National legal policy concepts as an integration tool: a comparative legal analysis of the EAEU member states

The effectiveness of regional integration within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) increasingly depends on the coherence and adaptability of its member states’ national legal policies. This study examines the extent to which the legal systems of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia are adapting to the supranational legal order of the EAEU. The central problem lies in the inherent tension between national sovereignty and integration commitments, which manifests differently across member states, potentially hindering the Union’s deeper integration and uniform application of its law. Methodologically, the article employs a comparative legal analysis, focusing on primary strategic documents — national legal policy concepts — as well as constitutional provisions and legislative mechanisms governing the implementation of EAEU law. This approach allows for a systematic identification of convergences and divergences in how each state conceptualizes its integration path. The analysis reveals a spectrum of adaptation strategies. Belarus demonstrates a committed yet sovereignty-conscious approach within its legal policy framework. In contrast, recent legal policy concepts of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan show a diminishing explicit focus on EAEU integration, prioritizing internal reforms and global standards instead. The most complex case is Armenia, characterized by the absence of a unified legal policy concept, constitutional ambiguities regarding the transfer of sovereign powers, and a declared policy of pursuing closer ties with the European Union alongside its EAEU membership. This “parallel integration” creates significant systemic legal risks, contradictions, and challenges to the principle of uniform application of Union law. The study concludes that the successful implementation of EAEU law requires moving beyond formal recognition of international treaty supremacy. It necessitates the development of sophisticated national mechanisms for proper implementation, which creatively transpose supranational norms while respecting national legal traditions and specificities. The findings highlight the critical role of strategic legal planning documents in guiding this process and underscore the potential legal fragmentation risks arising from inconsistent national approaches. This research contributes to forecasting areas of legal conflict within the EAEU and suggests pathways for better harmonization of member states’ legal policies to strengthen the Eurasian integration project.