The problems of globalization and its impact on national economies have become even more hot than ever, due to certain geopolitical changes in the world, among other factors. The issues that have been discussed at the International Likhachov scientific conference (2016) concern political, economic, social, cultural spheres of human development. National economies and globalization; new economic growth drivers, inequality, social policy and budget limits; national interests and integration processes were among the key points of the agenda. The distinguished philosophers, economists, diplomats from all over the world tried to find answers to new challenges and formulate possible steps for enhancing cooperation between countries and reducing the intensity of the confrontation. It was pointed out that the chances and risks of national economics under globalization differ. As to Russian economy, it remains extremely dependant on the situation at the world oil market and needs new approaches to attract investment for other sectors development, increase competitiveness, conclude new trade agreements; find new areas of cooperation. At the same time it must be more human oriented.

On the basis of changes in the volume of mutual exports of the BRICS countries, its share in total exports of the countries concerned, the commodity structure and a number of other indicators reveal modern features and trends of foreign cooperation of the BRICS countries as a key indicator of the real integration process. A brief description of the foreign trade policy of the BRICS countries. It was determined that the lack of a single zone of preferential trade between Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, countries partially offset by bilateral agreements, arrangements within and between existing integration blocs. Political instability and economic problems in the five countries, the decline in GDP growth in all member countries, except India, sluggish global conditions contributed to reducing both total and mutual exports.

The article examines main employment trends, including unemployment, longterm moving toward the part-time employment, non-standard, informal, temporary jobs, in the countries and regions of the world with focus on labour force participation rate, on the young people’s moving into the labour market, gender gap. Globally, youth unemployment remains an issue of concern in almost all regions of the world, especially the female youth unemployment with the rate is almost double that of young men. It’s pointed out that a young person with high education is able to find a job in much less time, comparing with a youth with primary education. Though the last decades have been marked by significant progress in gender equality at work and in society, education, access to the labour market, the gender inequality has remained in a wild range of labor relations. The policy has fallen short in putting women’s employment, earnings and working conditions into line with those of men.

In this article the author dwells upon the contradiction between promotion of international technological development and protection of regional economic integration parties' national interests. The paper presents the dynamics of intellectual property rights, methods of control and technology transfer within the framework of international treaties and agreements such as the WTO, COCOM, the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. On this basis the author justify the possibility of strengthening technological world’s polarity through the so called "barriers of preferences" as a hidden form of export controls. Under this regime, in order to achieve national objectives, inter-country promotion of technological and economic development will be carried out within more narrow regional organisations than the WTO at the expense of fair international trade.

In article influence of the sanctions imposed by the EU and the USA against Russia and its response measures on trade and economic relations between them is considered. Various estimates of effects and their importance, especially for Russia are given, as well as the examples of negative and positive development processes caused by the sanctions. The impact of sanctions is illustrated with the analysis of changes in the trade turnover of Russia with leading countries of the EU and the United States in 2013-2015. The author pays special attention to serious challenges in connection with the formation of a new megaregional economic associations at the initiative of the United States.

The article discusses the Korean experience in the conclusion of the Free trade agreements, existing and potential ones and estimates the share of the countries-participants of the agreements in the Korean exports and the prospects of inclusion. The future trend for the creation of new free trade zones with the participation of Korea (including a bilateral agreement with the EAEU) is considered, the importance of eurasian initiative of Park Geun-Hye, which is aimed at rapprochement of Russia and China in particular, is noted. Russia-Korea trade relations (dynamics of exports, imports and commodity structure) in recent years are analyzed.

The article represents the analysis of the place of Russia in the world market of fish and seafood and its evolution from 1992 to the present time. The study of world and Russian market of fish and seafood is based on the sequential analysis of its main elements: production, consumption and trade of fish and seafood. This article considers market structure by types of products, comparing it with other participants. In connection with a food embargo in mid-2014 against a number of developed countries happened spatial and qualitative changes in trade flows, have changed the basic trading partners of Russia in the market of fish and seafood that is also reflected in the article.

The article considers the demographic trends in the Euroasian Economic Union (EAEU ) countries and the peculiarities of pension systems in view of the pension harmonization perspectives; key indicators of financing pension systems in EAEU countries, pension benefits. The pension systems of EAEU countries, like an increasing number of countries around the world, are undergoing fundamental reforms. The steps to development of diversified and balanced pension systems, with public and private pension provision, is considered to be one of the most important vectors of national social economic strategies in ageing societies. But this transformation takes time and demands not only promoting private pension savings; but the protection of plan members as well; the transparency in pension fund governance and decision-making; financial infrastructure development.

The article analyzes the importance and the current trend of development of export control. Shows the role of the customs authorities of the EAEU with the performance of customs operations of controlled goods and technologies. Substantiates the idea that Russia faces the problem of balance between the promotion of high-tech domestic goods on foreign markets, on the one hand, and the fulfilment of international obligations on non-proliferation of WMD on the other. Substantiated conclusion about necessity of strengthening of a unified procedure of customs control of goods and technologies of double application of member States of the EAEU.

New regional leaders are emerging in the field of higher education - Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan. This paper analyses positions of arab countries in the global education market. Arab countries, particularly Gulf states, are facilitating international students’ mobility. The cooperation between Russia and the arab world is not developed to the full extent. The number of students studying in Russia from this region is raising, but its share in the total number of foreign students in Russia remains insignificant. The paper specifies the main trends in russian-arab cooperation in the field of higher education and estimates opportunities for further extension of cooperation. The paper deals also with theprimary areas where the cooperation would be mutually beneficial both for Russia and Arab countries.