ENLARGEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: THE LONG TERM TRANSFORMATIONS TOWARDS EUROPE OF KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

This paper analyses the long – term trends of social and economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe under the conditions of EU enlargement and the processes of globalization. The general and specific trends before and after EU enlargement as well as in the future are described and compared. Some new non-traditional ideas and models of possible economic development in the future are discussed. The processes of development of integral European economic, social and cultural space, the processes of the creation of knowledge based society and knowledge economy are analyzed.
The following features of economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe in the period of EU enlargement and further globalization in the future deserve particular attention: intensive diversification of traditional economic structures, profound changes in all sectors of the national economic systems, creation of new forms of interregional cooperation in the new integral economic space; very uneven economic growth in the various countries, regions and sectors, increasing differences and disparities in economic and social development as well as between various groups in the society; intensive innovation processes taking various forms, and the realization of new models of innovation activities; controversial industrial development, very uneven technological progress, multiplication of high–technologies and new forms of industrial activity influencing the new quality life as well as new social and economic difficulties and problems.