“Economic Advantages for the New EU Members”

This paper focuses mainly on the economic and monetary effects of Eastern enlargement and on the expected advantages from the standpoint of acceding countries. It should be stressed, at this point, that in many cases it is impossible to discuss only the advantages, benefits or opportunities as the complex political and economic processes involve at the same time also disadvantages and costs. Some initial accession costs (like implication of harmonisation of legislature of acceding countries and practically full adoption of “acquis communautaire”) might in the middle and long term turn into competitive advantages and benefits. In financial budgetary terms and benefits for accession countries (becoming net beneficiaries by participating in structural, cohesion funds and in CAP) will be the costs for the EU members. There is a tendency among the member states to generally concentrate more on the costs of enlargement rather than on its benefits, which are less tangible than costs