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Preferential Trade Agreements and Trade Liberalization Efforts in the OIC Member States

With Special Emphasis on the TPS-OIC

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Figure 68: Concentration of Intra-bloc Exports for Selected WAEMU Countries, 1995-2012 (higher

values indicate more concentrated trade)

Calculations based Comtrade data

Kazakhstan-Russia-Belarus Customs Union

Kazakhstan, one of several former Soviet Union (FSU) republics that are OIC members has

been involved in several trade and economic initiatives comprising some of the FSU region

since early 1990s. In 1994, Kazakhstan proposed forming a union of Eurasian states. In 1995,

Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed the agreement declaring ambition of the parties to form

a Customs Union. In 1996, another agreement to the same effect was signed between the same

three countries and in addition also OIC members Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In 2000,

Kazakhstan along with Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan launched a new

international organisation, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).

In 2006, three countries: Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus decided to establish that the customs

union that should re- main open to other EurAsEC members once they are ready to participate.

The following year witnessed the treaty establishing the customs union that eventually kicked

off from January 2010 with full-fledged activities starting in mid-2011. In parallel the same

three countries were signing various agreements related to setting up the Common Economic

Space that formally started to function from January 2012 (EurAsEC, 2013). Kyrgyzstan has

announced its intention to join the customs union but the process is still on-going.

The common external tariff was launched in January 2010 largely replicating Russia’s tariff

structure at the time. There remain certain exceptions in all countries that are to be removed

by 2015. The 2012 WTO accession of the first customs union member, Russia, resulted in

amendments of the single customs tariffs in line with Russia’s WTO commitments, generally