CEE Countries in Europe: Towards Centre or Periphery Country Reports on Croatia, Latvia and Slovakia

Preface

China-CEE Institute announced a “Call for Proposal” research program in December 2018. Of the proposals received, one research proposal is “CEE countries in Europe: toward Center or Periphery”. What we are presenting here is the result of this research project, conducted by a Consortia led by the scholars from University of Economics in Bratislava (Slovakia), Latvian Institute of International Affairs (Latvia), and University North (Varazdin, Croatia).

This project has developed its discussions on the future integration of the EU, with a special focus on visions presented in “White Paper on the Future of Europe: Reflections and Scenarios for the EU27 by 2025” published by the European Commission in 2017. In a multi-speed Union, EU members states either joining the “core” or the “periphery”, depending on their level of integration in different areas. This project selected three countries as case studies, namely, Latvia, Slovakia and Croatia, and implemented further analysis on the position and tendency of these three CEE countries towards EU’s center or periphery. The three countries are representing different sub-regions in the EU (Baltic, Visegrad and Balkan) with different historical legacy (depart from USSR, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia), different accession time into EU (2004 and 2012) and different integration levels (Schengen, Eurozone). The project will provide a further understanding on CEE countries after complex comparisons.

The China-CEE Institute, registered as a non-profit limited company in Budapest, was established by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in April 2017. The Institute aims to build ties and strengthen partnerships with academic institutions and think tanks in Hungary, Central and Eastern European countries, as well as other parts of Europe. The China-CEE Institute encourages scholars and researchers to carry out joint researches and field studies, organizes seminars and lecture series, holds training programs for students and junior researchers and publishes publications, etc.