From Europe Agreements to Accession

The European Union has been engaged, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, in determined efforts to end the artificial separation of West and East and to foster economic, social and political integration of the whole of Europe. On their side, the countries of Eastern and Central Europe have undertaken fundamental reforms to introduce the law of democracy and to evolve towards a free market economy.

Having established close contacts with academic and political circles in the Associated Countries, TEPSA was eager to study the implications for both sides and organized five conferences for this purpose.

This book presents the essence of the main findings in the form of an overall analysis.

It starts with a technical description of the Europe Agreements and the Concurrent Interim Agreement on Trade Related Matters followed by the main decisions taken at the Copenhagen and Essen summits. Subsequently, the criteria and conditions presently envisaged for membership of the CEEC's are analysed. Whether, when and to what extent these countries can meet these criteria and what kind of steps the European Union has to take to ensure enlargement is the subject of the following chapters concentrating on the problems which will have to be solved before (and even after) this decisive step will have been taken.