Regional and subregional international organizations of general competence. International organizations of general competence within the framework of economic cooperation International organizations of general competence include

The practice of creating sustainable international associations has its roots in the era of ancient Greece and Rome. In Ancient Greece, similar associations appeared in the 6th century. BC. in the form of unions of cities and communities (symmachy and amphictyony). At the same time, Rome became the head of the Latin Union, which united 30 cities of Latium. Such alliances were created primarily for protection against a common enemy. International economic and customs associations began to emerge at a later stage. Formed in the 16th century. and the commercial and political union of North German cities led by the city of Lübeck, known as the Hanseatic Trade Union, which formally existed until 1669, is one of such associations.

The prototype of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations in their modern understanding were the so-called international administrative unions that appeared in the 19th century. and were institutions endowed with, although rather narrow, their own competence for work in areas of public life closely related to the development of the economy, science, and technology. In addition, in contrast to such forms of interstate communication as international conferences, commissions and committees, international administrative unions had permanent bodies in the form of so-called international bureaus.

Unions of this kind include the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (1815), the International Union for Earth Measurement (1864), the Universal Telegraph Union (1865), the International Meteorological Organization (1873), the Universal Postal Union (1874), etc.

The League of Nations (1919) was the first political international organization created to maintain peace and international security. In 1945 it was replaced by the United Nations (UN). It is precisely with this that the recognition of MMPO as a subject of international law is associated. After the creation of the UN, a number of international administrative associations received the status of its specialized agencies, others function as international international organizations on special problems.

The emergence of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations was dictated by the practical needs of states to combine their efforts to solve problems that they were no longer able to effectively cope with alone.

Intergovernmental organizations must be distinguished from non-governmental organizations (INGOs). While international in nature, they have fundamentally different legal natures.

An interstate organization is characterized by such features as membership of states, the presence of a constituent international treaty, the presence of a headquarters and a system of permanent bodies, respect for the sovereignty of member states, as well as their international legal personality, etc.

An essential feature of INGOs is that they were not created on the basis of an interstate treaty and unite individuals and (or) legal entities (International Law Association, Doctors Without Borders). INGOs are also characterized by: lack of profit-making goals; recognition by at least one state or presence of consultative status with international intergovernmental organizations; operating in at least two countries; creation on the basis of a constituent act. INGOs cannot include subjects of international law.

According to Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolution 1996/31 of July 25, 1996, an INGO is any non-governmental organization that is not established on the basis of an intergovernmental treaty and does not pursue the goal of making commercial profit.

Classification of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations

International organizations can be classified on various grounds.

Based on the range of participants, intergovernmental (interstate) organizations are divided into universal, open to the participation of all states of the world (UN, its specialized agencies), and regional, whose members can be states of the same geographic region (African Union, Organization of American States, etc.).

In other cases, the possibility of membership is determined by other criteria. Thus, only those countries for which oil exports are the main source of income can be members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

There are international organizations of general and special competence. The activities of the former cover all areas of international relations: political, economic, social, cultural, etc. (UN, OAS). The latter are limited to cooperation in one special area (UPU, ILO, etc.) and can be divided into political, economic, scientific, religious, etc.

Classification by the nature of powers allows us to distinguish between interstate and so-called supranational (supranational) organizations.

The first group includes the vast majority of international organizations whose purpose is to organize interstate cooperation and whose decisions are addressed to member states.

There is no consensus on the issue of supranationality of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations.

Some believe that, contrary to the frequent statements of the MMPO, which by the beginning of the 21st century. There were about 300, and the central place among which is occupied by the UN, are not some kind of global, supranational formations that “absorb” the sovereign rights of states and dictate to them the rules and norms of behavior on the world stage. Their functioning is not associated with any infringement of the sovereignty of states or their delegation of their sovereign rights, because this would contradict the very nature of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations, which are unique centers for harmonizing the interests of states and coordinating their efforts to solve various international problems. The participation of states in the work of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations gives them additional opportunities to exercise their own sovereignty, coordinate actions in the international arena with other states to achieve the goals set in the constituent documents of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations.

Supporters of the concept of supranationality of international organizations believe that they become such, in particular, due to the transfer of certain sovereign powers to them by states, the ability to make decisions addressed not only to member states, but also to their national individuals and legal entities (EU), the presence of such organizations mechanism for enforcing its decisions.

Depending on the procedure for joining them, international organizations are divided into open (any state can become a member at its own request) and closed (membership is accepted at the invitation of the original founders). An example of a closed organization is NATO.

Creation of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations

International organizations as secondary, derivative subjects of international law are created by states. The process of creating a new international organization goes through a number of stages: adoption of a constituent document; creation of its organizational and legal basis; convening of the main bodies, indicating the beginning of the functioning of the organization.

The most common way to legally formalize the will of states regarding the creation of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations is the development and conclusion of an international treaty, which becomes the constituent act of the organization. In this regard, we can talk about the contractual-legal nature of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations. The names of such an act can be different: statute (League of Nations), charter (UN, Organization of American States), convention (Universal Postal Union), etc. The date of entry into force of the founding act is considered the date of creation of the organization.

There is a different, simplified procedure for establishing international organizations in the form of a decision being made by another international organization. The UN has repeatedly resorted to this practice, creating autonomous organizations (UNCTAD, UNDP) with the status of a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. In this case, the concerted will of states regarding the creation of an international organization is manifested by voting for a constituent resolution, which comes into force from the moment of its adoption.

At the second stage, the internal infrastructure of the organization is formed. For this purpose, a special preparatory body established on the basis of a separate international treaty or annex to the charter of the organization being created can be used, designed to draw up draft rules of procedure for future organs of the organization, study issues related to the creation of headquarters, draw up a preliminary agenda for the main bodies, etc. This is how UNESCO, WHO, IAEA, etc. were created.

The convening of the main bodies and the commencement of their work usually means the completion of measures to create an international organization.

Participants of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations

Among the participants in intergovernmental (interstate) organizations are:

• original members (founders) - states that participated in the development and adoption of the constituent act of the organization;
• affiliated members - states that joined the organization after the start of its activities by acceding to its constituent act;
• partial members - states that are not members of the intergovernmental (interstate) organization itself as a whole, but are members of its individual bodies;
• associate members (employee members, partial members). As a rule, such members do not participate in voting, do not elect and cannot be elected to the bodies of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations;
• states and other international organizations that may take part in the work of any IGO as an observer.

Termination of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations and membership in it

The termination of the existence of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations is most often carried out by signing a protocol on dissolution. Thus, on July 1, 1991, at a meeting of the Political Consultative Committee in Prague, the states participating in the Warsaw Pact - Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the USSR and Czechoslovakia - signed the Protocol on the termination of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance of May 14, 1955. and the Protocol on the extension of its validity, signed on April 26, 1985. Similarly, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance was liquidated in the same year.

If a new organization is created instead of a liquidated organization, then the problem of succession arises. The objects of succession are property, funds, and some functions. Such succession took place with the liquidation of the League of Nations and its replacement by the UN in 1946. The latter took over a number of functions of the League. The property of the League passed to the UN according to the agreement concluded between them.

The ways to terminate the membership of states in the MIPO are:

• voluntary withdrawal from the organization;
• automatic exit - the state is forced to terminate its membership in the organization; for example, if a state ceases to be a member of the IMF, then it automatically leaves the membership of the IBRD and other organizations of the World Bank group;
• exclusion from the organization is a type of international sanctions. As a rule, it is a consequence of systematic violation by the state of the charter of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations;
• termination of the existence of the state;
• the liquidation of the MIPO itself automatically terminates the membership of participating states.

Features of the legal personality of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations

Interparliamentary bodies are characteristic mainly of regional organizations. Their members are either directly elected by the population of member states through direct general elections (European Parliament) or appointed by national parliaments (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe). In most cases, parliamentary bodies limit themselves to accepting recommendations.

An important structural link in almost all intergovernmental (interstate) organizations are administrative bodies. They consist of international officials in the service of an international organization and responsible only to it. Such persons are recruited in accordance with quotas established for Member States on a contract basis.

A significant role in the activities of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations is played by bodies consisting of individuals in a personal capacity (for example, arbitration and judicial bodies, expert committees).

Based on the number of members, two types of bodies can be distinguished: plenary, consisting of all member states, and bodies of limited membership. The plenary body, as a rule, determines the general policies and principles of the organization, making decisions on the most fundamental issues. Its scope of competence includes budgetary and financial issues, adoption of draft conventions and recommendations, revision of the charter and adoption of amendments to it, issues related to membership in the organization - admission, expulsion, suspension of rights and privileges, etc.

At the same time, in the activities of a number of international organizations, especially specialized UN agencies, there is a tendency towards an increased role in the management of their activities by bodies of limited membership (for example, in the ILO, IMO, ICAO).

For bodies with limited membership, issues of their composition are important. These bodies must be staffed in such a way that the decisions they make reflect to the greatest extent the interests of all states, and not just one or two groups. In the practice of international organizations, the following principles are most often used to form bodies of limited composition: fair geographical representation; specific interests; equal representation of groups of states with divergent interests; the largest financial contribution, etc.

When forming organs, one of the principles is most often applied. In some cases, organs are formed taking into account two or more criteria. For example, the election of non-permanent members of the Security Council is carried out taking into account, first of all, the degree of participation of UN members in the maintenance of international peace and security and in achieving other goals of the Organization, as well as equitable geographical representation.

To characterize the bodies of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations, it is possible to use other criteria, for example, the hierarchy of bodies (main and auxiliary), the frequency of meetings (permanent and sessional), etc.

The procedure for making decisions by international organizations and their legal force

Decisions of intergovernmental (interstate) organizations are made by its bodies. The decision of an international organization can be defined as the expression of the will of the member states in the competent authority in accordance with the rules of procedure and the provisions of the statute of the organization. The decision-making process begins with the manifestation of initiative coming from a state, from a group of states, from bodies or officials of an international organization. As a rule, the initiator proposes studying a specific problem. But in a number of cases, he can also introduce a draft future decision for discussion.

In most international organizations, decisions, before they are submitted for discussion to the plenary body, are submitted to subsidiary bodies for consideration, where, in essence, a draft decision is developed and its supporters and opponents are identified.

The decisive stage of decision-making is voting. In the vast majority of bodies of international organizations, each delegation has one vote.

Decisions in intergovernmental (interstate) organizations can be made:

a) on the basis of unanimity, which may be:

• complete - an unambiguous vote of all members of the organization. The absence of any member of the organization or his abstention from voting excludes the possibility of making a decision;
• relative - unanimity of the member states present and voting. Abstention from voting or the absence of any member of the organization does not prevent the adoption of a decision;

• simple majority - 50% of the votes present and voting plus one vote;
• qualified - 2/3, 3/4 votes of all those present and voting;

c) based on weighted voting - the number of votes for each state is determined by various criteria depending on the nature and goals of the organization. In the Council of the European Union, the number of votes is determined in proportion to the size of the territory and population. In the IBRD, IMF, IDA, the number of votes of each participating state is determined in proportion to its financial contribution;

d) based on consensus, i.e. the decision is made in conditions of general agreement without voting and in the absence of objections. The degree of agreement between states' positions is determined by the absence of direct objections to this decision. Acclamation (a type of consensus) is used when making decisions on procedural issues: the decision is made without voting in the absence of objections;

e) on the basis of decision-making in a package - several issues on which voting in each case could be carried out separately are combined into one package and voting is carried out on it. This ensures the decision is made.

The rules of procedure of each body establish the quorum necessary for making decisions and most often constitute a simple majority of the members of the body.

The above indicates the existence of an independent branch of international law - the law of international organizations, which is a set of norms and principles regulating the process of creation and functioning of international international organizations.

The doctrine distinguishes the concept of internal law of the International Public Association, which covers a set of rules that define the structure, scope of competence and operating procedure of the International International Public Organizations bodies, regulating the recruitment procedure and the legal status of their personnel. These norms are contained in the constituent acts, in the decisions of the MMPO itself, aimed at regulating intra-organizational relations, in contracts concluded by organizations with their employees.

General characteristics of the structure and activities of the UN

States may, according to Art. 36 of the Statute, declare at any time that they recognize, without special agreement, ipso facto, in relation to any other State accepting the same obligation, the jurisdiction of the Court as compulsory in all legal disputes concerning the interpretation of the treaty; any question of international law; the existence of a fact which, if established, would constitute a breach of the international obligation, and the nature and extent of the compensation due for the breach of the international obligation. The above statements may be unconditional, or on conditions of reciprocity on the part of certain states, or for a certain time.

By the beginning of 2015, 70 out of 193 UN member states declared recognition of the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in accordance with paragraph 2 of Art. 36 of the Statute, and many statements are accompanied by such reservations that make this consent essentially illusory.

During the existence of the Court, it issued about 90 decisions and 25 advisory opinions. The decisions of the Court are considered binding on the states parties to the dispute. If any party to a case fails to fulfill an obligation imposed on it by a decision of the Court, the Security Council, at the request of the other party, “may, if it considers it necessary, make recommendations or decide to take measures to give effect to the decision” (Article 2, paragraph 2). 94 of the UN Charter).

In addition to judicial jurisdiction, the International Court of Justice also exercises advisory jurisdiction. According to Art. 96 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly or the Security Council may request advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice on any legal matter. In addition, other UN organs and specialized agencies, which the General Assembly may at any time authorize to do so, may also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal questions arising within their sphere of activity. Currently, three main organs of the UN, one subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, 19 specialized agencies of the UN and the IAEA (a total of 24 bodies) can request advisory opinions from the Court.

On February 3, 1994, the Court delivered its ruling in the case "Territorial Dispute (Libya v. Chad)", according to which the border between Libya and Chad is determined by the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness concluded on August 10, 1955 by France and Libya. In its Resolution 915 of 4 May 1994, the Security Council decided to establish the United Nations Observer Group in the Aouzou Strip (UNOAG) to monitor the implementation of the agreement signed on 4 April 1994 between Libya and Chad, in which the parties pledged to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice . The decision of the Security Council is the first example of the provision by the Security Council in accordance with Art. 94 of the UN Charter, assistance to the parties in implementing the decision of the Court.

In connection with the application in December 1994 of the UN General Assembly to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the question of the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons, the Court unanimously concluded on July 8, 1996 that neither in the ordinary course nor in the treaty Under international law, there is no specific authorization for the threat or use of nuclear weapons, there is no comprehensive and general prohibition on such actions, and that the threat of force or the use of force using nuclear weapons, which is contrary to the provisions of paragraph 4 of Art. 2 of the UN Charter and does not meet all the requirements provided for in Art. 51, illegal. The Court unanimously concluded that the threat or use of nuclear weapons must also comply with the requirements of international law applicable to armed conflicts, especially those enshrined in the principles and rules of international humanitarian law, as well as specific treaty obligations and other obligations that specifically relate to nuclear weapons. weapons. In the UN Millennium Declaration adopted at the September 2000 summit, leaders of all countries of the world declared their determination to strengthen the International Court in order to ensure justice and the rule of law in international affairs.

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consists of 54 members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of three years in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Charter (Article 61), with 18 members being elected annually for a three-year term to replace those 18 members who have a three-year term whose activities have expired. Decisions in ECOSOC are made by a simple majority of votes of those present and voting.

ECOSOC coordinates the economic and social activities of the UN and its 19 specialized agencies, as well as other institutions of the UN system. It serves as a central forum for discussing international economic and social issues of a global and cross-sectoral nature and for making policy recommendations on these issues for States and the UN system as a whole.

ECOSOC is responsible for convening numerous international conferences, preparing draft conventions on various issues of interstate cooperation for submission to the General Assembly, and negotiating with specialized agencies regarding agreements defining their relationship with the UN. The Council has the power to coordinate the activities of the specialized agencies through consultation with them and make recommendations to the agencies, as well as the General Assembly and members of the UN.

ECOSOC holds an organizational session in New York at the beginning of the year and a substantive session in the summer of each year, alternately in Geneva and New York.

In relation to states, ECOSOC and General Assembly resolutions on economic, monetary and financial issues are advisory in nature. However, resolutions addressed to subsidiary bodies and specialized agencies in a number of cases have a different quality, of course, depending on the provisions of the agreements of these institutions with the UN. Thus, the general principles of economic and technical cooperation can be mandatory and as such can serve as an important starting point in the ongoing intensive process of rule-making activities of states in the socio-economic, scientific, technical, and humanitarian fields.

Throughout the year, the work of the Council is carried out in its subsidiary bodies, which meet regularly and report to the Council. The subsidiary bodies include five regional commissions located in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Western Asia. The ECOSOC subsidiary mechanism includes four standing committees and a number of permanent expert bodies.

In addition, ECOSOC works in close cooperation with such institutions as the UN Children's Fund, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Development Program, the World Food Program, etc.

Guardianship Council. It currently consists of five members (Russia, USA, England, France and China). The Council meets once a year in New York. Of the original 11 Trust Territories, all gained independence during the course of the Council's work. In accordance with Resolution 956, unanimously approved by the Security Council on November 10, 1994, the Trusteeship Agreement for the last Trust Territory was terminated. At the proposal of Malta, an item entitled “Review of the role of the Trusteeship Council” was included in the agenda of the 50th session of the General Assembly.

During the discussion of this issue, various proposals were made, including the abolition of the Trusteeship Council and its transformation into the Human Rights Council, giving it the functions of guardian and trustee of the common heritage of mankind and environmental protection.

The fate of the Trusteeship Council did not go unnoticed in the Report of the High-Level Group on Threats, Challenges and Changes dated December 1, 2004, the authors of which proposed, without any justification, to exclude from the UN Charter the chapter dedicated to the Trusteeship Council. XIII.

The proposals put forward regarding the abolition of the Trusteeship Council or the possible endowment of some new functions to it seem unacceptable for a number of reasons. This would be a departure from the system of methods and forms of adaptation of the UN Charter to the changing conditions of global development, established in UN practice and proven by more than half a century of experience, would lead to inciting disputes and disagreements between states and would sow doubts about the enduring value of the main provisions of the UN Charter. It should also be taken into account that the Guardianship Council has not yet exhausted the possibilities provided for in Art. 77 of the UN Charter, according to which territories voluntarily included in the trusteeship system by the states responsible for their administration may be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Council. This was confirmed in Resolution 2200/LXI of May 25, 1994 adopted by the Trusteeship Council, which, in particular, directly provides for the possibility of convening this body in the future. In accordance with this Resolution, the Trusteeship Council may be convened by its own decision, or by decision of the Chairman, or at the request of a majority of members, or at the request of the General Assembly or the Security Council. Therefore, at this stage, there are neither legal nor practical grounds for abolishing the Guardianship Council or vesting it with any new functions and powers, i.e. There is no need to write off this one of the main UN bodies.

UN Secretariat. One of the main bodies of the UN is the Secretariat. It consists of the Secretary-General and such personnel as may be required by the Organization. It serves other UN bodies and carries out practical work to implement programs of activities and decisions approved by these bodies, and provides conference services to all main and subsidiary bodies of the UN. The work of the Secretariat includes carrying out peacekeeping operations under the authorization of the Security Council, organizing and conducting international conferences on issues of global importance (for example, the Law of the Sea Conference), compiling reviews of world economic and social trends and problems, preparing studies on issues such as disarmament, development, human rights. The functions of the Secretariat also include interpretation and translation of speeches and documents and distribution of documentation.

All personnel of the UN Secretariat are divided into four categories: specialists, field service staff, general service staff, and economic and technical service staff. The bulk of professional posts are subject to distribution among Member States on the basis of the principle of equitable geographical representation, taking into account the size of the contribution to the UN budget and the size of the population.

There are two types of recruitment in the UN Secretariat: on the basis of permanent (until retirement age) contracts and fixed-term (temporary) contracts. Currently, about 60% of Secretariat staff have permanent contracts.

General Secretary. The Secretariat is headed and the chief administrative officer is the Secretary-General, appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year term, after which he can be reappointed. The Secretary-General presents an annual report on the work of the Organization to the General Assembly and also brings to the attention of the Security Council issues that, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of peace.

Since January 2007, Ban Ki-moon (Republic of Korea) took up the duties of Secretary General.

UN specialized agencies

UN specialized agencies, bodies, programs and funds are an important part of the entire UN system. Their creation, operating procedure and legal status are directly provided for by the UN Charter (Chapters IX and X). According to Art. 57 of the Charter, specialized agencies are created on the basis of intergovernmental agreements and are vested with international responsibilities broadly defined in their constituent instruments in order to contribute to improving living standards; full employment of the population; creating favorable conditions for economic and social progress and development; resolving international problems in the areas of economic, social, health care; international cooperation in the field of culture and education; universal respect and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion.

Thus, specialized institutions have a limited scope of activity, mainly related to responsibilities in economic, social, cultural, educational, health and similar fields. From Art. 57 of the UN Charter directly implies that, for example, military organizations cannot become specialized agencies. This is why, in particular, such an important organization with recognized authority on international nuclear energy issues as the IAEA does not have the status of a specialized agency, although in many international documents it is mentioned together with specialized agencies. Within the meaning of Art. 57 cannot be specialized institutions and numerous regional organizations.

The important purpose of specialized intergovernmental organizations, programs and funds is that they should continue into the 21st century. play the role of a kind of mediator in order to resolve disagreements between states that differ in their power, culture, size and interests, and serve as forums for expressing the opinions and approaches of states and defending the interests of all humanity.

The UN specialized organizations are:

International Labor Organization (ILO) - develops policies and programs aimed at improving working conditions and increasing employment levels, and sets international labor standards used by countries around the world;

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - focuses on improving agricultural productivity and food security, as well as improving the living conditions of rural populations;

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - promotes the implementation of the goals of universal education, cultural development, conservation of the world natural and cultural heritage, international scientific cooperation, freedom of the press and communication;

World Health Organization (WHO) - coordinates programs aimed at solving health problems and achieving the highest possible level of health for all people. Works in areas such as immunization, health education and the provision of essential medicines;

The World Bank Group (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - IBRD, International Development Association - IDA, International Finance Corporation - IFC, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency - MIGA, International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes - ICSID) - provides loans and technical assistance to developing countries in to reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic growth;

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - promotes international monetary cooperation and financial stability and serves as a permanent forum for consultation, advice and assistance on financial matters;

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) - establishes international standards necessary to ensure the safety, reliability and efficiency of air services, and acts as the coordinator of international cooperation in all areas related to civil aviation;

Universal Postal Union (UPU) - establishes international standards for postal services, provides technical assistance and promotes cooperation in the field of postal services;

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - promotes international cooperation to improve all types of telecommunications, coordinates the use of radio and television frequencies, promotes security measures and conducts research;

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) - encourages scientific research related to the study of the Earth's atmosphere and climate change, and promotes the worldwide exchange of meteorological data;

International Maritime Organization (IMO) - created on March 17, 1958. Since 1959, it has become a specialized agency of the UN. IMO members are 166 states, including Russia. The structure of the IMO is: Assembly, Council, Maritime Safety Committee, Legal Committee and Marine Environment Protection Committee. Location - London (England);

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) - promotes international intellectual property protection and promotes cooperation in matters relating to copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs and patents;

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) - promotes the industrial development of developing countries by providing technical assistance and advisory services and training;

World Tourism Organization (WTO) - serves as a global forum for policy issues related to tourism and a source of practical experience in the field of tourism.

Regional organizations and subregional structures and their interaction with the UN

Regional and subregional organizations and structures are an important part of the global system of collective security provided for by the UN Charter. The basis for increasingly broader interaction between the UN and regional organizations is Ch. VIII of the UN Charter, which, although it does not clearly define regional agreements and organizations, at the same time allows them to adapt their activities to the constantly changing situation in the world and contribute, together with the UN, to the maintenance of international peace and security.

The experience of more than half a century of UN cooperation with regional organizations shows that regional organizations have played and continue to play an increasingly active role in ensuring regional security, not only in the areas of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and confidence-building, but also in relation to coercion to the world.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) began its activities in 1972 as a multilateral forum for dialogue and negotiation. In 1975, the sphere of competence of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) was fixed in the Final Act, approved at the first summit in Helsinki.

At the CSCE summit in Budapest in December 1994, it was decided to rename the CSCE into the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from January 1, 1995. At present, although the OSCE Charter has not been developed, a fairly extensive structure of the OSCE has emerged, which consists of: a meeting of the heads of state and government of the OSCE; Council of Ministers, convened once a year; Governing Council; Standing Council; Forum for Security Cooperation (consists of representatives of delegations of participating states and meets weekly in Vienna); The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, who is responsible for the implementation of OSCE decisions (this post is held by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of a participating State for one year; the Chairman is assisted in the exercise of his functions by the previous and future Chairmanships, who together form the “troika”); OSCE Secretariat (the first OSCE Secretary General was appointed in June 1993); Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, headquartered in Warsaw; High Commissioner on National Minorities, based in The Hague; Office for Freedom of the Media and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Currently, 55 states are participating in the OSCE, including Russia. Location - Vienna (Austria).

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was created in December 1991 and includes 12 countries, including Russia. In accordance with the CIS Charter adopted on January 22, 1993, the main goal of the Commonwealth is, among other things, cooperation in political, economic, environmental, humanitarian, cultural and other fields. The main bodies of the CIS are: the Council of Heads of State; Council of Heads of Government; Council of Foreign Ministers; Economic Council; Economic Court; Council of Defense Ministers; Headquarters for the coordination of military cooperation of the CIS member states; Council of Commanders of the Border Troops; The CIS Executive Committee, which is a permanent executive, administrative and coordinating body headed by the Chairman - the CIS Executive Secretary, and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. The CIS is a regional organization within the meaning of Chapter. VIII of the UN Charter and, like other regional organizations, has observer status in the UN General Assembly. Location - Minsk (Belarus).

On January 1, 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which included Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, began to operate. Already on January 2, 2015, Armenia joined the EAEU. It is expected that Kyrgyzstan will join the union in May 2015.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok. The main bodies of ASEAN are the meetings of heads of state and government, the meetings of ministers of foreign affairs (FMAs), the Standing Committee and the Secretariat. Location - Jakarta (Indonesia).

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is an intergovernmental structure in the Asia-Pacific region, within which a range of issues related to strengthening security and stability in this area of ​​the world are regularly discussed. The ARF was founded in 1994. The ARF holds its annual sessions at the level of the foreign ministers of the participating countries. Ministerial sessions are the highest body of the Forum, during which ministers discuss the entire range of problems affecting the security of the participating countries and the region as a whole. From the first days of the ARF's existence, Russia has been actively participating in events held within the Forum.

The European Union (EU) is the largest political and economic integration association of 25 European countries.

The main directions of EU activity at the current stage: movement from a common market to an economic and monetary union; implementation of expansion strategy; formation of the foundations of a common foreign and defense policy and the acquisition of a European defense identity; intensification of regional policy in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa; further harmonization of the social sphere, interaction in the field of justice and internal affairs. The system of common bodies and institutions of the EU includes: the European Council, the European Parliament (EP), the Council of the European Union, the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) and the European Court of Justice. No final decision has been made regarding the headquarters of the EU, and meetings of its main bodies are held in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was created on the basis of the Washington Treaty of April 4, 1949 as a defensive political and military alliance. At the moment, the North Atlantic Alliance Organization includes 26 states of Western, Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the USA and Canada.

The NATO structure is an extensive network of political and military bodies, which include: the highest political body - the NATO Council, the Political Committee for Military Planning, the International Secretariat headed by the NATO Secretary General. Headquarters - Brussels (Belgium).

The African Union (until July 2000 had the name "Organization of African Unity (OAU)") is a regional organization uniting 53 African states, which was created by the decision of the Constituent Conference of Heads of State and Government of African Countries, held on May 22 - 25, 1963. in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). By the end of the 20th century, the problem of reorganizing and increasing the effectiveness of the OAU and its adaptation to new realities in the international situation, including the fundamental changes that had occurred on the African continent, had clearly become urgent. Under these conditions, Libya officially put forward the idea of ​​​​transforming the OAU into the African Union, which was approved at the 4th Extraordinary Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU member countries in Sirte in September 1999. In July 2000, at the OAU summit in Lomé ( Togo) an Act was adopted on the establishment of the AC and the creation within its framework of an extensive system of bodies. On July 8-10, 2002, the 39th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU member countries was held in Durban (South Africa), which formally became the founding summit of the AU. The headquarters of the AU is located in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).

The Organization of American States (OAS) was created on the basis of the OAS Charter, signed in Bogota in 1948. The OAS members are 35 states (Cuba's participation was suspended in 1962). The main bodies of the OAS are the General Assembly, the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat. Since 1971, the institution of permanent observers has been operating at the OAS. Currently, the European Union and 42 states, including Russia, have this status. Location - Washington (USA).

The League of Arab States (LAS) is a voluntary association of sovereign Arab states, created on the basis of the Pact of the Arab League, signed on March 22, 1945. The activities of the League are based on its Charter, which came into force on May 11, 1945. The League has its own representative offices or information bureaus in a number of countries, including since January 1990 in Russia. Location - Cairo (Egypt).

International non-governmental organizations and forms of their cooperation with the UN

Throughout the existence of the UN and the creation of other IGOs, the number of non-governmental organizations (INGOs) has grown rapidly. Today in the world there are about 40 thousand INGOs dealing with economic, cultural, humanitarian and other issues.

For a long time there was no clarity on what was considered a non-governmental organization. A more or less satisfactory and very general definition was developed only on July 25, 1996, when the following definition was included in ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 “Consultative relations between the UN and non-governmental organizations”: “Any such organization that is not established by any or by a government agency or by intergovernmental agreement, shall be considered a non-governmental organization for the purposes of these activities, including organizations that accept government-appointed members, provided that such membership does not interfere with the free expression of the organization's views." From this definition it follows that tens of thousands of non-governmental organizations around the world, from local to global levels, engaged in issues such as sustainable development, environmental protection, human rights and the democratization of public life can be considered as genuine NGOs. On the other hand, it follows from this definition that various types of secret societies, closed clubs, terrorist organizations, drug syndicates with transnational connections, associations of persons involved in money laundering, illegal arms trade, trafficking in women and children and kidnapping cannot be considered as NGOs for the purpose of ransom, and other elements and organizations of the so-called anti-civil society. It is not legitimate, from the point of view of the UN Charter, to identify INGOs with such powerful international economic complexes as transnational corporations.

Many international international organizations actively cooperate with international non-governmental organizations in order to improve the efficiency of their work. The UN and its specialized agencies have very developed ties with INGOs. According to Art. 71 of the UN Charter, ECOSOC is authorized to “make appropriate arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations interested in matters within its competence. Such measures may be agreed upon with international organizations, if necessary with national organizations, after consultation with the Member of the Organization concerned.” This article created the legal basis for developing mechanisms for cooperation between the UN and INGOs.

UN practice has developed criteria for determining those INGOs that can be granted consultative status in ECOSOC. First of all, the area of ​​activity of INGOs must coincide with the areas of competence of ECOSOC, defined in Art. 62 of the UN Charter. Another necessary condition for obtaining consultative status is that the activities of INGOs comply with the goals and principles of the UN, as well as providing assistance to the UN in its work and disseminating information about the activities of the UN. In addition, the INGO itself must have a representative character and a strong international reputation, representing a certain part of the population.

Of significant importance is the provision of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, according to which the granting, suspension and withdrawal of consultative status, as well as the interpretation of rules and decisions on this issue, are the prerogative of member states, exercised through ECOSOC and its INGO Committee.

ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 provides for three categories of consultative status for INGOs.

1. General consultative status for organizations associated with most of the activities of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, which can demonstrate to ECOSOC's satisfaction that they can make a significant and sustained contribution to the achievement of the goals of the UN, and which are closely related to the economic and social life of the inhabitants of the represented countries their districts and whose membership broadly represents major sectors of society in various regions of the world.

2. Special consultative status for organizations having special competence in only a few areas of activity of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies or specially dealing with these areas and known internationally in those areas in which they have or are seeking consultative status.

3. Other organizations which do not have general or special consultative status, but which, in the opinion of ECOSOC or the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in consultation with ECOSOC or its NGO Committee, may from time to time make useful contributions to the work of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies or other UN bodies within their competence are included in a list called the “register”.

By the end of the 20th century. Over 2 thousand INGOs have received consultative status with ECOSOC, including a number of Russian NGOs (International Association of Peace Funds, Women's Union of Russia, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, International Academy of Informatization, All-Russian Society of Disabled Persons, Association for Assistance to Families with Disabled Children, Russian UN Association, etc.).

The activities of numerous INGOs especially intensified after the end of the Cold War. Many INGOs began to advocate for a revision of their role in the UN system, for the creation of an “Assembly of Peoples” in the UN as a parallel partner of the current UN General Assembly, for limiting the principle of state sovereignty, for the inclusion of INGOs in all areas of UN activity, for the right of INGOs to participate on an equal basis with states in the work of UN bodies and meetings and conferences held under its auspices. However, such plans are at odds with the criteria and procedures for the activities of INGOs provided for in the UN Charter.

In general, one cannot fail to recognize the positive influence of INGOs on the overall development of international relations, the rule-making process taking place in the world, the formation of a system of collective security at the global and regional levels, and on strengthening the role of the UN and other international interstate organizations in the 21st century.

The process of updating and adapting the UN and its Charter to new world realities and changes

In its approach to the UN Charter, Russia proceeds from the fact that this most important international document is currently the only act whose provisions are binding on all existing states of the world. This document fully and fully meets the needs of the development of international relations at the present stage, and its progressive democratic principles and goals remain relevant to this day.

In UN practice, various forms and means of adapting the UN Charter to the changing conditions of world development have developed. One of these ways is the preparation, under the auspices of the UN, of international treaties and agreements that, as it were, “catch up” with the UN Charter and many of which are of key importance for the development of broad international cooperation (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1968, International Covenants on Human Rights of 1966 g., etc.). As UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar rightly noted, over the years of its existence the UN has done more in the field of codification of international law than in the entire previous period of human history.

Tested ways and means of adapting the UN Charter to new world realities include the development and adoption of declarations and resolutions of the General Assembly, which specify the general statutory principles and provisions and have great moral and political weight and practical significance. Although resolutions and declarations of this kind are not binding, they nevertheless sometimes have a decisive impact on the policies of states and on the positive solution of major international problems.

Another way to “match” the provisions of the UN Charter with the changing conditions of the development of international relations is the adoption by the Security Council of decisions and statements that develop the provisions of the UN Charter in relation to specific situations and problems of international life. Considering that in accordance with Art. 25 of the UN Charter, its members agree to obey and implement the decisions of the Security Council; its decisions acquire a certain normative significance. Such decisions include, for example, the adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 1373 of September 28, 2001, which is a kind of international set of norms and measures to combat terrorism that are mandatory for all states.

The process of adapting the UN Charter to the changing conditions of the development of international relations was, without a doubt, particularly influenced by the resolutions adopted by the Security Council on various aspects of UN peacekeeping activities, the establishment of sanctions regimes against states that violated the provisions of the UN Charter, etc.

Thus, we can say that, based on the decisions of the Security Council, the process of evolutionary debugging of the UN crisis mechanism is taking place, which is acquiring the features of a capable peacekeeping instrument for preventing and suppressing future cases of violation of international peace and security.

An important component of the evolutionary process of development and bringing the UN Charter into line with the emerging new needs for the normal functioning of the Organization is the achievement of generally acceptable agreements regarding the agreed “understanding” and “interpretation” of certain provisions of the UN Charter.

It is appropriate to recall that this unique international document contains a number of provisions that, for various reasons, were not used or were not fully implemented. Suffice it to recall Art. Art. 43 - 47 of the UN Charter, which provide for the provision of armed forces at the disposal of the Security Council at its request and in accordance with special agreements and the effective functioning of the Military Staff Committee (MSC) - a permanent subsidiary body of the Council, designed to assist it and give advice on all issues relating to the military needs of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. These most important obligations of states under the UN Charter to create UN armed forces in order to protect peace, prevent war and suppress aggression were virtually forgotten during the Cold War.

Meanwhile, the end of the Cold War, the unprecedented growth in the number of UN peacekeeping operations, their increasingly multi-component and multifunctional nature, the emerging tilt of UN operations towards “peace enforcement”, the emergence of a large number of new generation conflicts, including those related to inter-ethnic, inter-religious and other contradictions both between and within states, inevitably lead many states to the conclusion that the most rational course of action in the current situation is to use the potential of the UN Charter and the mechanisms provided for by it, primarily the Security Council and its permanent subsidiary body - VShK. At the same time, the MSC could, on an ongoing basis, engage in a comprehensive operational analysis of the military-political situation in conflict zones and prepare recommendations to the Security Council, including those related to the adoption of preventive measures, assessing the effectiveness of sanctions, forecasting possible options for events, and the creation of multilateral naval forces under the auspices of The UN is not only used to localize conflicts, establish a naval blockade and enforce sanctions, but also to combat piracy, international terrorism, and hostage-taking.

Thus, the problem of adaptation cannot be reduced to a revision of the UN Charter and cannot be solved by changes in the text of the Charter alone. This is not a one-time act, but a multidimensional and unlimited time process, which includes various forms and methods of creative development and transformation of the institutions and mechanisms of the Organization in relation to new realities.

These include, in particular, the method of natural obsolescence of individual provisions, loss of their original meaning and meaning. This method makes it possible to avoid the use of the lengthy and cumbersome procedure for introducing appropriate amendments to the UN Charter provided for by the UN Charter. For example, clause 3 of Art. has not been applied for a long time and cannot be applied in the future. 109 of the Charter, which provides for the possibility of adopting before the 10th annual session of the General Assembly or at the 10th session itself a decision on convening a General Conference to revise the UN Charter.

An analysis of the main forms and methods of adapting the UN Charter to the changing conditions of the evolution of international life clearly shows that the revision of the UN Charter is not the only way for the United Nations to gain new strength and capabilities so that it can keep up with the times and successfully cope with the challenges imposed on it. with increasingly responsible and complex tasks. Moreover, any attempt to radically break the UN Charter is fraught in the current conditions with the appearance of an avalanche effect, which, growing, could collapse the entire Organization. It should also be borne in mind that attempts to revise the Charter in its main provisions may lead to inciting disputes and disagreements between states, distract the Organization’s attention from solving pressing problems of our time, and undermine people’s faith in the enduring value and universal applicability of the fundamental goals and principles of the UN Charter.

In the current conditions of rapid change, it would be imprudent to revise the structure and functions of the UN and its bodies. The issue of amending the UN Charter should be approached from a very cautious and balanced position, taking into account all possible negative consequences of such a step. The dynamics of international relations dictate the task of achieving a carefully calibrated and consensus-based adaptation of the Charter, expanding and clarifying the scope of its purposes and principles. To do this, it is necessary to find the right balance between reformist sentiments and the preservation of proven designs, to which there is currently no alternative. Now it is important to fully realize the potential that the UN has, to improve the structure of the Organization on the basis of the UN Charter, and to fill the forms and methods of its activities with new content.

Autonomous organizations of the OECD

One of the most powerful organizations within the OECD system is the G7 group, created in 1975 to resolve global financial and monetary issues at the level of heads of government of leading Western countries. In 1997, Russia joined this organization, and the group began to be called the “Big Eight” (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, USA, France, Japan, Russia).

At the meetings of the organization, issues of achieving a balanced growth dynamics of the main exchange rates, coordination and harmonization of economic development strategies, and the development of a common economic course for the leading countries of the world are discussed.

An autonomous body within the OECD, the International Energy Agency (MEA), created in 1974, with the participation of all OECD member countries, with the exception of Iceland and Mexico.

The MEA's organizational structure includes: a Governing Council, which consists of senior representatives from each state responsible for energy issues; permanent groups and special committees (on long-term cooperation in the field of energy, emergency situations, oil markets, etc.); A secretariat consisting of experts in the field of energy and performs supporting functions.

Main goals and objectives of MEA:

Cooperation on the development and application of various energy sources;

Measures to improve energy efficiency;

Ensuring the constant functioning of the information system on the state of the international oil market;

Establishing cooperation with non-MEA countries and international organizations to solve global energy development problems;

Improving the system for overcoming disruptions in the power supply.

The OECD system also includes the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), established in 1958 with the participation of OECD member countries, with the exception of New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. The purpose of this organization is cooperation between the governments of participating countries in the use of nuclear energy as a safe, economical source.

The main functions of the Nuclear Energy Agency include: - assessing the contribution of nuclear energy to the overall energy supply; - Development of a system for the exchange of scientific and technical information; - Organization of international research, preparation of nuclear energy development programs; - Encouraging cooperation to harmonize nuclear energy regulatory policies and practices (protecting people from radiation and protecting the environment).

The organizational structure of the Agency includes the following divisions: OECD Council; Nuclear Energy Executive Committee; five specialized committees (on the development of nuclear energy and the fuel cycle; on regulation of activities in the field of nuclear energy; on the safety of nuclear devices, radiation protection; on health protection).

International organizations of general competence within the framework of economic cooperation

Organizations of general competence include organizations formed after the collapse of colonial empires or as a result of macro-regionalization of world economic relations.

The most important of them are the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Northern Cooperation Organization, the League of Arab States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

1. The Council of Europe (has 46 countries, founded in 1949) is a broad-based organization that covers the following areas of activity: human rights, media, cooperation in the legal field, social and economic issues; healthcare, education, culture, youth, sports, environmental protection. The Council of Europe develops pan-European conventions and agreements, which form the basis for corresponding changes in national legislation with a view to their harmonization.

Ukraine has chosen a democratic path of development that meets the standards of the European community. On November 9, 1995, at the headquarters of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (France), a solemn ceremony of Ukraine's accession to this organization took place. The Council of Europe has developed a number of programs to promote democratic and legal reforms in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, for the implementation of which approximately $10 million was provided. The programs concerned local self-government, legal proceedings, and elections. Thus, the “Demosthenes” program provided for an expert analysis of draft bilateral agreements to ensure the rights of national minorities, which Ukraine proposed to conclude with the newly independent states on the territory of the former USSR. The Council of Europe provides advisory assistance in the development of educational programs for the training of lawyers in Ukraine (for example, at the Institute of International Relations of the Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv). Representatives of our state participate in the work of the main and special committees of the Council of Europe, in particular on human rights, social security, migration, cultural heritage, and the media. Ukrainian experts worked in the committee on legal problems of refugees and stateless persons, the rights of national minorities and their linguistic rights. Ukraine has become one of the contracting parties to some conventions of the Council of Europe, the European Cultural Convention, the European Framework Convention on Trans-Border Co-operation between Territorial Communities and Authorities, the European Convention on Information on Foreign Legislation, as well as conventions on the fight against crime, the protection of the rights of national minorities.

2. The Commonwealth of Nations (including 53 countries and founded in 1931) operates in the following main areas: supporting political and economic cooperation; promoting sustainable development of the economies of participating countries; consulting, representation and information tasks; development and implementation of Commonwealth development programs; organizing and holding conferences to adopt declarations on various issues of world politics. The Declaration on World Trade was adopted in 1987; in 1991 - the Declaration of Fundamental Rights.

3. The Nordic Cooperation Organization, including five countries, was established in 1971. its main objectives are: improving the quality and competitiveness of products in the northern region; ensuring environmental protection and environmentally sustainable use of natural resources; growth in employment, improvement of working conditions and social security.

4. The League of Arab States (LAS) was created in 1945. its members are 21 Arab countries and the Palestinian Authority. The purpose of operation is thorough and coordination of participating countries in various fields, protection of national security and independence.

5. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), created in 1975, has 55 countries, with 6 main objectives: achieving sustainable economic development; improving contacts and practical cooperation on environmental protection; promoting the strengthening of international peace and security.

6. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) includes 57 Muslim states. II was created in 1969 with the aim of deepening cooperation in economic, social and scientific issues, holding consultations between participating countries in international organizations, and strengthening Muslim solidarity.

International organizations are subjects of international law. The main feature of non-governmental international organizations is that they were not created on the basis of an interstate treaty and unite individuals and/or legal entities (for example, the Association of International Law, the League of Red Cross Societies, the World Federation of Scientists, etc.).

As a rule, different criteria are used to classify international organizations. According to the nature of their membership, they are divided into interstate and non-governmental. Based on the range of participants, international interstate organizations are divided into universal, open to the participation of all states of the world (UN, its specialized agencies), and regional, whose members can be states of the same region (Organization of African Unity, Organization of American States). Interstate organizations are also divided into organizations of general and special competence. The activities of organizations of general competence affect all areas of relations between member states: political, economic, social, cultural, etc. (for example, the UN, OAU, OAS). Organizations of special competence are limited to cooperation in one special area (for example, the Universal Postal Union, the International Labor Organization, etc.) and can be divided into political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, religious, etc. Classification by the nature of powers allows us to distinguish interstate and supranational or, more precisely, supranational organizations. The first group includes the vast majority of international organizations whose purpose is to organize interstate cooperation and whose decisions are addressed to member states. The goal of supranational organizations is integration. Their decisions apply directly to citizens and legal entities of member states. Some elements of supranationality in this understanding are inherent, for example, in the European Union (EU).

Most organizations are interstate. They do not have supranational power; members do not delegate their powers to them. The task of such organizations is to regulate cooperation between states.

International political and economic organizations of general competence:

United Nations - UN

Big Eight – G 8

International trade, economic and industrial development organizations:

International financial institutions:

World Bank Group

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Regional economic cooperation organizations

European Union - EU

Asia-Pacific Cooperation Organization - ARES

Specialized intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in the field of ICT:

International Telecommunication Union - ITU

World Information Technology and Services Alliance - WITSA, etc.

The central place in the system of international organizations belongs to the UN.

The UN was created in order to maintain and strengthen international peace and security, develop cooperation between nations based on respect for the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples. The UN Charter was signed on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco by representatives of the 50 founding countries. Currently, 191 states are members of the UN. The UN Charter established six main organs of the Organization: the General Assembly /GA/, the Security Council /SC/, the UN Economic and Social Council /ECOSOC/, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat. In addition to the main bodies in the UN system, there are a number of specialized agencies, of which most UN countries are members.

1.2.Evolution of international organizations

Today we can say that the monocentric international system of one actor is gradually being replaced by a polycentric international system of many actors.

The second most important (after the state) actor in international relations is international organizations (IOs). The first MOs appeared at the beginning and middle of the 19th century. These were the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine, which arose in 1815, as well as the Universal Telegraph Union (1865) and the General Postal Union (1874). The first IOs were created in the fields of economics, transport, culture, social interests of states, and their goals were aimed at joint cross-border cooperation in the non-political field (law politics).

The number of such organizations, or, as they were then called, international administrative unions, increased by the beginning of the twentieth century. These included a health commission, a flood control commission, a transport union, etc. Increasing industrialization required joint management in the field of chemistry, electrification and transport, thereby necessitating the creation of new municipalities. The cross-border flow of goods, services, information and people led to the fact that at the beginning of the twentieth century. a quasi-global, Eurocentric in its essence, world economic system was formed. The Ministry of Defense played an important role in managing this system.

In the political sphere, the predecessors of the first MOs appeared after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Then the so-called European Concert, or Pentarchy, was formed, consisting of 5 great powers (England, Prussia, Russia, Austria and France). The Concert of Europe can be seen as a prototype of the security IO that aspired to a leadership role in European affairs. The concert was a system of congresses and conferences, within the framework of which 5 powers resolved issues of resolving and resolving international crises and conflicts. The main principle of the European Concert was the principle of balance.

The next important stage in the development of the International Organization was the activity of the League of Nations, created in 1919. The League of Nations had two significant differences from the Concert of Europe: 1) it was created on the basis of an internationally recognized act - the Statute of the League of Nations; 2) it was built on the principle of collective security.

Thanks to the institutional forms of international cooperation created by the League, a more reliable support for the future UN was provided.

Time has shown that the UN Charter turned out to be a much more elective and influential instrument for maintaining international peace and security, as well as developing cooperation in the non-political sphere, than the Statute of the League of Nations. In the second half of the twentieth century. The UN was able to occupy a central place in the international defense system, coordinating the activities of both governmental and non-governmental international organizations.

The activities of the UN and other international organizations took place in a certain international atmosphere, which largely determined their successes and failures. In 1945-1990 The UN developed under the determining influence of two most important factors in the post-war system of international relations. The first of these was the Cold War between East and West, the second was the growing conflict between the economically developed North and the backward and poor South. In this regard, the history of the UN and other international organizations is a reflection of the development of the post-war world.

FEDERAL FISHERIES AGENCY

KAMCHATKA STATE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

CORRESPONDENCE FACULTY

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT

CONTROL WORK ON DISCIPLINE

"WORLD ECONOMY"

OPTION NUMBER 4

SUBJECT:International organizations of general competence and their activities in the field of economic cooperation: Council of Europe; Commonwealth of Nations; Arab League; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - OSCE.

Performed I checked

Student of group 06AUs acting as head

Distance learning of the Department of Economics and Management

Miroshnichenko O.A. Eremina M.Yu.

grade book code 061074-ZF

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Introduction. pp. 3 - 5

Council of Europe. pp. 6 - 12

Commonwealth of Nations. pp. 13 – 15

League of Arab States. pp. 15 – 18

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - OSCE

pp. 19 – 26

Bibliography.

Introduction.

In modern international relations, international organizations play a significant role as a form of cooperation between states and multilateral diplomacy.

Since the creation of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine in 1815, international organizations have been given their own competence and powers.

Modern international organizations are characterized by further expansion of their competence and complication of structure.

Currently, there are more than 4 thousand international organizations, of which more than 300 are intergovernmental. At their center is the UN.

An interstate organization is characterized by the following features:

membership of states;

existence of a constituent international treaty;

permanent organs;

respect for the sovereignty of member states.

Taking these features into account, it can be stated that an international intergovernmental organization is an association of states established on the basis of an international treaty to achieve common goals, having permanent bodies and acting in the common interests of member states while respecting their sovereignty.

The main feature of non-governmental international organizations is that they were not created on the basis of an interstate treaty (for example, the Association of International Law, the League of Red Cross Societies, etc.).

Based on the nature of their membership, international organizations are divided into interstate and non-governmental. Based on the range of participants, international organizations are divided into universal (UN, its specialized agencies) and regional (Organization of African Unity, Organization of American States). International organizations are also divided into organizations of general competence (UN, OAU, OAS) and special ones (Universal Postal Union, International Labor Organization). Classification by the nature of powers allows us to distinguish between interstate and suprastate organizations. The first group includes the vast majority of international organizations. The goal of supranational organizations is integration. For example, the European Union. From the point of view of the procedure for joining them, organizations are divided into open (any state can become a member at its own discretion) and closed (admission with the consent of the founders).

International organizations are created by states. The process of creating an international organization takes place in three stages: the adoption of a constituent document, the creation of the material structure of the organization, and the convening of the main bodies.

The first step involves convening an international conference to develop and adopt the text of the treaty. Its name may be different, for example, statute (League of Nations), charter (UN, OAS, OAU), convention (UPU, WIPO).

The second stage involves the creation of the material structure of the organization. For these purposes, specially trained bodies are most often used, which prepare draft rules of procedure for future organs of the organization, process the entire range of issues relating to the creation of headquarters, etc.

The convening of the main bodies completes the efforts to create an international organization.

Council of Europe.

This is an international regional organization uniting European countries. The Charter of the Council was signed in London on May 5, 1949, and came into force on August 3, 1949. The Council of Europe arose in 1949 and currently includes 41 states. The purpose of this organization is to achieve rapprochement between member states by promoting the expansion of democracy and the protection of human rights, as well as cooperation on issues of culture, education, health, youth, sports, law, information, and environmental protection. The main bodies of the Council of Europe are located in Strasbourg (France).

The Council of Europe plays an important role in the development of pan-European legislation and, in particular, in solving legal and ethical problems arising in connection with scientific and technological progress. The activities of the Council of Europe are aimed at developing conventions and agreements, on the basis of which the unification and changes in the legislation of member states are subsequently carried out. Conventions are the main elements of interstate legal cooperation, which are binding on states that ratify them. The conventions related to the legal support of business activities include the Convention on Laundering, Identification, Seizure and Confiscation of Proceeds from Crime.

Meetings of the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe countries were held twice (in 1993 and 1997). Within the framework of the Committee of Ministers, which is the highest body of the organization and meets twice a year as part of the foreign ministers of member countries, political aspects of cooperation in these areas are discussed and recommendations are adopted (based on unanimity) to the governments of member countries, as well as declarations and resolutions on international political issues relevant to the sphere of activity of the Council of Europe. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, recently established as a body of the Council of Europe, aims to promote the development of local democracy. Several dozen expert committees organize intergovernmental cooperation in areas within the competence of the Council of Europe.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which is the advisory body of the Council of Europe, and in which parliamentarians of national legislative bodies (including from opposition parties) are represented, functions very actively. The Parliamentary Assembly is an advisory body and has no legislative powers. It consists of representatives of the parliaments of member states of the Council of Europe. Each national delegation is formed in such a way that it represents the interests of various political circles of its country, including opposition parties. It is the main initiator of the activities carried out by the Council of Europe and holds its plenary meetings three times a year, adopting recommendations to the Committee of Ministers and national governments by a majority vote, organizing parliamentary hearings, conferences, colloquia, forming various committees and subcommittees, study groups, etc. , supervising the following economic and social areas:

economic and development issues;

agriculture and rural development;

science and technology;

social issues;

environment.

The political role of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who is elected by the Parliamentary Assembly, organizes the daily work of the organization and acts on its behalf, carrying out various contacts in the international arena, is significant.

In all the main areas of its activity, the Council of Europe carries out numerous activities that promote not only the development of cooperation between member states, but also the formation of some common guidelines for them in the organization of public life. The number of representatives from each country (from 2 to 18) depends on the size of its population. The Assembly Council consists of a Chairman and 17 deputies. Elections for the Chairman of the Assembly are held every year. The Parliamentary Assembly holds its plenary sessions three times a year. It adopts, by a majority vote, recommendations to the Committee of Ministers and the governments of member states, which form the basis for specific areas of activity of the Council of Europe. The Assembly organizes conferences, colloquia, open parliamentary hearings, elects the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and judges of the European Court of Human Rights. In 1989, the Parliamentary Assembly established specially invited country status to be granted to Central and Eastern European countries prior to their admission to full membership. This status is still retained by the Republic of Belarus.

The structure of the Council of Europe includes an administrative and technical secretariat, headed by the Secretary General, who is elected for five years.

The international political confrontation that existed on the continent made it impossible for socialist countries to participate in the Council of Europe. With the end of the Cold War, the organization's activities were given a new impetus, prompting it to focus on issues of democratic change. As a result, even joining the Council of Europe itself became an additional incentive for their implementation. Thus, states newly admitted to the Council of Europe had to undertake the obligation to sign the European Convention on Human Rights, which came into force in 1953, and to accept the entire range of its control mechanisms. Conditions for new members to join the Council of Europe are also the existence of a democratic legal system and the holding of free, equal and general elections. It is also important that many issues of the formation of civil society in post-socialist countries have become the subject of attention within the Council of Europe. These include problems of protecting national minorities and issues of local self-government.

The Council of Europe is an authoritative international organization, the very participation in which serves as a kind of evidence for all member states of their compliance with the high standards of pluralistic democracy. Hence the possibility of influencing those countries that are members of the Council (or candidates for accession to the Council of Europe), where certain problems arise on this basis. At the same time, this may raise concerns in the countries concerned regarding unacceptable interference in their internal affairs. In other words, the activities of the Council of Europe often find themselves embedded in one or another international political context and are viewed by participants primarily through the prism of their direct foreign policy interests; Naturally, quite serious collisions can arise as a result. This has happened more than once in practice, for example, in connection with the internal political situation in Turkey and Belarus, the problem of the rights of the Russian-speaking population in some Baltic countries, the separatist movement in Chechnya (Russia), and when discussing the issue of Croatia joining the Council of Europe.

When classifying international organizations, various criteria can be applied.

1. By the nature of their members we can distinguish:

1.1. interstate (intergovernmental) - the participants are states

1.2. non-governmental organizations - unite public and professional national organizations, individuals, for example the International Red Cross, Inter-Parliamentary Union, Association of International Law, etc.

2.According to the range of members, international organizations are divided into:

2.1. universal (worldwide), open to the participation of all states of the world (United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations of the UN system (its specialized agencies), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Civil Defense Organization, etc.),

2.2. regional, whose members can be states of the same region (Organization of African Unity, European Union, Commonwealth of Independent States).

3. Based on the objects of activity, we can say:

3.1. on organizations of general competence (UN, Organization of African Unity, Commonwealth of Independent States, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)

3.2. special (International Labor Organization, Universal Postal Union). Political, economic, social, cultural, scientific and other organizations also differ.

62. Legal nature of an international organization

An international intergovernmental organization has a derivative and functional legal personality and is characterized by the following characteristics.

Firstly, it is created by states that record their intention in a constituent act - the Charter - as a special type of international treaty.

Secondly, it exists and operates within the framework of a constituent act that defines its status and powers, which gives its legal capacity, rights and obligations a functional character.

Thirdly, it is a permanent association, which is manifested in its stable structure, in the system of its permanent bodies.

Fourthly, it is based on the principle of sovereign equality of member states, while membership in the organization is subject to certain rules characterizing the participation of states in the activities of its bodies and the representation of states in the organization.

Fifthly, states are bound by resolutions of the organs of the organization within the limits of their competence and in accordance with the established legal force of these resolutions.

Sixth, each international organization has a set of rights characteristic of a legal entity. These rights are fixed in the constituent act of the organization or in a special convention and are implemented taking into account the national legislation of the state in whose territory the organization performs its functions. As a legal entity, it is competent to enter into civil transactions (conclude contracts), acquire property, own and dispose of it, initiate cases in court and arbitration and be a party to litigation.

Seventhly, an international organization has privileges and immunities that ensure its normal activities and are recognized both at the location of its headquarters and in any state in the exercise of its functions.

It is characteristic of the legal nature of international organizations that its general goals and principles, competence, structure, and area of ​​common interests have an agreed upon contractual basis. Such a basis is the charters or other constituent acts of international organizations, which are international treaties. The question of the relationship between state sovereignty and the general goals and interests of the organization is resolved in its constituent act.