DOI: 10.33917/es-3.169.2020.50-54

The global economy, including the eurozone, experienced a shock in 2008. As one of the consequences, central banks of the largest economies in the world, in order to support economic activity, reduced interest rates on loans. Although 11 years have passed, in the eurozone lending rates still remain extremely low. This indicates that the monetary union has not yet recovered from the post-crisis state. In fact, more and more probable is becoming a recently inconceivable scenario that the eurozone for a long time will get into the era of negative interest rates.

DOI: 10.33917/es-3.169.2020.42-49

The article analyzes the Brexit problem, the solution of which has been delayed: four years passed from the referendum on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (February 16, 2016) till signing of the Brexit Act by Prime Minister Boris Johnson (January 31, 2020). The article’s novelty consists in assessing Brexit as a manifestation of the system crisis of the European Union (EU), officially recognized by the European authorities in 2015 due to violation of the development regularities of the European integration and the global crisis consequences. Based on systemic methodology in the aspect of reproduction theory, the internal and external causes of Brexit are analyzed. The author identifies a change in the US attitude to Brexit — from Barack Obama’s negative position to active support by Donald Trump in order to break down the European Union as a collective competitor composed of twenty-eight integrated countries. This is facilitated by the loss of economic sovereignty of the EU countries under US pressure. Possible British benefits and risks of losses as a result of exit from the EU are analyzed.

DOI: 10.33917/es-3.169.2020.30-41

Beginning the article with reminding some basic definitions of geopolitics, correlation of spatial and temporal components herein as well as the systemic nature of geopolitics as a science and the basis for a long-term political strategy, the author proceeds to the topic of relationship between geopolitics and geoeconomics, particularly significant in recent decades. He puts forward the idea that geoeconomics today is an increasingly dynamic and actively driving element in this dyad due to growing technological innovations, increasing competition and subsequent rising complexity of economic strategies of states. Based on well-known examples of economic and political outcomes of applying the state capitalism models or liberal economy, in particular, in the countries that have undergone a radical breakdown of their former economic systems (Russia is also briefly mentioned in this context), the author concludes that it is necessary to form a strategic state, able to develop a sustainable mechanism (including economic intelligence) for development and implementation of national geoeconomics. To support the provisions put forward in the article, the author, as an independent expert, gives a broad outline of geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts in the world in the coming decades.

DOI: 10.33917/es-2.168.2020.102-111

This article considers how to enhance the institutional structure of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in order to enable timely decision-making and implementation of governance decisions in the interests of Eurasian integration deepening. We compare the governance structures of the EAEU and the European Union (EU) using the author’s technique and through the lens of theories of neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism elaborated with respect to the EU. We propose to determine a major driver of the integration process at this stage (the College of the Eurasian Economic Commission or the EAEU member states), to reduce the number of decision-making bodies within the current institutional structure of the EAEU, and to divide clearly authority and competence of remaining bodies to exclude legal controversies in the EAEU

DOI: 10.33917/es-2.168.2020.112-123

The purpose of the study is to determine the existing growth models of the countries of the Eurasian Union by GDP expenditures and sectors (manufacturing, transactional raw materials). The research methodology is a macroeconomic analysis of the dynamics of the main indicator of economic development — gross domestic product. The research method is a structural analysis that allows you to get a structural formula for calculating the contribution of each component of GDP to the growth rate, as well as a comparative analysis of the dynamics models of the countries in question — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia. The result of the study is the obtained structural relationships that make it possible to measure the influence of the investment structure on the growth rate, the criteria describing economic growth with a corresponding change in the country’s national wealth, as well as the identification of models of economic dynamics by the countries of the Eurasian Union. It is indicative that the transaction sector dominates in Kazakhstan and Russia, while in other countries a mixed model is found, or industrial growth as in Belarus. According to the components of GDP and expenditures of the country, either a mixed or a consumer model is found (Kyrgyzstan, Russia), however, the contribution of government spending to the growth rate is provided only in Kazakhstan. It was also revealed that the reaction to the crisis of 2009 and 2015 was fundamentally different for the countries of the Eurasian Union. The search for the factor conditions of such a prevailing dynamics, as well as the influence of union economic relations on the formation of a growth model in each country, requires an expansion of research and an analytical perspective

DOI: 10.33917/es-2.168.2020.124-133

The article deals with various types of characteristics of society and its sphere of activity. Various types and groups of theories of society development are studied. It is revealed — what values are laid by scientific schools in the life of society. Global problems and contradictions, which are a brake and at the same time a stimulus for its development, are defined. The planetary scheme of interrelations and mutual influence of global risks for society is developed. The gradation of modern problems of society from risks with the indication of the main problems of social and economic character is carried out. The separate directions of development of society and tools which reduce emergence and development of risks for it are considered

DOI: 10.33917/es-2.168.2020.134-141

The present article analyzes the experience of creation and functioning in the European Union of such supranational forms of business organization as European companies (SE) and European cooperative societies (SCE). The author considers the main stages of developing legislative acts regulating the activities of supranational business structures; requirements for such companies; procedure for their establishment; opportunities provided by supranational status. The data on activities of European companies and cooperative societies is summarized. Possibilities of implementing the experience of European companies in the EAEU are analyzed

The Belarusian nuclear power plant near the city of Ostrovets, Grodno region, is being built taking into account new standards dictated by both global changes in global security requirements and the development of technology. Vitaly Polyanin, vice president and project director for the construction of the Belarusian NPP of ASE IC JSC (Engineering Division of Rosatom State Corporation) spoke about the final stage of large-scale Russian-Belarusian construction in an interview with ES magazine.

DOI: 10.33917/es-1.167.2020.28-35

Global challenges as the core of the processes of globalization and formation of a new world order provide direction and rhythm of transformation processes in all countries. The article dwells on a set of interconnected global challenges, their retrospective dynamics and future trajectories. Particular attention is paid to the place of Russia in global transformations. It was revealed that thanks to measures taken at all levels of management, positive dynamics have formed in relation to many challenges, but the progress is developing at the expense of ecology and safety. Critical for Russia is a fundamental science cost lag; with such a gap, we won’t be able to ensure defence, economic and technological security and will form the future for ourselves on the far reaches of the world progress

DOI: 10.33917/es-1.167.2020.36-41

The traditional and most developed form of international economic relations is foreign trade. This article analyzes the dynamics and structure of Russia’s foreign trade with the EU countries in the period from 2011 to 2018. It should be emphasized that external challenges not of an economic but of a political nature have led to the disruption of economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the EU, including in the field of trade, which underlines the relevance of this study. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of sanctions and counter-sanctions on the dynamics and structure of mutual trade between Russia and the EU