Economic Integration of the Baltic Countries and Eastern Europe in the World and European Economy
This is the first book to analyse the transition from plan to market of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These countries are small; they were also formally part of the Soviet Union and are still in a very delicate political position vis-�-vis Russia. Rapid economic re-integration with the western market economies has thus been essential to their transition processes.
Although they are similar in economic structure and, unlike the Visegr�d countries, were once fully integrated parts of the Soviet economic system, the three countries have pursued different approaches in the construction of new national institutions and in their economic transition: Estonia has followed a clear and successful free trade policy; Latvia's transition is dominated by the growth of a new trade and financial services sector; and, after a troublesome start, Lithuania may well prove to be the next emerging country success story.
In addition to an analysis of the three national experiences, the book also offers a rich comparative study of three former Soviet republics' efforts to get rid of the Soviet legacy and instead become three modern market economies. All three have now concluded �Europe Agreements� with the European Union and have in principle been accepted as future members of the Union. The book analyses the three countries� efforts to qualify for EU membership, and the problems they have encountered.
