Quantum affine algebras and universal functional relations

By the universal integrability objects we mean certain monodromy-type and transfer- type operators, where the representation in the auxiliary space is properly fixed, while the representation in the quantum space is not. This notion is actually determined by the structure of the universal R-matrix. We call functional relations between such universal integrability objects, and so, being independent of the representation in the quantum space, the universal functional relations. We present a short review of the universal functional relations for the quantum integrable systems associated with the quantum groups of loop Lie algebras. (paper)