East European integration and new division of labour in Europe: Workshop documentation

Potratz, Wolfgang (Ed.) and Widmaier, Brigitta (Ed.)

No 1998-09, Graue Reihe des Instituts Arbeit und Technik from Institut Arbeit und Technik (IAT), Westfälische Hochschule, University of Applied Sciences

Abstract: The contributions in this volume are the result of the workshop "East European Integration and New Division of Labour in Europe" held on April 10/11, 1997 in the Institute for Work and Technology, Gelsenkirchen. The workshop aimed at a critical discussion of the institutional framework and political strategies for the integration of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, and at the assessment of some of developments under way since the beginning of this decade. With view to a larger integrated Europe, we started out with two main theses: 1. Fast integration of ten or more new members of a larger Europe requires a quite substantial change in institutional preconditions, in particular of the European Union, but also from the side of NATO. 2. Apart from the formal adaptation of CEE countries to the "acquis communautaire" and other requirements of the EU, economic processes like trade relations and foreign direct investment have already incorporated CEE countries in a new division of labour. With the selection of our topics and the invitation of contributions to this workshop, we tried to shed light on these problems. We now present the results which of course, can only be spotlights on a very complex situation. European summits of recent years have proposed the enlargement of the European Union through the accession of some of the associated Central and Eastern European countries. Ten countries in this region have submitted applications for membership to the European Union. Although the time range and conditions are not specified yet, the Commission has undertaken steps to assist these countries in their endeavours to join the Union. It has been clear from the beginning, however, that the accession would raise problems and challenges to both sides, and consequently each strategy will have repercussions on all actors concerned. Without a longterm conception about the goals and means for the integration of these countries mutual expectations might be difficult to be satisfied. We have been looking at such questions not only in connection with the European Union, but also with future integration of the CEE countries into NATO because, from the beginning, political and economic stability as well as military security have been the essentials of the European Communities and also today, NATO has vital interests in political and economic support for the transformation process.

Date: 1998
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