Organizational and Legal Aspects of the European Communities Membership in the World Customs Organization as a Precedent for Customs and Economic Unions

A task. To systematize the EC (EU) experience in terms of obtaining rights and obligations akin to those enjoyed by the WCO members, including highlighting the actions and stages in connection with the consideration of the EC application for membership in the World Customs Organization. Conclusions. The research article is devoted to the issues of the EC (EU) legal status of in the WCO and the use of the EC precedent for the implementation of the Strategic Directions for the Development of Eurasian Economic Integration until 2025 (Strategic Directions) in terms of joint actions with Member States aimed at obtaining the Union’s membership status in the WCO. The subject of the study is the activities and stages passed by the EC in the framework of interaction with the WCO to change the legal status from an observer to akin to the WCO membership. The research paper presents in abstract form the legal instruments and legal structures that have been developed at the expert level to satisfy the EC application. The identified activities, by analogy, can be used to develop an action plan (roadmap) for the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) to obtain the WCO member status. Based on the results of the study, conclusions and recommendations were formed within the framework of cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the WCO. Social consequences. Conducting a study of the legal status of customs and economic unions in the WCO is associated with the implementation of paragraph 11.7.5. of Strategic Directions [6] in terms of cooperation with this international organization. Practical value. The results of the study are of interest to the customs cooperation block of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), and can be used by specialists from customs and other executive authorities in the EEU member states, EEC experts to organize and implement mutually beneficial customs cooperation between the EEC and the WCO. The article is recommended to researchers, teachers, students, graduate students and other categories of students in the Russian Customs Academy, in other universities and the WCO regional training centers in the specialties “Customs” and “Jurisprudence”. Originality/value. The research material is based on an analysis of the practical aspects of the activities of the EEC, the WCO and is the result of a comprehensive study of the issue of the legal and organizational basis for obtaining the WCO member status by economic and customs unions.

The World Customs Organization, the WCO, the Eurasian Economic Union, EEU, the Eurasian Economic Commission, EEC, European Communities, European Union, EU, EC, customs regulation, customs administration, international customs law, customs, observer, customs and economic union, action plan, roadmap