What is special about enlarging the European Union towards the east? : A comparison with the southern enlargement
Hildebrandt, Antje (20.12.2002)
Numero
2002/13Julkaisija
Suomen PankkiBank of Finland
2002
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:bof-20140808157Tiivistelmä
The end of state socialism in central and eastern Europe has opened up the opportunity to integrate western European countries with the former centrally planned economies.Besides the historical peculiarity of enlarging the European Union to the east, a comparison with the earlier southern enlargement comprising Greece, Portugal and Spain gives important insights into mechanisms and problems of geographically extending the Union.Aim of this paper is to explore the past experience of enlarging the EU referring to the economic situation of the applicants in comparison to the member countries and to the challenges to enlargement.In the knowledge of differences, lessons can be drawn from the southern enlargement for the upcoming enlargement towards the east. Keywords: EU enlargements, transition countries