named the Agreement of 29 March 1996,
agreements on its implementation, concluded earlier, and also taking into account decisions made by
the integration management bodies;
Implementing the agreements, signed by the Parties, on free trade, on unified procedure of
regulation of foreign economic activity, on Customs Union, on ensuring mutual convertibility and
stabilization of national currency exchange rates, on preventing double taxation and evasion of
payment of income and capital taxes;
Proceeding from  set production and scientific-technological links, interdependency and
mutual complement of economies;
Being determined to give a new impulse to the development of a closer integration and the
rapprochement of economies of member states in order to maintain social progress and improvementof peoples’ welfare;
Acknowledging  that the removal of existing barriers and restrictions requires coordinated
actions, the harmonized development of market rela tionships of the states and creation of equal
conditions and opportunities for business entities;
Affirming friendly relations which connect the states and peoples, willing to ensure their
flourishing, being based on the principles of the United Nations Statute, Statute of the Community of
Independent States, Agreement on Creation of an Economic Union of 24 September 1993 and
standards and principles of international law;
Taking into account the Parties’ aspiration for becoming World Trade Organization’s
members;WT/REG71/5
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Honoring the sovereignty and territory unity of the states and ensuring non-interference into
the internal affairs;
Expressing  the firmness to finalize the formation of the Customs Union and create a Single
Economic Area,
Hereby agreed as follows:
CHAPTER I
Notions and Terminology
Article 1
For the purposes of this Agreement, the notions and terms attached hereto shall have the
following meaning:
(i) Single Economic Area means an area consisting of the territories of the Parties within
which uniformed mechanisms of regulation of the economy, based on market
principles and application of harmonized legal regulations, are in effect. Within
which a single infrastructure exists and the coordinated tax, money and credit, foreign
exchange and financial, trade, and customs policies are carried out.  They ensure afree movement of goods, services, capital and manpower;
(ii) Single Customs Territory means a territory consisting of the customs territories of the
Parties to which the Parties agreed to apply Common Customs Tariff, within which
unified measures of non-tariff regulation are applied, unified customs rules are ineffect, the unity of management of customs services is ensured, and internal customs
control has been abolished;
(iii) Common (Domestic) Market means the totality of economic relations within the
single customs territory;
(iv) Common Customs Tariff means an agreed list of unified import customs duty rates to
be applied to the goods imported to the customs territories of the Customs Union
member states from third countries.  It is systematized in accordance with Single
Goods Nomenclature of Foreign Economic Activity of the Community of
Independent States;
(v) Internal Customs Border means bounds of the customs territory of each of the Parties.
At the same time these bounds are the bounds of  the customs territory of the other
Party;
(vi) External Customs Border (external perimeter) means the bounds of the single
customs territory of the Customs Union member states.  They separate territories of
these states and territories of the states which are not Customs Union members;
(vii) Indirect Taxes mean value added tax and excise on goods and services.WT/REG71/5
Page 3
CHAPTER II
General Provisions
Article 2
In accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Parties shall undertake the
commitment to complete the formation of the Customs Union and create a Single Economic Area on
its basis.
Article 3
The main objectives of the formation of the Single Economic Area shall be:
- efficient functioning of common (domestic) market of goods, services, capital and
labor; creation of conditions for the stable development of structural reorganization of
the Parties’ economy in order to raise living standard of their population;
- carrying out coordinated tax, money and credit, foreign exchange and financial, trade,
customs and tariff policies;
- development of single transport, energy and information systems;
- creation of the common system of measures for the state support of the development
of priority industries of economy, production and scientific and technological
cooperation.
Article 4
The most important principles of forming the Single Economic Area shall be:
- non-discrimination principle;- mutual profit principle;
- general (universal) principles: mutual aid, free will, equal rights, responsibility for the
- commitments taken, and openness.
Article 5
1. The formation of the Customs Union and Single Economic Area shall be carried out by the
following integration management bodies:
- Interstate Council;- Council of Governments’ Heads;- Integration Committee;
- Inter-Parliamentary Committee.
2. Each integration management body shall act w ithin the framework of powers provided by the
Regulation on this body.  Other integration management bodies may be created as well by the
decision of the Interstate Council.WT/REG71/5
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Article 6
1. The signatory states shall agree upon the economic policy on forming the Customs Union and
Single Economic Area in accordance with provisions of the Agreement of 29 March 1996, agreements
concluded between the Parties to the Agreement and decisions made for its implementation.
2. The Parties shall abstain from any actions that could threat the achievement of goals of this
Agreement’s objectives.
Article 7
1. The Single Economic Area is formed on a stage-by-stage basis.  The Interstate Council shall
determine duration of stages, totality of measures for each of the stages and their implementation.
2. Moving from stage to stage shall be conditioned by actual achievement of specific objectives
of this Agreement and fulfillment by the Parties of their commitments under it.
3. The first stage shall be aimed at finalizing the formation of the Customs Union and single
customs territories.
4. The second stage shall suppose the creation of the Single Economic Area that includes the
formation of the common (domestic) market of goods, services, capital and labor, carrying out ofcommon economic policy, creation of the common infrastructure and completion of harmonizing the
Parties’ legislation which ensures the functioning of the Single Economic Area.
5. On further stages of economic cooperation the Parties shall aspire for the coordination of
parameters of basic macro economic indexes.
CHAPTER III
Finalization of Forming the Customs Union
SECTION 1
Free Trade Regime for Goods
Article 8
In mutual trade the Parties shall ensure full implementation of the regime of free trade in
goods with no exceptions and restrictions on the basis of bilateral and multilateral agreements on free
trade in effect between the Parties.
Article 9
The Parties shall declare the following objectives of functioning of the regime of free trade in
goods:
- non-application of tariff and quantitative restrictions with respect to goods originating
from the customs territory of one Party and being exported (imported) to the customs
territory of other Party and intended for free circulation within the customs territory
of the Parties;
- application of a single indirect taxation system;WT/REG71/5
Page 5
- nothing precludes one Party from the application, on a temporary basis, of safeguard
measures with respect to the import of goods from other Party in accordance with the
generally accepted international regulations and standards or the national legislation;
- non-granting, without the Parties’ consent, to any third state, which is not a signatory
to this Agreement, of a trade regime more favorable than that granted to each other by
the Parties;
- removal of competition restrictions cau sed by conduction of business entities or
caused by interference of the national governmental or territorial bodies to that extent
to which this can affect the mutual trade of the business entities of the Parties;
- mutual non-application by the Parties of any restrictive or fiscal measures (including
collective ones), which may directly or indirectly lead to discrimination with respect
to the goods originating from the customs territory of one of the Parties as compared
with the similar goods originating from  the customs territory of other Party.
Article 10
1. The Parties shall take necessary efforts for removing, within their territories, administrative
and fiscal barriers, on local or regional level, which complicate normal functioning of the regime of
free trade in goods.
2. For the purposes of this Article hereof, nothing shall preclude the Parties from applying the
national legislation on arrival, stay, work, establishment of firms and companies, and rendering
services by natural persons or legal entities.  At the same time they shall apply regime in such a way,
as not to annul or limit advantages got by any of the Parties by virtue of this Agreement.
SECTION 2
Regulation of Foreign Trade in Goods
Article 11
The Parties shall establish unified procedure for the regulation of foreign economic activity
within the framework of commitm ents under the agreements on the Customs Union and by means of
harmonization of regulations and rules provided by the bilateral agreements on the unified procedure
for the regulation of foreign economic activity which are effective between the Parties on the date ofentry into force of this Agreement.
Article 12
The unified procedure for regulating foreign trade activity and making coordinated decisions
on its synchronous amendments and supplements shall include the following fields:
tariff regulation of foreign trade activity;
- non-tariff regulation measures in trade with third countries;
- establishment of trade regime in relations with third countries;
- indirect taxation of foreign trade transactions with third countries;- foreign exchange regulation of foreign trade transactions.WT/REG71/5
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Article 13
1. For the development of Decision No.2 of the Council of Governments’ Heads On the
Common Customs Tariff of the Signatories to the Agreements on the Customs Union, of 22 January
1998, the Parties shall conclude relevant agreements.
2. The Parties shall apply the coordinated system of preferential duties and customs privileges in
trade with third countries, including the unified procedure of introducing amendments and
supplements.
3. The Parties have agreed that the procedure of levy and receipt of customs duties, taxes and
levies, having an equivalent effect, should be established by separate agreements.
4. The Parties shall take into consideration made decisions and next understandings, which will
be attained by the Parties on the given issue on bi lateral and multilateral basis, while preparing the
above mentioned agreements.
Article 14
1. The Parties shall keep unified procedure of non-tariff regulation measures’ application in
trade with third countries and for these purposes shall fully apply Agreement on Unified Measures of
Non-Tariff Regulation in the Period of Forming the Customs Union of 22 October 1997.
2. The unified procedure of foreign trade activity regulation does not affect trade of the Parties
in arms, military equipment and other produce for military purposes, nuclear materials, equipment,
special non-nuclear materials and relevant technologies, and also goods and technologies of dual
purpose, indicated in the Article 5 of the Agreement on Unified Measures of Non-Tariff Regulation inthe Period of Forming the Customs Union.  With these purposes The Parties shall conclude a separate
agreement.
Article 15
1. With respect to trade in goods with third countries the Parties shall take coordinated actions in
gradual establishment of a unified trade regime.
2. As a rule, the Parties shall introduce amendments  of trade regime with respect to the third
countries, establishment or abolition of tariff and non-tariff restrictions in trade with goods, including
introduction or abolishment of temporary restrictions, simultaneously.  With these purposes the
Parties shall conclude relevant protocols.  In trade with countries, with which one of the Parties has anAgreement on free trade regime, this Party shall agree with other Parties to this Agreement lists of
exclusions and restrictions from the free trade regime or forms of compensation, proceeding from the
established lack of coincidence in trade regimes.  Independent negotiations of the Parties on joining
the World Trade Organization and process of their integration into international economic and
financial patterns should not be an insurmountable barrier in their aspiration to ensure gradualharmonization of trade regimes.
3. In order to achieve necessary level of coordination of negotiations’ attitudes the Parties shall
efficiently utilize mechanism of consultations on regular basis, which is provided by the Protocol on
International Trade Negotiations of the Customs Union Member States in the Process of Accession tothe World Trade Organization of 3 June 1997 and decision No. 27 of the Interstate Council of
28 April 1998.WT/REG71/5
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Article 16
1. The Parties shall apply unified system of indirect taxation in trade with third countries.  Rates
of indirect taxes on exported and imported goods shall not exceed the same rates for domestic goods.
2. The Parties shall shift to levying indirect taxes on the basis of the destination country
principle in trade with third countries.
3. When importing or exporting goods in trade with third countries the Parties shall abstain from
granting individual preferential duties, in particular concerning rates and procedure of levying value
added tax and excise on excised goods.
4. Any of the Parties has right to request for information concerning application of rates and
mechanism of tax levying, presented tax privileges for residents and non residents, carrying out trade
operations with goods from the third countries, from other Party and to receive it within thirty
calendar days.
Article 17
1. The Parties shall apply coordinated procedure of foreign exchange regulation in foreign trade
operations based on the monitoring of the legislation in this field in effect in the member states, on
regular exchange of information between central (national) banks, including other information oncurrent and capital operations in payment balance.
2. The Parties shall develop a separate agreement on application of a common foreign exchange
control system later on.
Article 18
1. The Parties confirm that unified procedure of foreign trade regulation activity shall be
established as far as unification of legislation goes taking into account current and long term foreign
trade, economic interests and potentials of the Parties.
2. All the amendments and supplements into the unified procedure of foreign trade regulation
activity in the fields indicated in the Article 12 of  this Agreement shall be introduced under agreement
of the Parties on the stage of draft decisions of the Parties’ Governments.  The Parties have right to
introduce individual temporary restrictions in trade with third countries in accordance with the
universally recognized international standards and rules.
3. Such measures are of a temporary character and shall be applied in accordance with
established by the Parties procedures.
Article 19
1. The Parties consider application of a unified procedure of foreign trade regulation as the most
important basis and necessary condition for establishment of the free trade regime with no exceptions
and restrictions on a mutual basis.
2. Exit of one of the Parties from the unified procedure of foreign trade regulation provided by
the Articles 11-18 of this Agreement can be considered by the Party or the Parties as a basis for
raising a question of seizing application of a free trade regime with no exceptions and restrictions with
respect to this Party.WT/REG71/5
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SECTION 3
Customs Union
Article 20
The Parties confirm that their aspiration to ensure finalization of the Customs Union
formation is based on the functioning of the free trade regime, gradual establishment of the unified
procedure of foreign trade activity regulation and fulfilment of commitments, proceeding from
principles and provisions of  agreements on Customs Union.
Article 21
1. The Parties create the Customs Union as a trade and economic union in accordance with
universally recognized international standards and rules, which shall possess:
- single customs territory;- common customs tariff;- regime not allowing any tariff or non-tariff restrictions (licensing, quotation) in
mutual trade with exception of cases provided by this Agreement;
- simplification and further abrogation of customs control on internal customs borders;- unified mechanisms of economy and trade regulation based on universal market
principles of business and harmonized economic legislation;
- governing bodies;- single customs policy and application of unified customs regimes.
2. On the stage of forming the Customs Union the Integration Committee shall be its executive
body.
Article 22
1. Upon fulfilment of the terms provided by the Article 21 goods having been imported from the
third countries to the single customs territory and released for free circulation in one of the memberstates shall not be limited in movement through the internal customs borders.
2. The Parties shall unify regulations and rules of customs clearance and control with respect to
the goods originating from the third countries and sign relevant documents on simplification and
further abrogation of customs clearance and control on the internal customs borders.
3. When carrying out customs clearance of goods moved by individuals through internal borders
of the Customs Union the Parties shall follow the Protocol on Simplified Procedure of Customs
Clearance of 22 January 1998 and shall abrogate customs clearance and customs control of goods on
the internal customs borders later on. With these purposes the Parties shall sign relevant documents.WT/REG71/5
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Article 23
1. The Parties shall establish by additional understandings time framework of finalizing the
Customs Union formation taking into account universally acknowledged international standards and
rules.
2. While establishing trade regimes with third countries the Parties shall ensure preferential
regime to each other by means of exception from the most favoured nation regime in favor of the
Parties forming the Customs Union.
Article 24
1. The Parties shall ensure unification of the Parties’ customs territories into a single customs
territory after having created necessary legal, economic and international conditions for it.
2. With these purposes the Parties have agreed to conclude an agreement on finalizing the
Customs Union creation, which shall be a regulating mechanism of a single customs territoryfunctioning.
CHAPTER IV
Creation of a Single Economic Area
SECTION 4
Common Economic Policy and Development of an Infrastructure
Article 25
The parties shall agree upon main directions and stages of structural reform of member states’
economy ensuring efficient utilization of industrial  potential, formation of a favorable investment
climate, support of highly efficient manufactures,  carrying out a coordinated anti-monopoly, tax and
financial policy and also creation of conditions for fair competition within the framework of theSingle Economic Area.
Article 26
The Parties shall create necessary conditions for stable economic development of this
Agreement’s member states, carry out coordinated governmental support of their priority industries
and manufactures, efficient conversion and reform of defense industry undertakings.
Article 27
Different forms of subsidies (aid) provided by a member state in the form of subsidies or at
the expense of government resources which damage or threat to damage competition by means of
creating more favorable conditions for some enterprises or production of certain kinds of goods shall
be considered as incompatible with the principles of the Single Economic Area as far as they touch
upon trade between the Parties, except for:
- aid of social character given to individual customers provided its non-discrimination
character;WT/REG71/5
Page 10
- aid having it’s purpose to recompense a damage caused by natural disasters and any
other extreme accidents of natural or technical origin;
- subsidies having their purpose to promote social and economic development of
regions in which living standard in the given state is lower than the minimum livingstandard defined by each Party or where there is a low employment;
- subsidies having their purpose to promote fulfillment of a project of domestic
importance or called to correct serious disturbance in economy of a member state;
- other kinds of subsidies (aid) which may be determined by the decision of an
Interstate Council.
Article 28
1 The Parties shall apply a unified system of indirect taxation in mutual trade under the
principle of a destination country. For this purpose a relevant Agreement shall be concluded.
2. Indirect taxes’ rates on imported goods shall not exceed tax rates of analogous domestically
produced goods in mutual trade.
Article 29
With the purposes of carrying out coordinated excise policy the Parties shall adhere to the
Basic list of excised goods being produced and importe d into the customs territories of member states.
Article 30
The Parties shall implement provisions of the Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Aid in
the Issues of the Parties’ Tax Legislation of 25 March 1998 and Decision No. 4 of the Council of
Governments’ Heads of 22 January 1998 on the basis of principles of coordinated actions of tax
bodies of the Agreement of 29 March 1996 member states in order to ensure tax levying fullness and
exchange of information between the tax bodies of this Agreement’s member states.
Article 31
Governmental regulation of the Parties’ economies shall be aimed at carrying out institutional
reforms, efficient management of property, regulation of relations between economy spheres and
banking sector, creation of new mechanisms of financial means’ attraction, regulation of inter statespayments.
Article 32
The Parties shall promote creation of efficient interdependent manufactures taking into
account countries’ economic interests.
Article 33
1. The Parties shall take measures to prevent misuse of dominant position by one or several
business entities in order to hinder:
- use of unfair competition methods;WT/REG71/5
Page 11
- limitation of production, markets or technical development, which can damage
consumers;
- application of unequal conditions to equal ba rgains with other trade counterparts, thus
putting them in unprofitable competition conditions.
2. In case of revealing of dumping practices the victim Party has right to take relevant measures
of protection determined by national legislation upon agreement with the Parties.
Article 34
1. The Parties shall create a Transport Union in accordance with the Agreement between the
Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Russian Federation on the
Transport Union Formation of 22 January 1998.
2. The Parties determine the Transport Union as an integrated system of transport industries of
the Parties functioning on the basis of mutually agreed technologies and parameters and unified legaland regulation basis.
3. Creation of the Transport Union shall be carried out in stages as the integration processes
deepen and proposes execution of measures on ensuring legal, economic and organizational
conditions for free movement of transport means, carrying out transportation of passengers and cargobetween the Parties and transit of goods through their territories.
4. Formation of the member states’ Transport Union shall be finished during the second stage.
Article 35
The Parties shall carry out transit in accordance with the Agreement on Unified Terms of
Transit through the territories of the Customs Union member states of 22 January 1998.
Article 36
1. Member states shall follow coordinated agricultural policy, carry out joint funding of
programs and projects, providing development of production of agricultural produce and raw
materials in accordance with the agreed by the Parties list.
2. While carrying out common agricultural policy the Parties shall take into account:
- necessity of ensuring food-stuffs security of this Agreement’s member states;
- special character of agricultural activity, being conditioned by industrial and social
structure of agriculture, and also natural peculiarities of the Parties;
- necessity of perfection of the agricultural production structure.WT/REG71/5
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SECTION 5
Common Market of Services
Article 37
1. Member states shall aspire to provide to each other national regime of services market access
on a mutual basis.
2. The Parties shall remove existing limitations of services market access gradually within the
framework of Single Economic Area for legal entiti es and individuals of the member states of this
Agreement.
3. With these purposes the Parties shall accept a program of trade in services development
within the framework of the Single Economic Area  and they shall follow universally acknowledged
international regulations and rules.
Article 38
1. The Parties shall pursue coordinated policy in trade in goods with respect to third countries.2. While establishing trade regimes with third countries the Parties shall ensure preferential
regime for each other by exclusion from the most favoured nation regime in favor of the Parties
forming the Customs Union.
SECTION 6
Common Labour Market and Social Policy
Article 39
1. The Parties shall ensure free movement of member states’ citizens within the Single
Economic Area.
2. Free movement proposes abrogation of any disc rimination towards citizens of the Parties and
creation of unified legal regime with respect to employment, payment and other labour conditions.
This proposes possibility of:
- free movement while being engaged with labor activity through the territories of the
Parties;
- maximum simplification of citizenship granting and leaving procedures;
- granting to the citizens of the Parties permanently residing on the territory of any of
the Parties legal status maximum approximated to the resident country citizens’
status;
- free cross of the border and stay on the territory of the Parties with a passport of a
citizen of any of them;
- establishment of single regulations on foreign currency moving across the borders of
the member sates and duty free movement of luggage;WT/REG71/5
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- applying national regimes with respect to citizens of member states while crossing
their borders;
- residing in one of the member states and being occupied with labor activity in
accordance with legislation, regulating employment of citizens of that state;
- staying on the territory of one of the member states after finishing labor activity in
that state.
3. With these purposes the Parties shall sign relevant agreements.
Article 40
The Parties have agreed that record of service of citizens occupied with labour activity on the
territory of member states shall be counted into the general record of service, including accounting of
pensions and benefits.
Article 41
1. Each of the Parties shall take commitments not to introduce without agreement with other
Parties additional limitations on right to choose domicile and carrying out economic activity on their
territory for citizens of other member states from the date of signing this Agreement.
2. The Parties shall gradually abrogate limitations on the right to choose domicile and carrying
out economic activity including right to found legal entities by citizens of the member states on each
other’s territories.
Article 42
The Parties shall carry out unified visa policy concerning third countries including prevention
of the out of control migration. The Parties shall sign relevant agreements with these purposes.
Article 43
Each of the Parties shall provide free emergency medical aid to the citizens of other Parties
while their staying on the territories of these states. The Parties shall sign relevant agreements with
these purposes.
Article 44
Integration Committee in coordinated action with Governments of the Parties shall be
studying and analyzing problems concerning social sphere and according to their results shall provide
conclusions and recommendations to the Council of Governments’ Heads on the following issues:
- employment;
- labor legislation and labor conditions;- professional training and qualification improvement;- development of minimum standards of social protection;- prevention of manufacture accidents and professional diseases;WT/REG71/5
Page 14
- labor hygiene;
- rights to create professional unions and conclusion of collective agreements.
Article 45
The Parties shall ensure creation of coordinated educational system, qualification
improvement, training and retraining of specialists, single rules and conditions of entering common
and professional schools, high education institutions, post-graduate courses, and also mutual
recognition and equivalency of education certificates, academic degrees and ranks.
SECTION 7
Movement of Capital
Article 46
The Parties shall continue successive liberalization of foreign exchange policy with towards
abrogation of other countries’ currencies usage limitations in current operations, introduction of a
unified exchange rate of national currency on the current operations of payment balance, access of
banks – non residents to the domestic currency markets, abrogation of limitations on import andexport of national currency by authorized banks and shall access Article 8 of International Monetary
Fund Charter, while implementing agreements on mutual convertibility of national currencies.  In
order to implement measures on ensuring interaction of domestic currency and financial systems and
upon finalizing these measures the Parties shall sign relevant Protocols.
Article 47
The Parties shall implement provisions of agreements on double taxation removal and
prevention of evasion income and capital taxes payment.
Article 48
The Parties shall agree mechanism of establishment of national currencies’ exchange rates.
Article 49
The Parties shall form member states payment system in order to serve payments on
commodity circulation in domestic and enterprise spheres, non trade operations, transport,
telecommunication and other services, and also on governmental, banking and commercial credits,
currency exchange operations.
Article 50
Each of the Parties has right to apply temporary safeguard measures in the field of capital
movement with immediate notification of other Parties to the Agreement, if the existing capital
movement causes disturbances in functioning of domestic capital market.
Article 51
The Parties shall aspire to increase level of liberalization of capital movement as the member
states’ economic situation improves.WT/REG71/5
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SECTION 8
Scientific and Technological, and Informational Development
Article 52
The Parties shall conduct coordinated scientific and technological policy.  With these
purposes they shall accept joint program on priority directions of realization of domestic scientific
researches, technological elaborations and experime ntal manufactures with the purpose of integration
and further development of scientific and technological potentials of member states.
Article 53
1. Joint program shall be implemented through specific programs being worked out on the main
direction of activity.  Ways of its implementation, terms and sources of funding shall be foreseen in
each program.
2. Coordination of scientific and research works and realization of joint programs shall be
fulfilled on domestic level in interaction with Integration Committee.
Article 54
1. Funding of fundamental and applied scientific researches, implemented under domestic
projects and programs shall be conducted on the basis of the state order and on commercial
conditions, and also at the expense of joint funding.
2. The Parties shall create single system of scientific and technical, economic and legal
information and suitable databases.
Article 55
The Parties shall ensure freedom of exchange and spreading of radio and TV programs and
other mass media within the territories of the Parties, access of legal entities and individuals to the
telecommunication systems taking into account domestic interests of the Parties, widening exchangeof information with third countries and shall conclude relevant agreements.
CHAPTER V
Rapprochement and Unification of Legislation
Article 56
1. The Parties shall take coordinated measures on rapprochement and unification of legislative
and other legal acts of the Parties (hereinafter named measures on harmonization of legislation) which
directly affect fulfilment of the provisions by this Agreement’s Parties.
2. With the purpose of rapprochement and unification of legislation the Parties shall take
measures, including:
- coordination of activities on drafting of legislative and other legal acts, including
drafts of legal acts on introduction of amendments in laws and other acts;
- conclusion of international treaties;WT/REG71/5
Page 16
- adoption of model acts;
- adoption of relevant decisions by the Interstate Council or by the Council of
Governments’ Heads;
- other measures, which the Parties consider expedient and possible provided that the
Interstate Council has adopted such measures.
Article 57
1. Interstate Council shall make decisions on what legislative and other legal acts of the Parties
taking into account object and purposes of this Agreement shall be subject to the rapprochement and
unification, determine sequence of implementation of relevant measures on legislation harmonization.
Such decisions may provide for measures on harmonization of legislation with respect to the
particular acts in effect on the territories of the Parties as well as separate fields of legal regulation.
2. Interstate Council shall also decide question on what legislation harmonization measures are
to be applied with respect to the relevant legislative and other legal acts of the Parties or, taking into
account made by the Interstate Council decisions, to the relevant field of legal regulation.
Article 58
In cases when this is considered necessary and justified under the common opinion of the
Parties the Interstate Council has right to make:
- decisions establishing unified rules for the member states of this Agreement, which
are obligatory in their all parts and are subject to direct implementation by the
member states;
- resolutions obligatory for the member state or member states to which they are
addressed concerning the result expected while keeping for the bodies of the Parties
freedom of choice of actions’ forms and methods;
- recommendations, which are not obligatory.
Article 59
1. Decisions provided by the Articles 57 and 58 of this Agreement shall be made by the
Interstate Council on the basis of Integration Committee’s suggestions, made after consultation with
Inter-parliamentary Committee and approved by the Council of Governments’ Heads.
2. Suggestions on taking measures on legislation harmonization are subject to preliminary
consideration by Integration Committee, which after consultations with Inter-parliamentaryCommittee shall make appropriate recommendations to the Council of Governments’ Heads.  The
given provision does not restrict the right of the Inter-parliamentary Committee to adopt model acts of
a recommendation character as it is provided by the Article 22 of the Agreement of 29 March 1996.
3. Suggestions on taking measures on harmonization of legislation shall be based on impartial
and thorough evaluation of situation in the relevant field of legal regulation within the context of
relations between the member states and problems arising in this concern for implementation of
objectives and principles of this Agreement.WT/REG71/5
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Article 60
Power of the Interstate Council granted to it on the basis of Article 57 and points (b) and (c)
of the Article 58 of this Agreement may be delegated to the Council of Governments’ Heads provided
that Interstate Council makes relevant decision.
CHAPTER VI
Final Provisions
Article 61
In case of action or threat of action on behalf of third countries able to cause economic
damage to one or several Agreement member states on suggestion of one or several Parties
Governments shall immediately press on to consulta tions in order to elaborate coordinated measures
on preventing economic damage or threat of such damage.
Article 62
This Agreement does not touch upon commitments of the Parties on earlier concluded
international treaties with third countries in cluding those within the framework of the CIS.
Article 63
This Agreement shall be open for accession of any state, acknowledging its principles and
having declared its readiness to take full commitm ents proceeding from this Agreement and sent an
appropriate request to the Interstate Council through a depository.  Conditions of joining the
Agreement by third country shall be determined by appropriate decision of the Interstate Council.
Article 64
1. The Parties may introduce suggestions on amendments and supplements to this Agreement to
the Interstate Council.
2. Interstate Council shall unanimously make decisions on amendments and supplements to this
Agreement which shall become effective after their ratification by all member states.
Article 65
This Agreement is subject to registration in the United Nations Secretary.
Article 66
1. The Parties shall settle arguable questions arising during fulfilment of the commitments of the
Parties, interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement, by means of conducting
consultations, negotiations or other agreed way.
2. The Parties shall conclude Agreement on liability of the Parties for not fulfilling the taken
commitments, proceeding from this Agreement.WT/REG71/5
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Article 67
The Interstate Council determines abode of the integration ruling bodies.  Ruling bodies
function on the territory of member states in accordance with separate agreements on terms of abode.
Article 68
The depository to this Agreement shall be an Integration Committee.
Article 69
Each of the Parties may leave this Agreement, having notified depository in writing no later
than 12 months before leaving.
Article 70
1. This Agreement is a subject to ratification and enters into force for the states, having ratified
it from the date of receipt by a depository of a third member state’s notification.
2. For each of the rest member sates of Agreement it enters into force from the date of receipt by
a depository of its ratification deed for storage.
3. For the Republic of Tajikistan this Agreement shall come into force after receipt by a
depository of a ratification deed on ratification by the Republic of Tajikistan of this Agreement and
completion of legal registration of joining the Customs Union agreements of 6 and 20 January 1995.
PERFORMED in Moscow on 26 February 1999 in one copy in Byelorussian, Kazakh,
Kyrgyz, Russian and Tajik languages, and what’s more all the texts shall have equal power.  In case
of arising discords of the Parties on the text of this Agreement the Parties shall use the Russian text.
The true copy of the Agreement shall be kept with Integration Committee, which shall forward to
each state, having signed this Agreement, its certified copy.
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