In mid-2009, Russian Prime Minister Putin gave new impetus to launch the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, and has consistently supervised its implementation ever since. The Common Import Tariff and the Common Customs Code were introduced in 2010. Formally, the Common Economic Space began functioning on 1 January, but the progress in the implementation of it’s principles is limited. From the Russian perspective regional integration has mainly political significance. Tightening relations within the CIS was to counteract the economic expansion of third countries (e.g. China or the European Union) and prevent Moscow’s ties with the CIS countries from
loosening. For other the CIS countries, the integration with Russia – which is dominant partner in terms of political, economic, military and geographical potential – poses a threat of becoming totally dependent on Moscow.