This paper presents evidence for structural differences in economic growth dynamics between the current EU and the central- and eastern European accession countries. Two important results emerge from the analysis. First, accession countries have posted higher average growth and wider output...

We quantify the degree of persistence in unemployment rates of transition countries using a variety of methods benchmarked against the EU. In part of the paper, we work with the concept of linear u0093Hysteresisu0094 as described by the presence of unit roots in unemployment. Since this is...

The paper examines the position of the Czech Government at the final session of the Intergovernmental Conference (ICG) on 12 December 2003 in Brussels. The Czech Government was keen to show that the Czechs did not have any "red lines" in the negotiations. The issue of full representation in the...

The paper analyses the national debate on the future of Europe in the candidate countries from Central and Eastern Europe. The positions taken by representatives of governments and national parliaments at the European Convention show that divergences in the EU integration process do not occur...

On 1 May 2004 the EU will enlarge to 25 member states. Member states are uncertain what they will gain or lose from enlargement and they are concerned about the implications for the functioning of the EU. Talk is even of enlargement as a u0093leap in the darku0094. The reports in this study deal...