Other Regional Economic Organizations

Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)

     1975 Helsinki Final Act, signed by 35 countries,  focused on security, economic, and human rights issues dividing East and West in Europe and linked the various issues together. (p. 269)

     "Although that agreement committed the West to accept the boundaries created by World War II (the territorial issue again), it also bound the Eastern signatories to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.  The Final Act contained agreements in three groupings or baskets:

     "1. Security, including confidence-building measures.

     "2.  Economics, science, technology, and the environment.

     '3.  Human rights, culture, and information exchange.

"Signatories agreed to regular review conferences to extend the process.

     "Each of the review conferences (the second in Madrid from 1980-83 and the third in Vienna from 1986-89) proved embarrassing for th East, as the Western states detailed Communist human rights violations.  Citizen groups formed in Eastern Europe to monitor observance of human rights and to assist th West in drawing attention to violations:  Helsinki Watch in Moscow and Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia.  Although Communist states long harassed, jailed, and exiled members for their activities, the groups maintained ties with Western media and continued to be outspoken.  In justifying their suppression of the groups and their poor records on human rights, the Communist countries fell back on the legal principles of the sovereign equality of states and noninterference in the domestic affairs of other states.  But the status of these groups improved greatly in 1989 and 1990.  The West even agreed to hold a human rights review conference in Moscow in 1991." (pp. 279 -280)

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) linked Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland in 1959.  Finland and Iceland joined as associate and full members, respectively, to EFTA.  Denmark, Great Britain, and Portugal have since joined the EC.

     In 1977 the EC and EFTA agreed to establish a tree-trade area.  Austria would like to move from EFTA to the EC.  Since 1989, the USSR is no longer objecting to such a move as violating Austria's "permanent neutrality".  In 1991, EFTA and EC signed an agreement [of merger (check out facts)].

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA or Comecon), 1949 - 1991.  Comecon used to coordinate the economic intrastructure of the Soviet bloc countries including "the Druzhba oil pipeline, which carries Soviet oil to Eastern Europe, as well as the integrated power grid and freight-car pool of the member countries."  (Hughes, p. 237)

East African Community.  "In 1961 Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania established the East African Common Services Organization (EASCO), which became the East African Community in 1967, but collapsed in 1977." (p. 237)

Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA).  "The Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA) lasted from 1960-80.  Eleven countries of the region sought to eliminate tariffs blocking the flow of goods among them.  In 1980s they replaced LAFTA with the Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), which recognizes the wide differences in economic developmlent within Latin America and calls on the most developed countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico)a to make the greatest reductions in tariffs.  In 1969 a subgroup of LAFTA (Bolivia, Colombila, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela) established the Andean Common Market in an effort to accelerate progress.  These countries, too, have recognized the problem created by different development levels and give special treatment to the poorest members." (p. 238)

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).  "Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand created the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967.  (Brunei joined in 1984).  Allthough primarily economic, the organization also considers issues of joint political importance, sucvh as the Vietnamese invasion of Kampuchea."  (p 238)

Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM).  "In 1973 the countries of the Caribbean region established the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM).  Initially a customs union, it consciously uses the EC as a model." (p. 238)