Political Economy of the New Europe: Eu Eastern Enlargment

The question of eastern enlargement of the EU has shaped the politics and economics of Central European countries since the collapse of central planning. The process of accession – which has begun with the signing of the European Association Agreements by Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland in 1991 – has gained momentum with the opening of accession negotiations with all Central European ‘associates’ of the EU in late 1999. Accession negotiations put relations between the EU andits associates on a new track of accelerated convergence of their institutions and policies to the acquis communautaire. This process effectively calls for deep reforms of all the regimes aspiring to membership. These reforms are increasingly politically painful because measures taken infringe upon entrenched vested interests. These countries’ potential accession also challenges the EU in its present form.