Commonwealth of Independent States

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional group of countries in Eurasia. It was created after the Soviet Union ended in 1991. The CIS helps its members work together on important issues like trade, money, laws, and keeping people safe from crimes that cross borders.

When the Soviet Union broke apart, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine signed agreements to create the CIS. Later, more countries joined. However, some countries left the CIS over time. For example, Georgia left in 2008 after a conflict with Russia, and Ukraine stopped working with the CIS after Russia took over Crimea in 2014. Recently, in 2026, Moldova also decided to leave the CIS.

Many CIS members work together to trade freely. Some groups grew out of the CIS, like a military alliance and an economic union that helps countries work together on business and money matters. One of these groups is trying to create a closer union between Russia and Belarus, sharing things like government and money.

History and structure

See also: Dissolution of the Soviet Union, Near abroad, and Eurasian economic integration

Background

In 1991, there was big change happening in a country called the Soviet Union. The leader of the Soviet Union tried to change the country into a group of independent republics, but things became unstable. Then, an attempt to take control happened in the capital city.

Founding

After that attempt to take control failed, many parts of the Soviet Union decided to become independent countries. On December 8, 1991, leaders from three of these new countries met and formed a group called the Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS. This group was meant to help these countries work together after the Soviet Union ended.

More countries joined the CIS later. By the end of 1991, 11 countries were part of it. Two years later, another country joined, making 12 members. Three countries chose not to join. The CIS and the Soviet Union existed together for a little while until the Soviet Union officially ended on December 26, 1991. After that, the countries began working on their own economies and making changes.

CIS Charter

In January 1993, the CIS created a charter to explain how it would work. This charter said which countries were founding members and which were just participants. Some countries signed the charter and became members, while others stayed as participants without full membership. One country became an associate member later, and another left the CIS completely in 2009. Another country stopped participating in 2018.

General secretary

Main article: General Secretary of the CIS

The CIS is managed by a general secretary.

Interparliamentary Assembly

The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly was created in 1992 to help the countries work together on laws. It meets to talk about common problems and suggests ideas for new laws. The Assembly has helped create over 130 documents to make laws more similar across the CIS countries.

Further developments

Between 2003 and 2005, some countries in the CIS had big changes in their governments. In 2006, one country left a part of the CIS because it wanted to join another group, but it stayed in the CIS until 2009. In 2007, a leader from another country said the CIS might not be as useful anymore. Some countries missed meetings of the CIS leaders because they had disagreements. In 2009, several countries joined a project started by the European Union to work together with Europe.

Membership

There are nine full member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Creation Agreement was the main rule book for the CIS until January 1993, when the CIS Charter was created. This charter explained that a member country must agree to the CIS Charter. New members can join if all current members agree. Countries that agreed to the Creation Agreement before the charter was made are called "Founding states," but they are not members unless they also agree to the charter.

Member states

Moldova

Because of Russia’s actions in areas of Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine, Moldova considered leaving the CIS. In 2022, Moldova began to leave many CIS agreements and planned to fully leave the CIS by the end of 2024. In 2023, Moldova stopped taking part in most CIS activities. By March 2026, Moldova officially decided to leave the CIS completely, with the exit to be finished by April 2027.

Associate member

A country can become an associate member if approved by the leaders of CIS countries. Two states, Ukraine and Turkmenistan, agreed to the CIS Creation Agreement but did not agree to the CIS Charter. Turkmenistan later changed to become an associate member in 2005.

Founding state

Ukraine helped create the CIS in 1991 but never agreed to the CIS Charter, so it remained a founding state. Ukraine kept taking part in some CIS activities until 2018 when it stopped. Ukraine has since left many CIS agreements.

Former member states

Georgia

Georgia left the CIS in 2009 after the Russo-Georgian War in 2008.

Politics

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was created to help countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union work together. One big goal has been to protect people's rights and freedoms. In 1995, the CIS agreed on a treaty about human rights, which includes both rights to speak and vote freely, as well as rights to things like jobs and education. However, some countries in the CIS, especially in Central Asia, still struggle to protect these rights well.

The CIS also works on military matters. Some members signed a treaty in 1992 to help each other with safety and defense. Over time, this led to the creation of a military alliance called the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in 2002. However, there have been challenges in stopping conflicts between members, showing that more work is needed to keep peace among the countries.

Main articles: Collective Security Treaty Organization, United Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Council of Ministers of Defense of the CIS, and Joint CIS Air Defense System

Economy

See also: Economy of the Soviet Union

Some CIS countries struggle with problems like corruption and bureaucracy, which can make trade difficult.

Kazakhstan suggested that CIS members work together on a plan to modernize their economies using digital technology.

Economic data

Standards and rules

Main articles: GOST and List of GOST standards

GOST standards were created by the Soviet Union to ensure quality and safety in products. After the Soviet Union broke apart, these standards became regional rules for the CIS countries. They are now managed by a special group called the Euro-Asian Council for Standardization, Metrology, and Certification.

Supranational integration initiatives, trade, and economic cooperation within CIS

Main articles: free trade agreement and free trade area

In 1993, leaders of some CIS countries signed an agreement to create an economic union. This aimed to help their economies grow and improve living standards.

The CIS has several agreements to help countries trade freely with each other. These agreements let countries make their own deals with other nations and join custom unions. They do not control how countries trade with nations outside the CIS.

1994 Framework for Bilateral Free Trade Agreements and Freedom of Transit

In 1994, leaders from 12 CIS countries signed an agreement to create a free trade area. This agreement became active in 1994 for countries that approved it. By 2023, it was fully active for ten countries, while Russia and Turkmenistan used it temporarily. No country has left the agreement.

Under this agreement, countries work out trade rules two at a time. The agreement started trade rules right away for moving goods between countries, making sure there were no unfair delays or extra costs.

1999 Protocol introducing a multilateral free trade among ten countries

On 2 April 1999, leaders from 11 CIS countries signed a change to the 1994 agreement. Turkmenistan did not join. This change became active in 1999 for countries that approved it. By 2023, it was active for ten countries, but Russia had not fully started using it. No country left the change, though Azerbaijan made one exception.

This change replaced the older two-country trade rules with rules for all ten countries to trade together. It removed fees and restrictions on trading goods between these countries. It also set up ways to solve arguments, followed World Trade Organization rules, and made sure goods could move freely between countries.

2011 multilateral Free Trade Area Treaty among 9 countries

In 2009, work began on a new agreement to make it easier for CIS countries to trade with each other. In 2011, eight CIS countries signed this new agreement. By 2015, all eight had approved it. Azerbaijan did not join.

This agreement removes some taxes on goods but still has some exceptions that will be removed later. The same meeting also discussed how countries control their money.

2023 Agreement on Free Trade in Services among 7 countries

In June 2023, seven CIS countries signed an agreement to make it easier to trade services, start businesses, and invest in each other’s countries.

Social development of the CIS countries

The countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) often face challenges when it comes to social conditions. In some places, people feel poorer than official numbers show. For example, in Ukraine, many more people felt poor compared to what government numbers said.

Unemployment benefits, which are extra money for people who have lost their jobs, vary a lot between CIS countries. Some places give more help than others, and in many spots, these benefits haven’t gone up even though everyday costs have.

Salaries also differ widely. In 2015, monthly salaries ranged from about $142 in Tajikistan to $565 in Kazakhstan. Even in places where salaries were higher, a big part of that money was spent just on food, making it hard for families to meet all their needs.

Other activities

Election monitoring

The CIS-Election Monitoring Organisation is a group that watches elections. It started in October 2002 after leaders of CIS countries agreed on rules for fair elections. Since then, it has sent watchers to check elections in CIS countries.

Sometimes, the CIS says an election was fair even when others disagree. For example, in 2004, the CIS said the Ukrainian election was not fair, but in 2005, they said elections in Uzbekistan and Moldova were fair, even though others thought they were not.

Russian language status

Russia wants the Russian language to be an official language in all CIS countries. Right now, only Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have Russian as an official language. After the 2010 election in Ukraine, the new president said Ukraine would keep Ukrainian as its only official language.

Sports events

When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, some sports teams from the Soviet Union still had to compete in events in 1992. A team called the “Unified Team” took their place in the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics. There was also a CIS team for football and bandy.

In 2017, a festival for traditional sports from CIS countries was held in Ulyanovsk. Sports included sambo, tug of war, and chess. In 2021, the first CIS games were held in Kazan with athletes from 9 countries. The second games were in Belarus in 2023.

Cultural events

The CIS also helps with cultural activities between its countries. In 2006, they started a fund to support education, science, and culture. This fund has helped many cultural events, like naming a “CIS Capital of Culture” each year. In 2017, Goris in Armenia was named the CIS Cultural Capital, and in 2022, Karakol in Kyrgyzstan got the title.

Demographics

The total number of people living in all the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States is about 246 million as of 2024.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2021, according to the World Bank Group, are listed below:

Life expectancy at birth in countries of CIS since 1960

Life expectancy and [healthy life expectancy](/wiki/Healthy_life_expectancy) in countries of CIS in 2019

Elaboration by gender

Post-Soviet organisations and initiatives outside CIS framework

Main article: Post-Soviet states

EurAsEc and EAEU

Main articles: Eurasian Economic Community, Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Union, and EAEU

Common Economic Space

Main article: Eurasian Economic Space

Some countries near each other talked about working together on trade and money matters. They wanted to create a space where they could make rules together. This idea was discussed by Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. They thought this could lead to a group where more countries could join and maybe even share one kind of money.

Union State of Russia and Belarus

Main article: Union State

Organisation of Central Asian Cooperation

Main article: Central Asian Cooperation Organization

Countries in Central Asia like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan worked together in different groups over the years. Russia later joined these groups too.

Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations

Main article: Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations

Some areas that are not fully recognized as countries, like Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria, joined together to help each other.

GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development

Main article: GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development

The GUAM Organization is a group of four countries: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova. They work together to support democracy and improve their economies.

Assessments and criticism

Abulfaz Elchibey, the second president of Azerbaijan, felt the CIS was too much like an old system controlled by Russia. He thought it did not help solve conflicts, like between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

A Russian diplomat, A. Denisov, disagreed. He said the CIS lets each country decide what it wants to join and nothing is forced on them.

Mikhail Krotov, a Russian scientist and former leader of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, said that when the Soviet Union ended, the CIS was created to help countries work together. However, he noted that Ukraine did not join even the simpler version of the CIS agreement.

American geopolitician Zbigniew Brzezinski believed that Ukraine played a key role in making sure the CIS did not become like the old Soviet Union.

Coins

The Central Bank of the Russian Federation made special coins to honor the Commonwealth of Independent States. These coins come in different designs and metals, like copper-nickel and silver.

In 2006, the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus also created special coins to celebrate 15 years of the Commonwealth of Independent States. These coins were made in two different types and metals as well.