The Role of the Foreign Trade in the Development of Contemporary Supernational Structures in the Age of Globalization 4.0

In the age of globalization 4.0, the problem of insufficient preparation of supranational structures for leveling the negative consequences of the integration of information technologies into all spheres of human activity is becoming more acute, which puts on the agenda the question of the real effectiveness of their activities. There is no alternative to establishing and deepening the information type of society in both the medium and long term. International organizations and companies, as well as integration associations, should take into account the relevant changes taking place in the world economy in the organization of their activities. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of foreign trade in the development of modern supranational structures and to identify among them those which can really cope with the challenges of globalization 4.0. The research methodology was based on the basic principles of synthesis and analysis of data on 35 countries of the world from different continents and with different levels of economic development, which either have maintained stable positions in the level and quality of life of the population over the past decades, or those that have managed to make the transition from a country with a developing economy to a developed one. The authors tried to identify the influence of the foreign trade activities of the member states of supranational structures on the success of their development. The result of the study was the identification of stronger positions of international companies and integration associations that have achieved complex forms of cooperation over international organizations. It is shown that the main way to achieve the appropriate leadership is the activity of their member countries in foreign trade processes in general, and most importantly — in the export of information technologies, in particular. The latter gives the relevant supranational structures unique unlimited benefits, and their participants the opportunity to preserve their so­vereignty and guarantee national security.