European Economic Interaction and Integration Workshop Papers – serie

In this volume the perceptive reader will find many clues to the future of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, East-West economic relations and the impact of governments in this area. The authors are aware of the mistakes of the past, the limitations of centralized planning, the dangers and the futility of confrontation; and the global significance of the new roles that governments must play in the transitional period of political and economic reform in the East.

Highlighting recent revolutionary changes, this volume deals with the ongoing transformation from central planning towards more efficient economic structures in Eastern and Central Europe and the former USSR. Political democracy and the creation of market economies have now become realistic aims but the process of reform is only just beginning and is likely to take many years. The papers and discussions deal with systematic changes, deregulation, abolition of price controls and macroeconomic fiscal and monetary policies needed to stabilise the economics and to implement appropriate structural changes.

This volume reports the proceedings of a conference of highly qualified practitioners and theorists from East and West, dealing with competition and the important part it plays as an essential element of the market economic system. So far, in the countries of Central and East Europe and of the former USSR, privatisation of state enterprises has failed to bring about a more responsive, more competitive behaviour of these firms. It is recognised that various elements of competition - privatisation, breaking down of monopolies, trade liberalisation, strengthening of small- and medium-sized competitors; and institutional requirements - should be implemented simultaneously.

In this volume practitioners and theorists from East and West assess the results of four years of transformation in Eastern Europe. In a general assessment of the stabilisation policies pursued, some authors take a critical view of the 'conventional' monetary and fiscal restrictive programmes which have helped to bring down inflation and to introduce elements of the market economy, but have also left the economies concerned with heavily reduced output and real incomes. An evolutionary strategy of structural transformation, and demand management should play a primary role in recovery from the 'transformational recession'. Further issues discussed are the reform of the financial sector; liberalisation of foreign trade; privatisation and restructuring; and the social aspects of transformation.