EUROPEAN INTEGRATION REFORM PROCESS FOR AGRICULTURE OF ACCEDING TRANSITIONAL COUNTRIES - THE CHALLENGE FOR WESTERN BALKAN

摘要

The reforms are needed for all the countries acceding to European Union to align with acquis for membership as well as for integration into EU common economic space in the most efficient pattern. The previous experiences of integration processes have stressed a problem as since the EU enlargement in 2004 and 2007 there are still growing asymmetries within the EU. The increase of competitiveness is an important issue for economic adjustments, but there are many unexpected effects generated by permanently reformed EU common agricultural policy. This raise a question, what could be accession effects in case of Western Balkans countries? The purpose of this paper is to develop theoretical framework for evaluation of in particular agricultural sector integration process and to present EU12 experience of European integration from Western Balkan countries perspective. Theoretical framework consists of quantitative analysis of current economic and policy situation in agriculture in Western Balkan countries; comparative analysis of competitiveness of EU12 and EU15; and evaluation of potential European integration of WB countries paying attention to the role of science and technology transfer to increase the competitiveness of agro-food sector. The results of analysis show that after accession for major part of producer prices in WB countries could be expected stagnation or decreasing tendency, and the main factor stimulating agricultural production would be an increase of budgetary support. The potential inflow from direct and rural development subsidies would exceed the current support level increasing the factors income, however, for improvement of competitiveness the research strategy is needed to be implemented.