In this paper we wish to suggest that: "obsession" with competitiveness and trade openness, together with "hands off" type of economic policy, may hardly lead a country towards "real income" convergence on her long-run development path. Moreover, such an obsession may have deflationary impact...

Long term prospect and perspective of well-being of the enlarged Europe depends to great extent form the efficiency of convergence process between wealthy and more or less (relatively speaking) poor members of the EU. Mainstream economic dogma speaks in favor of trade liberalization and...