COMPETITION OF INTEGRATION GROUPINGS

А. A. Kubryak

Scientific advisor: senior lecturer V.F. Ryaboshlyk,

senior lecturer E.A. Gordina

Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management, Novosibirsk,

Russia, e-mail: kulga01@mail.ru

Abstract. The current international environment is characterised by glo-

calisation processes that are driven by the competition of regional and inter-
regional integration groupings for different political and economic benefits.
This article compares the competitiveness of the EAEU and the BRICS on the
basis of the number of states that are interested in cooperating and joining
the integration community. On this basis, the BRICS is the most competitive.
Key words: integration, glocalisation, competition of integration blocks,
conflicts, EAEU, BRICS.

Modern political processes are becoming more extensive, and competition

plays a key role in these processes. Today, every region of the world has its
own integration community, headed by an economic giant, or simply, the
most stable country. The competition of regional integration groups is be-
coming a result of glocalisation rather than globalisation. When the states of
a region join a union while protecting their culture and national interest, a re-
gional or interregional union is set up on the basis of the existing problems
within it rather than the fact that there are any cultural similarities.
The competitiveness of an integration groupe is an analogue of the macro
level of competition, except that the subject of this competition is no longer a
single national economy, but the synergy of the economies of all the coun-
tries participating in the groupe [3].
As a result, a new level category is emerging, a kind of super-macro level:
hyper-macro-competitiveness, in which the macro-level characteristics of in-
dividual countries take on a kind of hybrid significance, and the national in-
terests of individual countries are intertwined and transformed into the inter-
ests of a regional or international alliance as a whole.
Integration associations functioning in the modern world compete on the
basis of different indicators, for example: the number of participants, or the
number of those willing to join integration; the number and diversification of
markets for products produced by integration participants; the number of
agreements with states and state associations, organisations; the volume of
investments from third countries, as well as the quality of the image, etc. Let
take a more detailed look at competitiveness of integration associations in
terms of the attractiveness of membership and the number of candidates for
participation in integration on the example of two integration groups: EAEU
and BRICS.
BRICS is an international, interregional integration grouping of the
world's four fastest-growing economies, established in 2006. Much has hap-
pened in the 16 years of its existence: South Africa was joined in the Brazil-
Russia-India-China format; observer states were created; many documents
were signed; and a large number of forums and summits were held in various
formats, including "BRICS+". However, the countries do not have a consoli-
dated view of what the integration association should look like in the future.
While there is no unified concept in terms of either the composition or the
areas of integration, the idea of developing the grouping reflects a steady
trend towards the consolidation of the Global South around the multilateral
format of BRICS. A joint statement by foreign ministers on 20 May this year
emphasized that BRICS aims to expand cooperation with other developing
and emerging countries on the principles of inclusivity, equality and flexibil-
ity.[1].
As the statistic shows, today more than 10 states are candidates to join
BRICS+; some of them could theoretically expand the core of integration, but
the participants of the integration association are still silent about the possi-
bility of expanding the core [2]. It should be noted that the competitiveness of
the bloc is determined primarily by the quality, rather than the quantity, of the
states concerned. Among the candidates are the rapidly growing Asian Tiger
- Indonesia, the oil-producing hub - Saudi Arabia, and the centre of the Tur-
kic world - Turkey. Such states that have expressed a desire to join the inte-
gration association characterize the BRICS as a competitive association, as
the states that apply for membership are sovereign, recognized, and have a
decent level of economy.
Looking at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), launched in 2015, it is
worth noting that this union consists of five developing countries of the post-
Soviet space, with Russia as the integration leader. There are as many coun-
tries that would like to join this integration bloc as there are BRICS, but most
of the applicant states are non-recognised territories, or states in economic
decline. Another important aspect of an integration grouping's competitive-
ness should be mentioned here - the number of interested states. To this day,
free trade area agreements have been signed with four states, negotiations are
underway with six states, and more than fifty states have expressed interest in
cooperation [6]. However, these quantitative indicators are quite inferior to
qualitative ones, as the same GDP indicator of the Eurasian Economic Union
[5] is 11 times lower than that of the BRICS countries [4].
Competitiveness is an important aspect of the functioning of an integra-
tion groupe. In comparing the two integration blocs many other factors af-
fecting competitiveness need to be taken into account, but by analysing the
most important element we can say that an interregional integration bloc such
as BRICS is more competitive and attractive in the international arena.

REFERENCES

1. BRICS Joint Statement on “Strengthen BRICS Solidarity and Cooper-

ation, Respond to New Features and Challenges in International Situation” //
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China. [Электронный
ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202205/t20220520_10690224.h
tml –загл. с экрана (дата обращения: 8.11.21).
2. Валдайские записки. Международный дискуссионный клуб
«Валдай». БРИКС+: ответ Глобального Юга на новые вызовы. №118.
[Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
https://ru.valdaiclub.com/files/41948/ –загл. с экрана (дата обращения:
8.11.21).
3. Гельвановский М.И. Методологические подходы к обеспечению
конкурентоспособности международных интеграционных группировок
в условиях глобализации. Евразийская экономическая интеграция.
№1(14). [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: https://cyberlenin-
ka.ru/article/n/metodologicheskie-podhody-k-obespecheniyu-konkuren-
tosposobnosti-mezhdunarodnyh-integratsionnyh-gruppirovok-v-usloviyah/
viewer –Загл. с экрана (дата обращения: 8.11.21).
4. Группа БРИКС. Риа Новости. [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим
доступа: https://ria.ru/20220623/briks-1797227081.html –Загл. с экрана
(дата обращения: 8.11.21).
5. Объем ВВП ЕАЭС составил $2 трлн в 2021 году. ЕЭК.
[Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
https://eec.eaeunion.org/news/obem-vvp-eaes-sostavil-2-trln-dollarov-ssha-v-
2021-godu/ –загл. с экрана (дата обращения: 8.11.21).
6. Сергей Лавров: Порядка 50 стран хотят сотрудничать с ЕАЭС.
Союзное вече. [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа:
https://www.souzveche.ru/articles/politics/35309/ –загл. с экрана (дата
обращения: 8.11.21).