Legal Challenges of the EU-Belarus Relations

Authors

  • Maksim Karliuk Higher School of Economics, Skolkovo Institute for Law and Development Ghent University, Department of European, Public and International Law, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8246-7947

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18523/kmlpj153252.2018-4.65-79

Keywords:

EU, Belarus, neighborhood policy, international law, WTO

Abstract

EU-Belarus relations have seen many changes throughout the years ranging from closer engagement to isolation. Although recently the relations started to improve, the main international agreement between Belarus and the EU is still the one concluded by the Soviet Union. Even though there are plans on changing the situation and concluding a new international framework agreement with the EU, it is clear that Eurasian integration is of primary importance for Belarus. This article focuses on analyzing the legal basis of the EU-Belarus relations, effect that international contractual obligations have in the domestic legal order, and the way membership to the Eurasian Economic Union influences that. It is argued that new contractual legal framework between Belarus and the EU is imaginable, although it would be limited, among others, due to transfer of certain exclusive competences to the supranational level of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Author Biography

Maksim Karliuk, Higher School of Economics, Skolkovo Institute for Law and Development Ghent University, Department of European, Public and International Law

Maksim Karliuk holds an LLM in European Law (College of Europe, Bruges, 2011) and a specialist degree in International and European Law (Belarusian State University, 2010). His research activities focus on regulatory impact assessment, legal approximation, Eurasian integration and EU external relations law.

References

  1. Advisory Opinion N SE 2–1/1–17-BK, April 4, 2017.
  2. Advisory Opinion N SE 2–2/2–17-BK, October 30, 2017.
  3. Agreement Between the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Trade and Commercial and Economic Cooperation, OJ, (1990): L 68/3. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020782900023639
  4. Agreement Between the Republic of Belarus and the Commission of the European Communities on the Establishing Privileges and Immunities of the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities to the Republic of Belarus. March 7, 2008 (entered into force on January 30, 2009).
  5. Agreement in the Form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of Belarus Amending the Agreement Between the European Community and the Republic of Belarus on Trade in Textile Products, OJ, (2007): L 337/114.
  6. Air Code of the Republic of Belarus. May 16, 2006, No. 1173.
  7. Annex 31 to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union. Protocol on the Functioning of the Eurasian Economic Union within the Multilateral Trading System.
  8. Bank Code of the Republic of Belarus, adopted on October 25, 2000, No. 4413.
  9. “Belarus and the EU.” Accessed May 1, 2018. https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ belarus/15975/belarus-and-eu_en.
  10. Code of Civil Procedure of the Republic of Belarus. January 11, 1999, No. 2383.
  11. Council Conclusions on Belarus, 3065th Foreign Affairs Council Meeting, Brussels, January 31, 2011.
  12. Civil Code of the Republic of Belarus, adopted on December 7, 1998, No. 2183.
  13. Criminal Enforcement Code of the Republic of Belarus. January 11, 2000, No. 3653.
  14. Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. July 9, 1999, No. 2753.
  15. Edict of the President of the Republic of Belarus “On Adoption of the Concept of National Security of the Republic of Belarus.” November 9, 2010, No. 575, Art. 19(5).
  16. Elsuwege, Peter Van, “The European Union and the Belarus Dilemma: Between Conditionality and Constructive Engagement,” Proceedings of the Institute for European Studies, Journal of Tallinn University of Technology 7 (2010): 7–20.
  17. Enactment of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus “On Ratification of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Communities and their Member States of the One Part, and Belarus, on the Other Part.” April 12, 1995, No. 3719-XII.
  18. “EU-Belarus Relations Fact Sheet.” Accessed May 1, 2018. http://eeas.europa.eu/ delegations/belarus/eu_belarus/political_relations/index_en. htm. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230287037_1
  19. “European Union—Restrictive Measures (Sanctions) in Force.” Accessed May 1, 2018. http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/docs/measures_en.pdf.
  20. Framework Agreement Between the Commission of the European Communities and the Government of the Republic of Belarus. December 18, 2008.
  21. Frankenberg, Günter, “Comparing Constitutions: Ideas, Ideals, and Ideology-toward a Layered Narrative. “ Icon-International Journal of Constitutional Law 4.3 (2006): fn. 2. https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/mol012
  22. Free Trade Agreement Between the Eurasian Economic Union and its Member States, of the One Part, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, of the Other Part. May 29, 2015.
  23. “Human Rights.” Accessed May 1, 2018. http://mfa.gov.by/en/organizations/human_ rights/.
  24. Investment Code of the Republic of Belarus. June 22, 2001, No. 373.
  25. Karliuk, Maksim. “The Constitutional Order of Belarus and Its Adaptability to the Eurasian Economic Union: A ‘Living Constitution’ Workaround.” In Post-Soviet Constitutions and Challenges of Regional Integration: Adapting to European and Eurasian Integration Projects, edited by Roman Petrov and Peter Van Elsuwege, 174–196. Oxford: Routledge, 2018. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315656847-10
  26. Karliuk, Maksim. “Legislative Approximation and Application of Eu Law in Belarus.” In Legislative Approximation and Application of Eu Law in the Eastern Neighbourhood of the European Union: Towards a Common Regulatory Space?, edited by Roman Petrov and Peter Van Elsuwege, 203–218. Oxford: Routledge, 2014. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203799178-13
  27. “Makei: Belarus Ready for New Framework Agreement with EU.” Accessed December 26, 2016. http://www.belta.by/politics/view/belarus-hochet-zakljuchit-s-es-novoesoglashenie-dlja-razvitija-otnoshenij 176293–2016/.
  28. Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus, adopted on July 26, 1999, No. 2963.
  29. Marriage and Family Code of the Republic of Belarus. July 9, 1999, No. 2783.
  30. Pavlova, Liudmila V. “Osobennosti zakonotvorchestva Respubliki Belarus v oblasti zakliucheniia mezhdunarodnykh dogovorov [Features of the Republic of Belarus Law-making in the Field of Conclusion of International Treaties].” In Aktualnyie problemy mezhdunarodnogo publichnogo i mezhdunarodnogo chastnogo prava: sbornik nauchnykh trudov, edited by Elena V. Babkina et al., 102–111. Minsk: BSU, 2011.
  31. Petrov, Roman. “The Partnership and Co-operation Agreements with the Newly Independent States.” In Handbook on European Enlargement: A Commentary on the Enlargement Process, edited by A. Ott and K. Inglis, 175–194. The Hague: Asser Press, 2003.
  32. Pliakhimovich, Ivan I. Kommentarii k Konstitutsii Respubliki Belarus [Commentary to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus]. Minsk: Amalfeia, 2015.
  33. Proposal for a Council and Commission Decision on the Conclusion of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Communities and their Member States, of the One Part, and Belarus, of the Other Part. February 22, 1995, COM (95) 44 final.
  34. “Russian Federation and the WTO.” Accessed May 1, 2018. https://www.wto.org/english/ thewto_e/countries_e/russia_e. htm.
  35. “Status of Negotiation Tracks on Free Trade.” Accessed December 23, 2018. http://www.eurasiancommission.org/ru/act/trade/dotp/sogl_torg/ Documents/%d0%a1%d1%82%d0%b0%d1%82%d1%83%d1%81%20 %d0%bf%d0%be%20%d0%bf%d0%b5%d1%80%d0%b5%d0%b3%d0 %be%d0%b2%d0%be%d1%80%d0%bd%d1%8b%d0%bc%20%d1%82%d1%8 0%d0%b5%d0%ba%d0%b0%d0%bc.pdf. https://doi.org/10.33941/age-info.com24(5)2018005
  36. Sytas, Andrius. “Exclusive: EU’s Juncker Dangles Trade Ties with Russia-Led Bloc to Putin.” Accessed May 1, 2018. http://www. reuters. com/article/us-eu-junckerrussia-idUSKCN 0T821T20151119.
  37. T 438/11: Action brought on August 12, 2011—BelTechExport v. Council. O. J. C 290, 01/10/2011 P. 0015–0015.
  38. T 439/11: Action brought on August 12, 2011—Sport-pari v. Council. O. J. C 290, 01/10/2011 P. 0015–0016.
  39. T 440/11: Action brought on August 12, 2011—BT Telecommunications v. Council. O. J. C 290, 01/10/2011 P. 0016–0017.
  40. T 441/11: Action Brought on August 12, 2011—Peftiev v. Council. O. J. C 290, 01/10/2011 P. 0017–0017.
  41. Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus of December 19, 2002, No. 1663.
  42. The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, adopted on May 15, 1994, No. 2875-XII (as amended by the republican referendums on November 24, 1996, October 17, 2004).
  43. Treaty on the Functioning of the Customs Union in the Framework of the Multilateral Trading System. May 19, 2011.
  44. Vasilevich, Grigoriy A. Konstitutsionnye osnovy implementatsii mezhdunarodnykh dogovorov Respubliki Belarus i norm, integratsionnogo prava [Constitutional Basics of Implementation of International Treaties of the Republic of Belarus and Norms of Integration Law]. Minsk: Pravo i ekonomika, 2015.
  45. Zakon Respubliki Belarus “O mezhdunarodnykh dogovorakh Respubliki Belarus [On International Treaties of the Republic of Belarus].” July 23, 2008, No. 4213, Natsionalnyi reestr pravovykh aktov Respubliki Belarus (August 4, 2008) No. 184, 2/1518.
  46. Zakon Respubliki Belarus “O normativnykh pravovykh aktakh Respubliki Belarus [On Normative Legal Acts of the Republic of Belarus].” January 10, 2000, No. 361-Z, Natsionalnyi reestr pravovykh aktov Respubliki Belarus (January 13, 2000) No. 2/136.
  47. Zybailo, Alla I. “Mesto istochnikov prava EvrAzES v pravovykh sistemakh gosudarstvchlenov [Place of EURASEC Sources of Law in Legal Systems of Member States],” Evraziiskii iuridicheskii zhurnal 7 (2013): 14–18.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-27

How to Cite

Karliuk, M. (2018). Legal Challenges of the EU-Belarus Relations. Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal, (4), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.18523/kmlpj153252.2018-4.65-79

Issue

No. 4 (2018): Kyiv-Mohyla Law & Politics Journal

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2018 Maksim Karliuk

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal provides free access to original research without restriction barriers (i.e. subscription fees, licensing fees etc.).

Unless otherwise indicated, content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which means you are free to:

distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially

...provided that any use is made with attribution to author(s) and Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal.

The copyright in the article or any other submission to Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal shall remain with the author(s).

The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.