Integral economic and cultural space in the European Union: Transformations in Central and Eastern Europe

The paper aims to evaluate the main features of creation and development of the integral cultural and economic space in Europe, the main problems of economic and social development and provision of equal rights in the context of the transition processes in Central and Eastern Europe. Transformation processes in Central and Eastern Europe are described. New challenges for economic development and social oriented changes are analized. The paper has used outcomes of the research done over the recent several years, dedicated to the diagnostics of transformation problems as well as eco-nomic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe with special reference to the development of integral space and human rights. Major findings show that creation and development of the integral space in Europe is a very complex and controversial process and in this course various problems and conflicts arise. Therefore, to encourage creation of the integral space in Europe appropriate cultural policies are necessary to be implemented in Europe. These policies may embrace many priorities including - preservation of cultural diversity; - adaptation and dissemination of integrated European dimensions; elimination of inappropriate factors within humanism and democracy of all European countries; - provision of equal rights in all groups of modern society. For implementation of key priorities of cultural policies use of a number of pan-European scale special programmes is proposed. New non-traditional ideas of possible economic and social development in Central and Eastern Europe are discussed