THE COSTS OF NON-INTEGRATION INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR THE ROMANIAN ECONOMY LECTURER ADRIANA GIURGIU,

Abstract: “For Romania, the cost of historical, geographical, cultural and institutional non-integration in the new Europe is bigger than the one of integration”76, and so are the costs of economic EU non-integration. The most affected economic sectors would be trade, foreign direct investments, and the efficiency of market economy structures and mechanisms. 1. Strategic elements of accession Romania’s decision to join the European Union (EU) stands out as a strategic move supported by virtually all-political forces of the country as well as by the overwhelming majority of the population. It is expected that Romania will join the Union in 2007 and, after fulfilling the economic criteria; it will also join the Euro zone, thus becoming fully integrated with the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). It is beyond the shadow of a doubt that the decision to join the EU is the only adequate and viable option to ensure Romania’s development in the long run. Integration with the EU is regarded as a catalyst for progress and a tool for Romania to pick up steam and remove the disparities relative to EU standards from the economic perspective as well as concernin