Regional economies in Central and Eastern Europe under the conditions of EU enlargement: transformations, specialization, innovations and idea of hyper–clusters

Abstract

This paper analyses the long-term trends of economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe under the conditions of EU enlargement and the processes of globalization. The general and specific trends 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 are analysed. 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. There are many possibilities to implement new the non–traditional ideas of intensive economic development, which could be very successful in Central and Eastern Europe in the future. The following ideas are emphasized: (1) the idea of rational specialization of every national or regional economic system (the structure and priorities of every national or regional economic system must be oriented towards the most dynamic increase of added value created by the national or regional economy); (2) the idea of “oases” (the essence of this idea is as follows: after certain priorities are set on a national, sectoral or regional scale, particularly favourable conditions for social and economic development, innovation activities and technological progress are created); (3) the idea of complex clusterization (the regional, interregional and international networks of sectoral and multisectoral clusters, including systems of science and technology parks, innovation centers, business incubators and regional industrial hubs are created and developed). The implementation of the above–listed ideas could be emphasized as very important in influencing positive transitions in Central and Eastern Europe in the future.