East Enlargement and New Territorial Structure of European Union: What Advantages and Disadvantages for Balkan Countries?

Abstract

In a context just like the today's one it is necessary to give answers to some questions about the future scenarios that lie ahead in the light of the upcoming changes in the territorial structure of the European Union. The east enlargement is the last step of a harmonization process which started several years ago and which will also allow the Balkan countries to join the Community, if the minimum requirements and necessary conditions for membership are respected. At this point, the discussion items are numerous and include all the fundamental sectors of national economies: trade, agriculture, industry, tourism, labor market, social cohesion, environment, research and development, finance; for each of the above mentioned segments there are complexities, advantages and disadvantages that the incoming countries will have to face in order to gain admission into the EU. The aim of the paper is to identify those aspects such that each of the seven countries has or not convenience to take part of the European Community. Through the construction of a standard model that involves the most significant variables, it will be possible to identify what are the Eastern countries that possess the right and favorable conditions for membership.