Goals and Objectives of International Economic Integration: Issues of Theory and Modern Practice

   Regional economic integration has an increasing appeal in modern conditions of increasing regionalization and fragmentation of the global economy and international economic relations and the reform of a number of regional integration associations. The diversity of approaches – in theory and in practice – to defining the goals and objectives of these associations actualizes their understanding and systematization.

   The purpose of the article is to explore the transformation of the fundamental foundations of international economic integration in terms of modern goals and objectives of its formation/reform.

   It is noted that the formation of regional trade agreements is changing the relationship between the global and regional levels of international trade and its institutional system.

   The author comes to the conclusion that modern integration goals have evolved from narrow economic ones. (to create a common market for the growth of trade in the association) to socially oriented (to create a fair, cohesive and sustainable space to improve the quality of life of all citizens).

   Without solving social problems, economic integration successes lead to political destabilization.

1. Andreeva E. L., Zakharova V. V., Ratner A. V. Evolyutsiya sotsialnogo gosudarstva: teoriya i praktika voprosa [The Evolution of the Welfare State: Theory and Practice of the Issue] Zhurnal ekonomicheskoy teorii [Journal of Economic Theory], 2014, No. 3, pp. 66–73. (In Russ.).

2. Butorina O. V. Tseli regionalnoy integratsii: sovremennoe ponimanie [The Goals of Regional Integration: a Modern Understanding]. Mirovaya ekonomika i mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [World Economy and International Relations], 2021, Vol. 65, No. 10, pp. 5–14. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2021-65-10-5-14

3. Butorina O. V., Borko A. Yu. Preimushchestva regionalnoy integratsii: pereosmyslenie kontseptsii [Advantages of Regional Integration: Rethinking the Concept]. Vestnik Rossiyskoy akademii nauk [Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences], 2022, Issue 92, No. 2, pp. 105–112. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.1134/S1019331622080020

4. Butorina O. V. Evropeyskiy soyuz i dlitelnye tsikly ekonomicheskoy integratsii [The European Union and Long Cycles of Economic Integration]. Mezhdunarodnye protsessy [International Processes], 2024, Vol. 22, No. 3. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.46272/IT.2024.22.3.78.1

5. Grigoryan K. G. Kompleksnyy podkhod k otsenke sostoyaniya i perspektiv razvitiya regionalnykh integratsionnykh obedineniy: na primere assotsiatsii stran Yugo-Vostochnoy Azii. Diss. kand. ekon. nauk [An Integrated Approach to Assessing the State and Prospects of Development of Regional Integration Associations: on the Example of the Association of Southeast Asian Countries. PhD, sci. diss.]. Moscow, 2012. (In Russ.).

6. Zerkot A. A. Globalnaya tendentsiya k regionalizatsii i integratsionnye protsessy v stranakh Araviyskogo poluostrova // Rossiya i Aziya. – 2024. – № 1 (27). – S. 93–105. (In Russ.).

7. Korobeynikova S. G. Mezhdunarodnaya ekonomicheskaya integratsiya: sushchnost i evolyutsiya ponyatiya [International Economic Integration: the Essence and Evolution of the Concept]. Vesnіk BDU. Seryya 3, Gіstoryya. Fіlasofіya. Psіkhalogіya. Palіtalogіya. Satsyyalogіya. Ekanomіka. Prava [Vesnik database. Gray 3, Historic. Filasofiya. Psychology. Palitalogia. Social Studies. Ekanomika. Rights], 2008, No. 1, pp. 70–74. (In Russ.).

8. Kostyunina G. M. Regionalizm v sovremennoy mirovoy ekonomike: evolyutsiya i osnovnye tendentsii [Regionalism in the Modern World Economy: Evolution and Main Trends] Vestnik Rossiyskogo universiteta druzhby narodov. Seriya: Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Bulletin of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. Series: International Relations], 2020, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 303–317. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.22363/2313-0660-2020-20-2-303-317

9. Kudryashov V. S. Mezhdunarodnaya ekonomicheskaya integratsiya: teoreticheskie aspekty i mirovaya praktika [International Economic Integration: Theoretical Aspects and World Practice]. Uchenye zapiski Tambovskogo otdeleniya RoSMU [Scientific Notes of the Tambov Branch of RoSMU], 2019, No. 14, pp. 78–89. (In Russ.).

10. Melanina M. V., Savinskiy A. V., Kuzmin D. V. NAFTA: makroekonomicheskaya dinamika, rol v mire i neobkhodimost modernizatsii integratsionnykh protsessov [NAFTA: Macroeconomic Dynamics, Role in the World and the Need to Modernize Integration Processes], Ekonomika i predprinimatelstvo [Economics and Entrepreneurship], 2017, No. 3-1 (80), pp. 86–91. (In Russ.).

11. Melanina M. V., Verenikina A. Yu. Vzaimnaya torgovlya stran ASEAN v kontekste regionalnoy ekonomicheskoy integratsii: empiricheskiy analiz [Mutual Trade of the ASEAN Countries in the Context of Regional Economic Integration: an Empirical Analysis]. Rossiya i Aziya [Russia and Asia], 2024, No. 2 (28), pp. 53–70. (In Russ.).

12. Misko O. N. Mezhdunarodnaya ekonomicheskaya integratsiya [International Economic Integration]. Saint Petersburg, Universitet ITMO, 2015. (In Russ.).

13. Pozitsionirovanie regiona v sisteme novykh formatov mezhdunarodnoy ekonomicheskoy integratsii [Positioning of the Region in the System of New Formats of International Economic Integration], kollektivnaya monografiya. Ekaterinburg, 2016. (In Russ.).

14. Rusakovich V. I. Ekonomicheskaya integratsiya stran SSAGPZ i vliyanie vneshnego faktora [Economic Integration of the GCC Countries and the Influence of an External Factor], Rossiya i Aziya [Russia and Asia], 2017, No. 1, pp. 50–59.(In Russ.).

15. Frolova E. D., Kozhevnikov K. I. Pul arabskikh stran Zapadnoy Azii kak «anklav globalnosti» [The Pool of Arab Countries of Western Asia as an "Enclave of Globality"]. Rossiya i Aziya [Russia and Asia], 2021, No. 4 (18), pp. 35–44. (In Russ.).

16. Kheyfets B. A. Nakopitelnaya model mezhdunarodnoy ekonomicheskoy integratsii [Cumulative Model of International Economic Integration], Kontury globalnykh transformatsiy: politika, ekonomika, pravo [Contours of Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, Law], 2023, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 35–52. (In Russ.).

17. Kheyfets B. A., Chernova V. Yu. Protektsionistskiy vektor promyshlennoy politiki v usloviyakh menyayushchegosya miroporyadka [The Protectionist Vector of Industrial Policy in the Conditions of the Emerging World Order]. Kontury globalnykh transformatsiy: politika, ekonomika, pravo [Contours of Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, Law], 2025, Vol. 18, No. 2, pp 6–23. (In Russ.).

18. Kheyfets B. A. Novaya model mezhdunarodnoy ekonomicheskoy integratsii. Ser. Nauchnye doklady IE RAN. [A New Model of International Economic Integration. Ser. Scientific Reports of IE RAS]. Moscow, 2023. (In Russ.).

19. Kheyfets B. Globalnye partnerstva i transregionalizatsiya «Bolshoy Evrazii» [Global Partnerships and Transregionalization of "Greater Eurasia"]. Postsovetskiy materik [Post-Soviet Continent], 2018, No. 3 (19), pp. 47–56. (In Russ.).

20. Shkvarya L. V. Sovet Ekonomicheskoy Vzaimopomoshchi: uroki dlya sovremennosti? [Council of Mutual Economic Assistance: Lessons for Modernity?] Rossiya i Aziya [Russia and Asia], 2023, No. 1 (23), pp. 67–78. (In Russ.).

21. Shkvarya L. V. Teoriya mezhdunarodnoy ekonomicheskoy integratsii i sovremennaya praktika stran s razvivayushchimisya rynkami [Theory of International Economic Integration and Modern Practice of Countries with Emerging Markets], Rossiya i Aziya, 2023, No. 3 (25), pp. 89–94. (In Russ.).

22. Shkvarya L. V. Integratsiya i diplomaticheskiy krizis: sovremennye realii SSAGPZ [Integration and the Diplomatic Crisis: Modern Realities of the GCC]. Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta [Bulletin of MGIMO University], 2020, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 163–182. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24833/2071-8160-2020-2-71-163-182

23. Nguyen My Linh Pham, Thi Thu Huong Nguyen. The Supply Chain and Logistics of Vietnam in the Context of International Economic Integration. International Business Research, 2020, No. 13 (7), pp. 27–27. DOI: 10.5539/ibr.v13n7p27

24. Viner J. The Customs Union Issue. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Division of International Law. Studies in the administration of international Law and Organization. New York, 1950.