International organization is an association of states, created in accordance with international law and on the basis of an international treaty, for the implementation of cooperation in political, economic, cultural, scientific, technical, legal and other fields, which has the necessary system of organs, rights and obligations derived from the rights and the responsibilities of states, and an autonomous will, the scope of which is determined by the will of the member states.

Comment

contradicts the foundations of international law, since over the states - the primary subjects of this law - there is no and cannot be supreme power;
endowing a number of organizations with managerial functions does not mean transferring to them part of the sovereignty of states or their sovereign rights. International organizations do not and cannot have sovereignty;
the obligation of direct execution by the member states of decisions of international organizations is based on the provisions of the constituent acts and no more;
not a single international organization has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of a state without the consent of the latter, for otherwise would mean a gross violation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of a state with the ensuing negative consequences for such an organization;
the possession of a "supranational" organization with the authority to create effective mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing compliance with mandatory rules is just one of the qualities of the legal personality of an organization.

Signs of an international organization:

Any international organization must have at least the following six characteristics:

Creation in accordance with international law

1) Creation in accordance with international law

This feature is essentially decisive. Any international organization must be established on a legal basis. In particular, the establishment of any organization must not prejudice the recognized interests of an individual state and the international community as a whole. The constituent document of the organization must comply with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law. According to Art. 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States and International Organizations, a peremptory norm of general international law is a norm that is accepted and recognized by the international community of states as a whole as a norm, from which deviations are inadmissible and which can only be changed by a subsequent norm of general international law bearing the same character.

If an international organization was created unlawfully or its activities contradict international law, then the constituent act of such an organization must be declared null and void and its effect terminated as soon as possible. An international treaty or any of its provisions shall be invalid if their execution is associated with any action that is illegal under international law.

Institution on the basis of an international treaty

2) Establishment on the basis of an international treaty

As a rule, international organizations are created on the basis of an international treaty (convention, agreement, treatise, protocol, etc.).

The object of such an agreement is the behavior of the subjects (parties to the agreement) and the international organization itself. The parties to the constituent act are sovereign states. However, in recent years, intergovernmental organizations have also been full-fledged participants in international organizations. For example, the European Union is a full member of many international fishing organizations.

International organizations can be created in accordance with the resolutions of other organizations with more general competence.

Collaboration in specific areas of activity

3) Implementation of cooperation in specific areas of activity

International organizations are created to coordinate the efforts of states in one area or another; they are called upon to unite the efforts of states in the political (OSCE), military (NATO), scientific and technical (European Organization for Nuclear Research), economic (EU), monetary and financial (IBRD, IMF), social (ILO) and many other areas. At the same time, a number of organizations are authorized to coordinate the activities of states in almost all areas (UN, CIS, etc.).

International organizations become intermediaries between member states. States often delegate to organizations for discussion and solution of the most complex issues of international relations. International organizations seem to pull off a significant number of issues on which, before that, relations between states were of a direct bilateral or multilateral nature. However, not every organization can claim an equal position with states in the relevant areas of international relations. Any powers of such organizations are derived from the rights of the states themselves. Along with other forms of international communication (multilateral consultations, conferences, meetings, seminars, etc.), international organizations act as a body of cooperation on specific problems of international relations.

Adequate organizational structure

4) Availability of an appropriate organizational structure

This feature is one of the important features of the existence of an international organization. It confirms the permanent nature of the organization and thereby distinguishes it from numerous other forms of international cooperation.

Intergovernmental organizations have:

headquarters;
members represented by sovereign states;
the necessary system of main and subsidiary organs.

The supreme body is a session convened once a year (sometimes once every two years). The executive bodies are councils. The administrative apparatus is headed by an executive secretary (general director). All organizations have permanent or temporary executive bodies with different legal status and competencies.

Organization's rights and obligations

5) The presence of the rights and obligations of the organization

It has been emphasized above that the rights and obligations of an organization are derived from the rights and obligations of the Member States. It depends on the parties and only on the parties that this organization has just such (and not another) set of rights that it is entrusted with the fulfillment of these obligations. No organization, without the consent of the member states, can take action that affects the interests of its members. The rights and obligations of any organization are generally enshrined in its constituent act, resolutions of supreme and executive bodies, in agreements between organizations. These documents enshrine the intentions of the member states, which must then be implemented by the relevant international organization. States have the right to prohibit organizations from taking certain actions, and the organization cannot exceed its powers. For example, Art. 3 (5 "C") of the IAEA Statute prohibits the agency in performing its functions related to the provision of assistance to its members, to be guided by political, economic, military or other requirements incompatible with the provisions of the Statute of this organization.

Independent international rights and obligations of the organization

6) Independent international rights and obligations of the organization

It is about the possession of an international organization with an autonomous will, different from the will of the member states. This sign means that, within the limits of its competence, any organization has the right to independently choose the means and methods of fulfilling the rights and obligations entrusted to it by the member states. The latter, in a sense, does not matter how the organization implements the activities entrusted to it or the statutory obligations as a whole. It is the organization itself, as a subject of public and private international law, that has the right to choose the most rational means and methods of activity. In this case, the Member States exercise control over whether the organization lawfully uses its autonomous will.

Thus, international intergovernmental organization is a voluntary association of sovereign states or international organizations, created on the basis of an interstate treaty or resolution of an international organization of general competence to coordinate the activities of states in a specific area of cooperation, having an appropriate system of main and subsidiary bodies, having an autonomous will that is different from the will of its members.

Classification of international organizations

It is customary to distinguish among international organizations:

by the nature of membership:
- intergovernmental;
- non-governmental;
in a circle of participants:
- universal - open for the participation of all states (UN, IAEA) or for the participation of public associations and individuals of all states (World Peace Council, International Association of Democratic Lawyers);
- regional - members of which can be states or public associations and individuals of a certain geographic region (Organization of African Unity, Organization of American States, Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf);
- interregional - organizations, membership in which is limited by a certain criterion that takes them outside the framework of a regional organization, but does not allow them to become universal. In particular, participation in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is open only to states exporting oil. Only Muslim states can be members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC);
by competence:
- general competence - activities affect all areas of relations between member states: political, economic, social, cultural and others (UN);
- special competence - cooperation is limited to one special area (WHO, ILO), subdivided into political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, religious;
by the nature of the powers:
- interstate - regulate the cooperation of states, their decisions are advisory or binding on the participating states;
- supranational - endowed with the right to make decisions that directly bind individuals and legal entities of the member states and operate on the territory of the states along with national laws;
depending on the procedure for admission to international organizations:
- open - any state can become a member at its discretion;
- closed - admission to membership is carried out at the invitation of the original founders (NATO);
by structure:
- with a simplified structure;
- with a developed structure;
by the way of creation:
- international organizations created in the classical way - on the basis of an international treaty with subsequent ratification;
- international organizations created on a different basis - declarations, joint statements.

Legal basis of international organizations

The basis for the functioning of international organizations is the sovereign expression of the will of the states establishing them and their members. Such an expression of will is embodied in an international treaty concluded by these states, which becomes both a regulator of the rights and obligations of states, and a constituent act of an international organization. The contractual nature of the constituent acts of international organizations is enshrined in the 1986 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States and International Organizations.

The statutes of international organizations and related conventions usually clearly express the idea of their constituent nature. Thus, the preamble to the UN Charter proclaims that the governments represented at the conference in San Francisco "have agreed to accept this Charter of the United Nations and hereby approve an international organization called the United Nations ...".

The constituent acts serve as the legal basis of international organizations, they proclaim their goals and principles, and serve as a criterion for the legitimacy of their decisions and activities. In the constituent act, the states decide on the international legal personality of the organization.

In addition to the constituent act, international treaties affecting various aspects of the organization's activities, for example, those treaties that develop and specify the functions of the organization and the powers of its bodies, are essential for determining the legal status, competence and procedure for the functioning of an international organization.

The constituent acts and other international treaties that serve as the legal basis for the creation and operation of international organizations also characterize such an aspect of the organization's status as the exercise of the functions of a subject of national law as a legal entity. As a rule, these issues are regulated by special international legal acts.

The creation of an international organization is an international problem that can be solved only through the coordination of the actions of states. States, by coordinating their positions and interests, determine the totality of the rights and obligations of the organization itself. The coordination of actions of states in the creation of an organization is carried out by themselves.

In the process of the functioning of an international organization, the coordination of the activities of states acquires a different character, since a special mechanism is used, constantly operating and adapted for the consideration and coordinated solution of problems.

The functioning of an international organization is reduced not only to relations between states, but also between the organization and states. These relations, due to the fact that states voluntarily agreed to certain restrictions, agreed to obey the decisions of an international organization, may have a subordinate nature. The specificity of such subordinate relations lies in the fact that:

they depend on coordination relations, that is, if the coordination of the activities of states within the framework of an international organization does not lead to a certain result, then subordinate relations do not arise;
they arise in connection with the achievement through the functioning of an international organization of a certain result. States agree to submit to the will of the organization out of awareness of the need to reckon with the interests of other states and the international community as a whole, in order to preserve such an order in international relations in which they themselves are interested.

Sovereign equality should be understood as legal equality. In the 1970 Declaration. on the principles of international law concerning friendly relations and cooperation between states in accordance with the UN Charter, it is said that all states enjoy sovereign equality, they have the same rights and obligations, regardless of differences of economic and social, political or other nature. With regard to international organizations, this principle is enshrined in the constituent acts.

This principle means:

all states have equal rights to participate in the creation of an international organization;
every state, if it is not a member of an international organization, has the right to join it;
all member states have the same rights to raise questions and discuss them within the organization;
each member state has an equal right to represent and defend its interests in the organs of the organization;
when making decisions, each state has one vote, there are few organizations that work on the principle of the so-called balanced voting;
the decision of an international organization applies to all members, unless otherwise specified.

Legal personality of international organizations

Legal personality is a property of a person, in the presence of which it acquires the qualities of a subject of law.

An international organization cannot be seen as a mere sum of member states, or even as their collective plenipotentiary, acting on behalf of all. In order to fulfill its active role, an organization must have a special legal personality, which differs from a simple summation of the legal personality of its members. Only under such a premise does the problem of the influence of an international organization on its sphere have any meaning.

Legal personality of an international organization includes the following four elements:

legal capacity, that is, the ability to have rights and obligations;
legal capacity, that is, the ability of an organization to exercise its rights and obligations by its actions;
the ability to participate in the international lawmaking process;
the ability to be legally responsible for their actions.

One of the main attributes of the legal personality of international organizations is their own will, which allows them to directly participate in international relations and successfully carry out their functions. Most Russian lawyers point out that intergovernmental organizations have autonomous will. Without its own will, without the presence of a certain set of rights and obligations, an international organization could not function normally and carry out the tasks assigned to it. The independence of the will is manifested in the fact that after the organization is created by states, it (will) is already a new quality in comparison with the individual wills of the members of the organization. The will of an international organization is not the sum of the wills of the member states, just as it is not a fusion of their wills. This will is "isolated" from the wills of other subjects of international law. The source of the will of an international organization is the constituent act as a product of the agreement of the will of the founding states.

The most important features of the legal personality of international organizations are the following qualities:

1) Recognition of the quality of an international personality by subjects of international law.

The essence of this criterion lies in the fact that member states and relevant international organizations recognize and undertake to respect the rights and obligations of the relevant intergovernmental organization, their competence, terms of reference, to endow the organization and its employees with privileges and immunity, etc. According to the constituent acts, all intergovernmental organizations are legal entities. Member States shall provide them with legal capacity to the extent necessary for the performance of their functions.

2) The presence of separate rights and obligations.

The presence of separate rights and obligations. This criterion of the legal personality of intergovernmental organizations means that organizations have rights and obligations that are different from those of states and that can be exercised at the international level. For example, UNESCO's Constitution lists the following responsibilities of an organization:

promoting rapprochement and mutual understanding of peoples through the use of all available media;
encouraging the development of public education and the dissemination of culture; c) assistance in the preservation, increase and dissemination of knowledge.

3) The right to freely perform their functions.

The right to freely exercise their functions. Each intergovernmental organization has its own constituent act (in the form of conventions, statutes or resolutions of an organization with more general powers), rules of procedure, financial rules and other documents that form the internal law of the organization. Most often, in the performance of their functions, intergovernmental organizations proceed from an implied competence. In carrying out their functions, they enter into certain legal relations with non-member states. For example, the UN ensures that non-member states act in accordance with the principles set out in Art. 2 of the Charter, as it may be necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security.

The independence of intergovernmental organizations is expressed in the implementation of the prescription of the norms that constitute the internal law of these organizations. They have the right to create any subsidiary bodies that are necessary for the performance of the functions of such organizations. Intergovernmental organizations may adopt rules of procedure and other administrative rules. Organizations have the right to withdraw votes from any Member in arrears. Finally, intergovernmental organizations may ask their member for an explanation if he does not follow up on recommendations about problems in their activities.

4) The right to conclude contracts.

Contractual legal capacity of international organizations can be attributed to the main criteria of international legal personality, since one of the characteristic features of the subject of international law is its ability to develop the norms of international law.

In the exercise of their powers, agreements of intergovernmental organizations have a public law, private law or mixed character. In principle, each organization can conclude international treaties, which follows from the content of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties between States and International Organizations or between International Organizations of 1986. In particular, the preamble of this Convention states that an international organization has such legal capacity to conclude treaties that necessary for the fulfillment of its functions and the achievement of its goals. According to Art. 6 of this Convention, the legal capacity of an international organization to conclude treaties is governed by the rules of that organization.

5) Participation in the creation of international law.

The law-making process of an international organization includes activities aimed at creating legal norms, as well as their further improvement, amendment or abolition. It should be emphasized that no international organization, including a universal one (for example, the UN, its specialized agencies), has “legislative” powers. This, in particular, means that any norm contained in recommendations, rules and draft treaties adopted by an international organization must be recognized by the state, firstly, as an international legal norm, and secondly, as a norm obligatory for this state.

The law-making of an international organization is not unlimited. The scope and type of lawmaking of the organization are strictly defined in its constituent agreement. Since the charter of each organization is individual, the volume, types and directions of lawmaking activities of international organizations differ from each other. The specific scope of powers granted to an international organization in the field of lawmaking can be ascertained only on the basis of an analysis of its constituent act.

In the process of creating norms governing relations between states, an international organization can act in various roles. In particular, in the initial phases of the law-making process, an international organization can:

to be an initiator making a proposal to conclude a certain interstate agreement;
act as the author of the draft text of such an agreement;
to convene in the future a diplomatic conference of states in order to agree on the text of the treaty;
itself to play the role of such a conference, coordinating the text of the treaty and its approval in its intergovernmental body;
after the conclusion of the agreement, perform the functions of a depositary;
exercise certain powers in the field of interpretation or revision of a contract concluded with her participation.

International organizations play a significant role in shaping the customary rules of international law. The decisions of these organizations contribute to the emergence, formation and termination of the norms of custom.

6) The right to enjoy privileges and immunities.

Normal practical activity of any international organization is impossible without privileges and immunities. In some cases, the scope of privileges and immunities is determined by a special agreement, and in others - by national legislation. However, in general terms, the right to privileges and immunities is enshrined in the founding act of each organization. Thus, the UN enjoys on the territory of each of its members such privileges and immunities that are necessary to achieve its goals (Article 105 of the Charter). The property and assets of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), wherever they are located and whoever holds them, are immune from search, confiscation, expropriation or any other form of seizure or alienation through executive or legislative action (Article 47 of the Agreement on institution of the EBRD).

Any organization cannot invoke immunity in all cases when it, on its own initiative, enters into civil legal relations in the host country.

7) The right to enforce the norms of international law.

The empowerment of international organizations to enforce the norms of international law testifies to the independence of organizations in relation to member states and is one of the important signs of legal personality.

At the same time, the main means are the institutions of international control and responsibility, including the application of sanctions. Control functions are carried out in two ways:

through the submission of reports by Member States;
observation and examination of the controlled object or situation on the spot.

International legal sanctions that can be applied by international organizations can be divided into two groups:

1) sanctions, the implementation of which is permissible by all international organizations:

suspension of membership in the organization;
expulsion from the organization;
denial of membership;
exclusion from international communication on certain issues of cooperation.

2) sanctions, the authority for the implementation of which have strictly defined organizations.

The application of sanctions classified in the second group depends on the objectives of the organization. For example, the UN Security Council, in order to maintain or restore international peace and security, has the right to use coercive actions by air, sea or land forces. Such actions may include demonstrations, blockades and other operations by air, sea or ground forces of UN members (Article 42 of the UN Charter)

In the event of a gross violation of the rules for the operation of nuclear facilities, the IAEA has the right to apply so-called corrective measures, up to the issuance of an order to suspend the operation of such a facility.
Intergovernmental organizations have been granted the right to directly participate in the resolution of disputes arising between them with international organizations and states. When resolving disputes, they have the right to resort to the same peaceful means of resolving disputes that are usually used by the primary subjects of international law - sovereign states.

8) International legal responsibility.

Acting as independent entities, international organizations are subjects of international legal responsibility. For example, they should be held accountable for the illegal actions of their officials. Organizations may become liable if they abuse their privileges and immunities. It should be assumed that political responsibility may arise in case of violation by an organization of its functions, non-fulfillment of agreements concluded with other organizations and states, for interference in the internal affairs of subjects of international law.

Financial liability of organizations can arise in the event of violation of the legal rights of their employees, experts, excessive amounts of money, etc. They are also obliged to bear responsibility to the governments where they are located, their headquarters, for illegal actions, for example, for unjustified alienation of land, non-payment utilities, violation of sanitary standards, etc.

International organizations - one of the most important forms of multilateral cooperation between states. They arise on the basis of an agreement between the participants. The activities of international organizations are regulated by the charter, their effectiveness depends on the degree of consistency between states. The main goals and objectives of all international organizations are the creation of a constructive multilateral base of international cooperation, the establishment of global and regional zones of peaceful coexistence. Today in the world there is a huge number of various blocs and alliances of countries, which can be combined into three groups: political, economic and mixed.

The main purpose of the activity political blocs - cooperation of the participating countries in the political and military spheres, participation in the creation of a collective defense system, cooperation in maintaining peace and security in their territories and in the world in general, coordination of efforts to resolve military-political and legal problems.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO - a military-political union of 18 countries, created on 05/04/1949 as part of the USA, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Canada, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Denmark, Iceland; in 1952 Greece and Turkey joined it, in 1955 - the FRG, in 1981 - Spain. In 1966, France withdrew from the military structure, in 1983 - Spain, and in 1999 the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary entered.

Target: ensuring the freedom and security of all members by political and military means in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter; common actions and all-round cooperation with a view to strengthening the security of the participating states; ensuring a just order in Europe based on common values, democracy and human rights. Headquarters - Brussels, Belgium).

Interparliamentary Union. An international government organization that brings together national parliamentary groups. Created in 1889 Target - unification of parliamentarians from all countries to strengthen peace and cooperation between states. Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland).

Organization of African Unity - OAU... Created on May 26, 1963 at the conference of heads of state and government of African countries in Addis Ababa. Composition (52 countries in Africa. Target: promoting unity and solidarity among African countries, intensifying and coordinating efforts to improve living standards; protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence; the elimination of all forms of colonialism; coordination of cooperation in the spheres of politics, defense and security, economy, education, health care and culture. Headquarters - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia).

ANZUS... Five-sided bloc of Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. Target - assistance to collective defense in the Pacific region. Permanent headquarters no.

Organization of American States - OAS. The military-political alliance, created in 1948 at the 9th Inter-American Conference in Bogota, which adopted the OAS Charter. Composition (35 countries. Target: supporting peace and security in America; prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts between participating States; organization of common actions to repel aggression; coordination of efforts to solve political, economic, legal problems; assistance to the economic, social, scientific, technical and cultural progress of the participating countries. Headquarters - Washington (USA).

Strengthening the integration processes in the world economy has strengthened the status of economic unions and groupings countries aiming to promote the economic development of the participating countries, improve the living standards of their populations and protect the economic interests of these states in the world arena.

Amazon pact- the trade and economic bloc, created on the basis of the Cooperation Agreement in the Amazon, gained force in 1980. Composition (8 countries. Target: accelerated general development and rational use of the natural resources of the Amazon basin, its protection from foreign exploitation, cooperation in the creation of infrastructure. Headquarters - Lima (Peru).

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD - was formed in 1961 as the successor to the Organization for European Economic Cooperation, formed with the aim of making optimal use of American economic and financial assistance to the restoration of Europe (Marshall Plan) in cooperation with the European countries - recipients of this assistance. Composition (25 countries). Target : contribution to the development of the world economy by ensuring optimal economic growth, increasing employment and living standards, maintaining the financial stability of the participating states; promoting economic and social well-being by coordinating the policies of the participating States; harmonization of assistance from OECD countries to developing countries. Headquarters - Paris, France).

Union of the Arab Maghreb - CAM - established in 1989. composition included 5 countries: Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia. Target : assistance in the successful solution of issues of economic development, ensuring high competitiveness of goods of the countries of the region in the markets of the world. Headquarters - Rabat (Morocco).

Association of Caribbean States - ACG - founded by representatives of 25 countries and 12 territories at a conference in Cartagena in 1994. composition included 24 countries. Target : promoting the economic integration of the Caribbean. Headquarters - Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago).

Andean Pact - AP- trade and economic union, formed in 1969 by Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela. Chile withdrew in 1976. Since 1969 Panama has been an associate member. Target : liberalization of regional trade and the introduction of uniform external tariffs; creation of a common market; coordination of economic policy regarding foreign capital; development of industry, agriculture and infrastructure through common programs; mobilization of internal and external financial resources; balancing the economic influence of Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Headquarters - Lima (Peru).

Visegrad four formed in 1991 by Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Target - elimination of restrictions and customs borders in trade between the four members. Permanent headquarters no.

European Free Trade Association - EFTA - established in 1960. composition included 9 countries. Target - independent economic policy; duty-free trade among the participating countries while maintaining independent tariffs in relation to other countries. Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland).

Latin American Integration Association - LAAI - formed on the basis of the Montevideo Treaty II, signed by the participating countries, which became effective in 1981. composition included 11 countries. Target - creation of a single Latin American market. Within the boundaries of the LAAI, sub-regional groups remain: the Treaty of the Basin of La Plata (1969), the Cartagena Agreement (1969), the Treaty on Cooperation of the Amazonian Zone (1978). Headquarters - Montevideo (Uruguay).

La Plata group - trade and economic union formed on the basis of the Treaty on Economic Integration and General Development of the La Plata River Basin in 1969. composition included 5 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay. Target: general economic development, use and protection of the resources of the La Plata basin. In 1986, Argentina and Brazil signed a long-term program of economic cooperation - the “act of integration”, to which Uruguay joined, and in 1991 - Paraguay. Headquarters - Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries - OPEC - organized in 1960 at a conference in Baghdad. The charter was adopted in 1965, and over time it has undergone multiple changes. Composition (12 countries): Venezuela, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, UAE, Gabon. Target : coordination and unification of the oil policy of the member states; determination of the most effective means of protecting their interests; search for means to ensure price stability in the world oil markets; environmental protection. Controls up to 50% of the world oil trade. Headquarters - Vienna, Austria).

North American Free Trade Association - NAFTA - the establishment agreement was signed on December 17, 1992 in Washington, and became effective on January 1, 1994. Composition : USA, Canada, Mexico. Target: the creation of a free trade zone in North America for 15 years; measures are proposed to liberalize the movement of goods, services, capital across borders with the gradual elimination of customs and investment barriers. In the long term - the unification of all American states (similar to the EU in Europe). Permanent headquarters no.

Black Sea Region of Economic Cooperation - CRES - created in 1990-1992 V composition 11 countries were included: Ukraine, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia. Target: creation of a regime of free movement of goods, services and capital in order to expand industrial cooperation and general entrepreneurship; expansion of economic ties in the Azov-Black Sea region and adjacent territories. Provides for common projects in the field of transport, television, energy, ecology, science and technology, agriculture, food industry, the creation of a free economic zone. Possible place headquarters Chief Executive Committee - Istanbul (Turkey).

BENELUX - economic union created on the basis of the customs union. The founding agreement was signed in 1958 for a period of 50 years, and came into effect in 1960. Composition : Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg. Headquarters - Brussels, Belgium).

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation - APEC - established at the initiative of Australia in 1989 in the number of 12 countries. In 2001, there were 21 countries. V composition included: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Chile, China, Xianggang, Taiwan, Russia, Vietnam, Peru. Target : creation of APEC; mitigating mutual trade barriers; exchange of services and investments; expansion of cooperation in the field of trade, environmental protection, etc. By 2010, it is planned to create an APEC Free Trade Zone. Permanent headquarters no.

TO mixed blocks belongs to the integration groupings of countries, the purpose of which is cooperation in several areas. The direction of cooperation is determined by the goals of creating the organization.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN - political and economic union, created in 1967 in Bangkok. V the composition 9 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar. In 2005, the next summit was attended by the President of Russia V.V. Target: promoting regional cooperation in the economic, social and cultural spheres with the aim of strengthening peace in the region; accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through common action based on the principle of equality and partnership; cooperation in agriculture, industry, trade, transport, communications in order to improve the living standards of the population; strengthening peace and stability, etc. Headquarters - Jakarta (Indonesia).

Association for Regional Cooperation of South Asian Countries - CAARS - political and economic union, created in 1985 in Dhaka. Composition (7 countries): India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives. Target : acceleration of the economic, social and cultural development of the participating countries, the establishment of peace and stability in the region. In 1987, in Delhi, an agreement was signed to establish a regional food fund and a convention to combat terrorism. Headquarters - Kathmandu (Nepal).

Caribbean Community - CARICOM - political and economic organization for cooperation in the fields of trade, credit, currency relations, coordination of economic and foreign policy, the creation of common facilities. Created in 1973 on the basis of the Treaty in Chaguaramas (Trinidad and Tobago). V composition included 13 countries. Target : political and economic cooperation; coordination of foreign policy; economic convergence of the general customs regime; policy coordination in the areas of currency and credit, infrastructure and tourism, agriculture, industry and trade; cooperation in the fields of education and health. Headquarters - Georgetown (Guyana).

Arab League - LAS - established in 1945 in Cairo on the basis of the Arab League pact. Composition (21 countries). Target: strengthening ties between the participating States in various fields (economy, finance, transport, culture, health); coordination of actions of the participating states to protect national security, ensuring independence and sovereignty; prohibition of the use of force to settle disputes. Relations are based on the principles of respect for the regimes existing in other countries and refusal of attempts to change them. Headquarters - Cairo (Egypt).

Organization "Islamic Conference" - OIC - was established in 1971 at the conference of heads of state and government of Muslim countries in Rabbat (Morocco). Composition (50 countries. Target : promoting the strengthening of Muslim solidarity; protection of holy places; support for the struggle of all Muslims to ensure independence and national rights; supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people; cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, scientific and other spheres of life. Headquarters - Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

Commonwealth of Nations - a voluntary association of independent states, symbolized by the British monarch, recognized as the head of the Commonwealth. Created in 1947 Composition (51 countries). Target : regular consultations of countries on issues of economy, finance, science, education, military sphere; promoting the well-being of peoples. At the meetings of the heads of state and government of the member states of the Commonwealth, the international situation, issues of regional development, socio-economic situation, cultural issues, as well as special programs of the Commonwealth are discussed. Headquarters - London, Great Britain).

Commonwealth of Independent States - CIS - political and economic union, created by agreement of December 8, 1991 No. Composition (12 countries): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine. The seat of the Executive Secretariat is Minsk (Belarus). CIS budget formed from equal contributions of the member states. Target: the formation of conditions for the stable development of countries in the interests of improving the living standards of the population; the gradual creation of a common economic space based on market relations; creation of equal opportunities and guarantees for all business entities; general implementation of economic projects; solving economic problems; political, military, economic and cultural cooperation of the participating countries. Headquarters - Minsk, Belarus) .

United Nations - UN - was established on October 24, 1945; as of 2002, it had 190 members. Observers UN: Vatican, Palestine, Organization of African Unity, European Union, Organization of the Islamic Conference, International Committee of the Red Cross, etc. Officially not included in the UN one country - the Vatican. Target : support and strengthening of international security; the development of relations between nations based on respect for the principles of equality and self-determination; international cooperation in solving world problems of a political, economic, social, cultural nature; promoting respect for human rights; transformation of the UN into a center for coordinating the efforts of nations and peoples to achieve common goals. Headquarters - New York, USA).

Main subsections The UN is as follows: General Assembly (GA) - the main body of the UN, which unites all its members (according to the principle "one state - one vote"). Security Council (SC) - a single UN body that can make decisions that are binding on UN members. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOR) - is responsible for economic and social cooperation and solves problems related to the implementation of GA recommendations (studies, reports, etc.). Coordinates the activities of the UN specialized agencies. Guardianship Council - consists of the permanent members of the Security Council and decides on US custody over some of the islands of Micronesia.

International Court - the main judicial and legal body of the UN. Created in 1945, location - The Hague (Netherlands). The court resolves disputes only between states. UN Secretariat - consists from the Secretary General (elected for 5 years) and personnel appointed by him, who is responsible for the implementation of the current work of the UN. High Commissioner for Human Rights appointed by the Secretary-General and is responsible for the UN's human rights activities. Official languages of the United Nations - English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, French.

TO specialized divisions of the United Nations relate: IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency ( headquarters - Vienna); WMO - World Metrology Organization (Geneva); WHO - World health organization (Geneva) ; WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization (protects copyright in any area - Geneva ); UPU - Universal Postal Union ( Berne ); IMO - International Maritime Organization (maritime safety and ocean conservation - London ); ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization ( Montreal ); The ILO - The International Labour Organization ( Geneva ); IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; IMF ; ITU - International Telecommunication Union (radio, telephone, telegraph - Geneva) ; IFAD - International Fund for Agricultural Development - Rome ; UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - Paris; FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Rome.

Olga Nagornyuk

Why are international organizations needed?

The modern world is at the stage of post-industrial development. Its distinctive features are the globalization of the economy, the informatization of all spheres of life and the creation of interstate associations - international organizations. Why do countries unite in such unions and what role do they play in the life of society? We will discuss this in our article.

The purpose of the existence of international organizations

Humanity has come to the realization that problems, be it a political or economic crisis, an AIDS or swine flu epidemic, global warming or a shortage of energy resources, must be solved together. This is how the idea of creating interstate associations, which received the name "international organizations", was born.

The first attempts to create interstate alliances date back to antiquity. The first international trade organization, the Hanseatic Trade Union, appeared during the Middle Ages, and an attempt to create an interethnic political association that would help the peaceful settlement of acute conflicts occurred at the beginning of the 20th century, when the League of Nations was founded in 1919.

Distinctive features of international organizations:

1. The status of international is obtained only by associations in which 3 or more states are members. Fewer members give the right to be called a union.

2. All international organizations are obliged to respect state sovereignty and have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the organization's member states. In other words, they should not dictate to the governments of countries with whom and with what to trade, what constitution to adopt and with which states to cooperate.

3. International organizations are created in the likeness of enterprises: they have their own charter and governing bodies.

4. International organizations have a certain specialization. For example, the OSCE is engaged in resolving political conflicts, the World Health Organization is in charge of medical issues, the International Monetary Fund is engaged in issuing loans and financial assistance.

International organizations are divided into two groups:

intergovernmental, created by combining several states. Examples of such associations are the UN, NATO, IAEA, OPEC;

non-governmental, also called public, in the formation of which the state does not participate. These include Greenpeace, International Committee of the Red Cross, International Automobile Federation.

The goal of international organizations is to find the best ways to solve problems arising in the field of their activities. With the joint efforts of several states, this task is easier to cope with than each country individually.

The most famous international organizations

Today in the world there are about 50 large interstate associations, each of which extends its influence on a certain area of society.

UN

The most famous and authoritative international alliance is the United Nations. It was created in 1945 with the aim of preventing the outbreak of the Third World War, protecting human rights and freedoms, conducting peacekeeping missions and providing humanitarian assistance.

Today, 192 countries are members of the UN, including Russia, Ukraine and the United States.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an international military organization founded in 1949 at the initiative of the United States with the aim of "protecting Europe from Soviet influence." Then 12 countries received NATO membership, today their number has grown to 28. In addition to the United States, NATO includes Great Britain, France, Norway, Italy, Germany, Greece, Turkey and others.

Interpol

The International Criminal Police Organization, which declared its goal to fight crime, was created in 1923, and today it has 190 states in its composition, ranking second in terms of the number of member countries in the world after the UN. The headquarters of Interpol is located in France, in Lyon. This association is unique, since it has no more analogues.

WTO

The World Trade Organization was established in 1995 as a single intergovernmental body overseeing the development and implementation of new trade relations, including the reduction of customs duties and simplification of foreign trade rules. Now in its ranks there are 161 states, among them - almost all the countries of the post-Soviet space.

IMF

The International Monetary Fund, in fact, is not a separate organization, but one of the UN divisions responsible for providing loans to countries in need for economic development. Funds are allocated solely on the condition that the recipient country fulfills all the recommendations developed by the fund's specialists.

Practice shows: the conclusions of the IMF financiers do not always reflect the realities of life, an example of this is the crisis in Greece and the difficult economic situation in Ukraine.

UNESCO

Another United Nations entity dealing with science, education and culture. The task of this association is to expand cooperation between countries in the field of culture and art, as well as to ensure freedoms and human rights. Representatives of UNESCO are fighting illiteracy, stimulating the development of science, solving issues of gender equality.

The OSCE

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is considered the world's largest international organization responsible for security.

Its representatives are present in the zones of military conflicts as observers, monitoring the observance of the terms of the signed agreements and agreements by the parties. The initiative to create this union, which today unites 57 countries, belonged to the USSR.

OPEC

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries speaks for itself: it includes 12 states that trade in "liquid gold" and control 2/3 of the world's oil reserves. Today OPEC dictates oil prices to the whole world, and it is not surprising, because the member countries of the organization account for almost half of the export of this energy resource.

WHO

Founded in 1948 in Switzerland, the World Health Organization is a member of the United Nations. Among her most significant achievements is the complete eradication of the smallpox virus. WHO develops and implements uniform standards of medical care, provides assistance in the development and implementation of state health programs, and takes initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles.

International organizations are a sign of the globalization of the world. Formally, they do not interfere in the internal life of states, but in fact they have effective levers of pressure on the countries that are part of these associations.

Take it for yourself, tell your friends!

The main signs

An obligatory attribute of this phenomenon in the life of society is the presence of:

Traits shared by such fellowships

The question very often arises as to what characteristics should international organizations have. A list of the main features of such commonwealths:

Participation in the unification of three or more states.

Compliance of the provisions on the creation of an alliance with international law.

Respect for the sovereignty of each member and non-interference in its internal affairs.

The principle of an international treaty at the heart of the association.

Purposeful cooperation in specific areas.

A clear structure with special bodies, each of which performs specific functions.

Classification

There are two main types: intergovernmental and non-governmental. They differ from each other in that the former are based on the union of states or authorized bodies, and the latter (they are also called public) - on the union of subjects from different countries that do not have the goal of political cooperation.

In addition, international organizations, the list of which will be given below, may also be:

Universal (participants from all over the world are involved) and regional (only for states of a certain area).

General (the areas of cooperation are extensive) and special, devoted to only one aspect of the relationship (health, education, labor issues, etc.).

c) mixed unions.

So, as we can see, there is a fairly developed system of classification of such institutions, which is associated with their prevalence and great influence on global political, economic and cultural processes.

International organizations of the world. List of the most influential institutions

Today there are a huge number of such associations that are active all over the planet. These are both global organizations with a large number of members like the UN, and less numerous: the Union for the Mediterranean, the South American Community of Nations and others. All of them have completely different areas of activity, ranging from culture and ending with the law enforcement industry, but the most popular are political and List and their tasks are usually numerous. Below are the names and characteristics of the most influential institutions.

UN and its divisions

One of the most developed and well-known among all the commonwealths is It was founded back in 1945 to resolve post-war issues that were then on the agenda. Its areas of activity are: preservation of the world; upholding human rights; c As of mid-2015, 193 states from different regions of the planet are members of this organization.

Due to the fact that the needs of the world community grew over time and were not limited to purely humanitarian issues both immediately after the creation of the UN and throughout the second half of the 20th century, other, more specialized international organizations appeared as its constituent parts. Their list is not limited to all well-known UNESCO, IAEA and IMF. There are also divisions such as the Postal Union and many others. There are 14 of them in total.

International non-governmental organizations: list, areas of activity, relevance

Among these, the most powerful in terms of the scale of distribution and its activity is, for example, the non-profit charitable organization Wikimedia Foundation, or the International Rescue Committee, which deals with refugee problems. In general, there are more than 100 such unions, and their spheres of activity are extremely diverse. Science, education, combating racial or gender discrimination, health care, selected industries and much more - all of this is dealt with by specialized international non-governmental organizations. The TOP FIVE list also includes communities such as Partners in Health, Oxfam and BRAC.

The participation of our country in the life of the world community

The Russian Federation is a member of about twenty alliances of various types (UN, CIS, BRICS, CSTO, etc.). In the country's foreign policy, priority is given to cooperation and joining various international organizations. The list in Russia of those institutions with which the state would like to work is constantly growing. In three commonwealths, she is an observer (IOM, OAS and OIC), conducts an active dialogue with them and participates in the discussion of important issues. Joining international economic organizations is seen as particularly promising. There is a long list of them (OECD, WTO, UNCTAD, etc.).

International organizations are permanent associations of an intergovernmental or non-governmental nature, created on the basis of international agreements in order to facilitate the solution of international problems stipulated in the agreements.

The term "international organizations" is usually used to refer to both international intergovernmental (interstate) organizations and international non-governmental organizations. However, these organizations are of different legal nature.

International intergovernmental (interstate) organizations are permanent associations of states created on the basis of an international treaty in order to facilitate the solution of international problems stipulated in the treaty.

International non-governmental organizations are permanent associations of national unions, associations, non-governmental societies to achieve common goals in the field of health, culture, education, science and technology, charity, etc. For an organization to be recognized as an international non-governmental organization, it must meet the following requirements:

the purpose of the organization is a non-commercial activity of international importance;

the establishment of the organization is carried out in accordance with the internal legislation of the state, and not on the basis of an international agreement;

the effective activity of the organization is carried out in at least two states.

Classification by the circle of participants

universal (that is, for all states; for example - the UN)

regional (members of which can be states of one region; for example - Organization of African Unity, Organization of American States)

interregional

Classification by the nature of powers

interstate - not limiting the sovereignty of the state

supranational (supranational) - partially limiting the sovereignty of the state: by joining such organizations, the member states voluntarily transfer part of their powers to the international organization in the person of its bodies.

Functional classification

Normative advisory intermediary operational information

Classification by order of admission of new members

open (any state can become a member at its discretion)

closed (accepted with the consent of the original founders)

Classification by competence (field of activity)

general competence (e.g. UN)

special competence (political, economic, credit and financial, trade, health care; for example - the Universal Postal Union)

Major international organizations:

UN - (UN, United Nations)

WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization.

IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency.

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Interpol - (Interpol)

Other international regional organizations:

Andean Community -

ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ASEM - Forum "Asia - Europe"

APPF - Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum

African Union (formerly OAU) - African Union

European Free Trade Association - EFTA

European Union - European Union

CARICOM - CARICOM

LAS - League of Arab States

The League of nations

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO

NAFTA - North American Free Trade Area - NAFTA

INOBI - International Organization for Business and Investment - INOBI

OSCE - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Producing and Exporting Countries - OPEC

Organization of the Islamic Conference

Northern council

CIS - Commonwealth of Independent States eng. Commonwealth of Indenpendent States

ATS - Warsaw Pact Organization

CMEA - Council for Mutual Economic Assistance

Comintern - Third Communist International

Union of Orthodox States

Role of international organizations

International organizations are among the most developed and diverse mechanisms for ordering international life. According to the data of the Union of International Associations, in 1998. there were 6020 international organizations; their total number has more than doubled over the past two decades.

International organizations are generally divided into two main groups.

1. Interstate (intergovernmental) organizations are established on the basis of an international treaty by a group of states; within the framework of these organizations, the interaction of the member countries is carried out, and their functioning is based on bringing to a certain common denominator the foreign policy of the participants on those issues that are the subject of the activities of the respective organization.

2. International non-governmental organizations arise not on the basis of an agreement between states, but through the association of individuals and / or legal entities whose activities are carried out outside the framework of the official foreign policy of states. International non-governmental organizations do not include structures that aim to make a profit (transnational corporations).

It is clear that interstate organizations have a much more tangible impact on international political development - to the extent that states remain the main actors in the international arena.

The influence of non-governmental organizations on international life is also quite tangible. They can raise issues that are not affected by the activities of governments; collect, process and disseminate information on international issues requiring public attention; initiate concrete approaches to their solution and encourage governments to conclude appropriate agreements; monitor the activities of governments in various spheres of international life and the fulfillment by states of their obligations.