The article analyzes the nature of international sanctions in the XXI century from the point of view of political economy. It is shown that sanctions are destructive not only for the target countries of sanctions, but also destructive for the States imposing these sanctions. The author comes to the conclusion that the main reason for sanctions is traditionally a fundamental global crisis, which, in fact, marks the process of changing the hegemon in the world economy. It is in an attempt to maintain its dominant position and not having basic economic and even political capabilities for this, as well as resources, losing competition to new potential leaders, that the hegemon applies such measures as sanctions. The author emphasizes that the West is applying increasingly strin­gent sanctions against Russia, which are not something fundamentally new for our country, which faced sanctions pressure back in the early twentieth century. In this regard, our country is forced to solve the serious problems that have arisen, as well as the countries that initiated the sanctions.

The State uses numerous instruments to support the national economy.

The article analyzes the factors, driving forces, directions and socio-economic consequences of return migration from the United States to China. Author consider this process in the context of the global shifts taking place in the modern world. The author formulates theoretical and methodological approaches that make it possible to analyze modern migration through the prism of the geopolitical and socio-economic dynamics of the modern world. This contextual approach allows a deeper understanding of the reasons for the intensification of the process of returning Chinese highly qualified specialists from the United States to their homeland.

In terms when the current version of globalization has exhausted the possibilities for further development, the struggle for talents, qualified personnel capable of making a significant contribution to turning the country into a technological leader in emerging economic and technological zones, becomes an integral part of the battle for dominance in the new post-global world. Author explore the factors and consequences of modern migration processes for the United States and China, evaluate the steps taken by the Chinese leadership to return their compatriots employed in the high-tech sectors of the American economy to their homeland and their consequences for the United States. Author then conclude that it is necessary to study this experience in a comprehensive manner in order to apply it in Russia.

There has been a trend towards digitalization in all areas of life, including the economic sphere, for a last decade. More and more countries are becoming oriented towards the development of digital economy and digitalization of foreign economic activities. The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in boosting the digital economy is analyzed in this article. Digital multinational enterprises play the main role in FDI attraction. The development of multinationals is characterized by a new round of transition to the digital economy, which is changing the way of doing business and orienting businesses towards the accretion and use of digital platforms, technologies, solutions and related products and services. Digital multinationals began to enter foreign markets with little to no investment in physical assets. The ratio of the share of foreign sales to the corresponding share of foreign assets (FDI lightness index) for the top-100 digital multinationals in digital solutions segment is raising. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a catalyst for the digital economy. Nevertheless, governments trying to create favorable environment in the country for FDI attraction should be guided by strategic rather than tactical national interests. States should favor investment in digital economy with goal-oriented approach. Investment policies must resonate with the country’s competitive advantages – human capital, business ecosystem, technological capabilities. ASEAN case is explored in this article.

The article analyzes the WTO rules on the provision of notifications (notifications) on measures related to the regulation of trade in services. The practice of fulfilling these requirements by WTO members is considered. It is noted that services play a dominant role in global GDP, therefore, the recovery of the global economy in the post-crisis period will largely depend on the development of this sector. The author gives examples of national support measures that were not reflected in the notifications. It is concluded that the WTO rules on transparency in terms of trade in services require clarification in order to increase the awareness of the organization's members about the measures of partners.

Due to the collapse of the USSR and the destruction of economic cooperation, all the former Soviet republics traded among themselves as independent states, and trade was carried out not at domestic (as before), but at world prices. New state borders (previously internal) prevented the export and transit of products to "third countries". The purpose of the study is to characterize the export of certain types of products in the post-Soviet space by country in dynamics from 1995 to 2020. The data was from UNCTAD. We used the principles of a systematic approach, in particular historical, analytical, mathematical-statistical and cartographic research methods. Russia remains the main supplier of mineral resources to the republics of the former Soviet Union, but its role in the foreign trade of the republics as a whole is declining. Exports began to consist mainly of exports of raw materials. Goods from the countries of the former USSR are exported mainly to the Asian market. Trade between countries is affected not only by geographical factors - it is easier to trade with neighbors, but also by other factors, including the ability to transport products around the world. Therefore, the spatial diversification of exports of steel, mineral fertilizers, and grain is higher than that of oil and natural gas, which are traded mainly through pre-laid pipelines. Interstate territorial disputes that have grown since the collapse of the USSR are harmful to economic cooperation. Difficulties arise in relations between such republics of the former Soviet Union as Russia and Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In Soviet times, there was close cooperation between them, but now it is broken. This hinders the economic development of these countries.

The modern consumer is becoming an increasingly active and selective shopper every year. According to the Deloitte consumer research center, 38% of Russian consumers prefer to visit stores even when they are not in dire need. It is important for such consumers to see new products on the shelf, study them and make a decision about buying such goods in the short term, taking into account all the information on the labeling. To a large extent, the consumer sector is influenced by global trends, which are reflected in domestic consumption due to their popularity among customers through promotion through social networks in the context of a healthy lifestyle and support from manufacturers and retailers through the production and introduction of "trendy" products into the production and assortment matrix. In this regard, confectionery products in general and chocolate, as a significant product in the volume of industry revenues at the expense of value, are becoming one of the most studied product categories by consumers. This is due to innovations within the category and the impact of the consumption of calorie products on the health and appearance of the consumer.  

Modern energy cooperation between Russia and China is mutually beneficial and complementary: China invests in the implementation of Russian energy projects, and Russia, in turn, supplies its energy resources to China, meeting the needs of both sides. This article assesses China's contribution to the development of the Russian electric power industry. The assessment is carried out on the basis of careful examination of upcoming and already implemented projects of China's investment cooperation in Russia in the field of renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower, as well as in the field of thermal and nuclear energy. At the same time attention is paid to the volume of investment in specific projects, and the degree of participation in the equity holding. Based on the results of the assessment, a conclusion is made about the high interest of China in the implementation of electric power projects in Russia. China especially counts on mutual support for cooperation in the field of renewable energy, namely in the sector of construction of solar, wind and hydropower plants, in order to solve the climate issue. At the same time China does not deny the importance of developing relations in the field of oil and gas. 

Today the basis of exports from Russia are goods of the fuel and energy group. However, due to the instability of prices in the oil and gas markets, as well as the spreading policy of introducing environmentally friendly energy sources around the world, there is a need to diversify Russian exports and shift them towards non-commodity goods. The key task set by the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin before the Government of the Russian Federation is to ensure a breakthrough growth in the export of goods with high added value, including the achievement by 2030 of 70% of the share of non-primary sector goods in total exports from Russia. In this article, the author considers the top 20 groups of high value added goods exported by Russia to the world market, separately considers the lists of high value products supplied to the EAEU and BRICS countries, compares Russia's global exports with supplies to the EAEU and BRICS countries.  By applying the Balassa index, an assessment of the comparative advantage of Russia in terms of commodity items, identified by the author as a priority for the initial release to new markets, is given. Based on the data obtained, the author draws conclusions about the prospects for the export of upper value added goods to new markets in Russia, including the identification of specific product groups, the export of which can be expanded. 

Due to the fact that the increase in migration flows increases their impact on various directions in the world economy, the issues of regulating these flows through migration policy, as well as ensuring economic security and the general national security of the State, are becoming increasingly relevant. Therefore, in modern realities, migration issues are increasingly being considered in the context of state security. This is largely due to the illegal component of migration, which carries direct risks, not only related to financial and economic security, but also with political stability. In the Russian Federation, the issue of illegal immigration and illegal labor activity of legal immigrants remains relevant, which in turn affects the growth of the shadow economy and its financial infrastructure (informal money transfer systems). Strengthening the informal financial infrastructure entails an increase in the risks of money laundering and financing terrorism. In this regard, the above aspects in this article are considered comprehensively and investigated from both economic and socio-political points of view.

The relevance of the article is because of digital transformation today has spread to all areas of the economy. In a highly competitive environment, various enterprises and organizations are introducing information technologies into their work to increase productivity and quickly and efficiently solve their tasks. Effective work of customs authorities in all countries of the world is impossible without digitalization. Customs information technologies are becoming a tool to speed up and simplify the passage of customs procedures, as well as a means of increasing the efficiency of measures related to customs control. The introduction of innovations in any process is usually associated with certain risks. In this article, the author analyzes problematic aspects in the activities of customs authorities related to the introduction and use of digital technologies. Based on the analysis, promising ways to solve existing problems have been identified. The implementation of these areas will not only allow achieving a high level of development of information customs technologies, but will also make our country more attractive for international business due to the simplification and acceleration of customs procedures, and will also contribute to the development of digitalization of customs authorities in accordance with international recommendations.

The system of tariff preferences is a key instrument of influence on foreign trade activities in terms of customs and tariff regulation. The possibility of controlling the volume of imported goods, the level of their competitiveness in the domestic market, as well as the impact on the amount of customs duties paid, necessitate the optimization of the current system of tariff preferences, taking into account emerging challenges in the field of foreign trade. In this regard, the article discusses the main mechanisms of provision of tariff preferences in the EAEU, analyzes their functioning taking into account changes in the current legislation, and also suggests measures to overcome the current problems of applying the system of tariff preferences, taking into account the most important strategic objectives of the EAEU countries. In this context, the issues of transformation of the Unified System of Tariff Preferences in terms of differentiation of import customs duty rates when tariff preferences are triggered, the list of preferential goods, as well as improving the effectiveness of customs control in this area are of particular relevance. In the current conditions, the most important tasks for the development of preferential trade are, on the one hand, strengthening of the relations with key foreign trade partners by providing economic advantages in mutual trade, and, on the other hand, protecting national producers from excessive foreign competition. In this regard, the optimization of the system of provision of tariff preferences will allow the EAEU member states to build their foreign trade policy with third countries more effectively.

Moscow, Russia

This article analyzes in detail the current state of the institution of an authorized economic operator (AEO) within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, taking into account the identified urgent problems of customs regulation in this area. The relevance of the research topic is to increase the role of authorized economic operators as a tool for liberalizing and simplifying customs procedures, as well as establishing cooperation between participants in foreign economic activity and customs authorities. At the same time, the existing relations in the field of functioning of the AEO institute in the Eurasian Economic Union have not yet reached their perfection, and therefore, the issue of the development of this institute within the Union is of particular importance. The purpose of the study is to develop measures to optimize the activities of the institute of an authorized economic operator in the EAEU. In this regard, the definition of the term “authorized economic operator” was given and the trends in the development of AEO in world practice were analyzed. In the course of the practical analysis, the foreign trade activities of the JSC Firm “August”, which has the status of an authorized economic operator with a certificate of the third type, were directly considered, and the main advantages received by the company within the framework of the AEO status were also identified. As a result, problematic aspects of customs regulation of AEO activities in the EAEU were identified, including in terms of the application of special simplifications, as well as ways to solve them were proposed and promising directions for further development of the institute were outlined.