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Full Description

Course Description:

At present, there are three candidate countries for the membership in the EU: Croatia, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM). Accession negotiations with the first two started on 3 October 2005. FYRoM became a candidate country in December 2005 but accession negotiations have not started yet. The other countries of the Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 - have all been promised the prospect of EU membership as and when they are ready. They are known as potential candidate countries.
With all the countries of the Western Balkans the EU has established a process – known as the Stabilisation and Association process - that aims to bring them progressively closer to the EU. Thanks to this process, these countries already enjoy free access to the EU's single market for practically all their exports, as well as EU financial support for their reform efforts.

At the same time, the region itself faces major problems. Raising competitiveness, reducing the high levels of unemployment and fostering human development and infrastructures are major challenges throughout the region. Significant fiscal risks persist and external imbalances are sizeable in a number of countries. Progress in job creation is uneven, while some countries in the region register unemployment rates of above 35% and the gap between available and necessary labour skills is increasing. Labour markets continue to lack an appropriate combination of flexibility and security for workers and employers and taxes on wages for registered companies are relatively high. Rural economies need further diversification. Fiscal consolidation and enterprise restructuring need to be pursued further. The countries' privatisation plans need to be implemented. Investments and SME growth need to be further stimulated, including through improved access to finance. Governments need to further improve the business environment and stimulate employment. They need to reduce red tape, strengthen the rule of law, ensure reliable land registration and transparent procedures for privatisation. In some countries, the legal framework ensuring the proper functioning of markets needs to be completed and enforced. Tax regimes need simplifying. This will stimulate economic activity and reduce the high levels of informality in the economy.

Compulsory Literature:

Power point presentations provided by professor.
The European Commission. 2005. Regional cooperation in the western Balkans - A policy priority for the European Union. Brussels: DG Enlargement and DG External Relations.
Business Advisory Council for South-Eastern Europe. 2006. Southeast European Integration – Business Reccommendations (Communication to the European Commission). Brussels: BICC.
Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe. 2006. Working Table II: Economy. Summary Progress Report 2006 – Energy and Infrastructure. Brussels: The European Communities.
The European Commision. 2007. IPA – Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework for 2008 – 2010. Brussels: The European Communities.
The European Commission. 2007. Turkey 2007 Progress Report. Brussels: The European Communities.

Method:
Metod to be adopted will consist of lectures, class presentation and panel discussion sessions. Students will be supplied with hand-outs, a literature list and internet sources.

Offered in weeks 3 and 4 of the program.