"Meeting Copenhagen EU membership criteria by Hungary: Functioning market economy and capacity to cope with competitive pressures within the EU"

Palanki, Tibor. (1997) "Meeting Copenhagen EU membership criteria by Hungary: Functioning market economy and capacity to cope with competitive pressures within the EU". In European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 1997 (5th), May 29-June 1, 1997, pages 19, Seattle, WA.

Abstract

Hungary submitted its application for full membership in the EU on April 1, and all the other Central and East European associates (CEECs) have followed their suit through June of 1996. It is expected the accession negotiations may start around early 1998 with all of the CEEC candidates (parallel with Cyprus). If we assume that the negotiations at least for the first group of candidates may last 2-4 years, then they could be full members around 2000-2002. Hungary hopes to be in the first round. Hungary, like the other CEECs, faces the complex task of preparation and adjustment for full membership, which is closely related to and dependent on the transformation and stabilization of their economics. Successful marketization and privatization as main directions of transformation assume certain stability, but long term consolidation can be achieved only by the same transformation. Both stabilization and transformation are preconditions from points of view of full preparation for membership in the EU. In the long run, the EU is considered a modernization "anchor" for Hungary.