COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES Flashcards
How is decision-making structured within the CIS according to its Charter?
To take decisions and to elaborate the
recommendations for the Council of Heads of States and for the Council of Heads of
Governments the conferences of the heads of the respective state bodies shall be summoned.
What was the purpose of establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)?
As the Soviet Union disintegrated, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine signed the Belovezha Accords on 8 December 1991, declaring that the Union had effectively ceased to exist and proclaimed the CIS in its place
What role does the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States play in the organization?
- holds inter-parliamentary consultations, develops joint proposals in the field of activity of national parliaments.
- development of the model legislation, which could be implemented by the Member States on the voluntary basis,
- Another mission of the IPA CIS is election monitoring.
Why was the CIS Economic Court established, and what is its function?
- to ensure unified application of agreements between the CIS member states and the economic obligations and treaties based on them.
- settlement of disputes,
arising while the economic obligations are being executed.
The seat of the Economic Court shall be the city of Minsk.
How does the CIS Executive Committee contribute to the functioning of the Commonwealth of Independent States?
It is a single permanent executive, administrative and coordinating body of the CIS, that ensures the coordination of the work of the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Foreign Ministers, the Economic Council and other bodies of the Commonwealth.
What significant agreement related to trade was signed by CIS member states in October 2011?
On October 18, 2011 Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine signed the CIS Treaty on Free Trade Area.
What key decisions were made during the meeting of the Council of the Heads of the CIS Member-States in Astana in October 2022?
- provide support and promotion of the Russian language
- Agreements on cooperation of the CIS Member-States in combating corruption and on establishment of the Advisory Council of Heads of Electoral Bodies of the CIS Member-States were signed.
- renaming the position of the CIS Chairman of the Executive Committee - CIS Executive Secretary into “CIS Secretary General” since January 1, 2023.
What are they currently working on?
Currently, the parties are working on a draft agreement on free trade in services.
-CIS economic development strategy for the period up to 2030;
- interstate program of innovative cooperation of the
CIS member states for the period up to 2030.
When?
On December 8, 1991 in Minsk the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States was signed by the heads of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.
The supreme body of the Commonwealth, which discusses and resolves fundamental issues related to the activities of member states in the field of their common interests is?
the Council of the Heads of State
Structure:
- the Council of Heads of State,
- the Council of Heads of Government,
- the Councils of Foreign Ministers, Defense Ministers, Border Troops Commanders,
- the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly,
- the Executive Committee
- the Interstate Economic Committee of the Economic Union.
Members:
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Moldova (suspended participation)
Russia
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan
Agreements:
8 December 1991 - Belavezha Accords
21 December 1991 - Alma-Ata Protocol
1993 – the Charter of the CIS was signed
Ukraine?
Although Ukraine was one of the states which ratified the Creation Agreement in December 1991, making it a Founding State of the CIS, it chose not to ratify the CIS Charter.
Signatory of both the Belovezha Accords and the Alma-Ata Protocol.
Has never been a full member.
Largely ceased to participate from 2014
Withdrew its representatives in 2018
Denounced various CIS treaties as of 2023
Has not formally withdrawn from the Creation Agreement, thus it continues to be recognised as a founder.
