"On notorious declarations and clandestine actions: The case of free trade between Baltic States and the European Communities. (Are trade provisions under the EC-Baltic trade regimes as liberal and effective as it is claimed?)"

Zukova, Galina. (2001) "On notorious declarations and clandestine actions: The case of free trade between Baltic States and the European Communities. (Are trade provisions under the EC-Baltic trade regimes as liberal and effective as it is claimed?)" . In European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 2001 (7th), May 31-June 2, 2001, pages 25, Madison, Wisconsin.

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to demonstrate that, notwithstanding glamorous statements such as "European integration" or "unification of Europe," there are still substantial limits to the European Union's will to fully integrate the countries of Central and Eastern Europe into its system. In addition, the tools that are currently used in order to foster the accession of the CEECs to the EU, and which are deemed to be the most liberal and direct-liberalization of trade-turn out to be not without obstacles. It goes without saying that economic integration is at the heart of the whole enlargement process, whereas other sides of it, such as, for example, political dialogue or co-operation in justice and home affairs, are corollary, although very important, effects. The Europe Association Agreements, the basis for the pre-accession process, provided for the establishment of free trade areas between the parties, which is seen as a first step to the accession countries joining the EU Single Market. However, after the first years of euphoria about the Europe Agreements, concern is growing in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe about the implications of these agreements. The revelations are not always as positive as they seemed to be some time ago. This paper is an attempt to provide some arguments to support this, using the Baltic States as an example.