International Trade and Restructuring in Eastern Europe

International Trade and Restructuring in Eastern Europe Synopsis

In the wake of the political landslide of 1989-1990 in Central and East Europe the countries of the region realized that international economic relations play a crucial role in their transition. The scope, speed and success of the efforts to transform the formerly centrally planned economies to market economies became increasingly dependent on the pattern how these countries form their relation to the rest of the world. This book is a collection of papers on the task of transformation of international trade relations of these economies. It's major topics are:1) The role of exchange rate regimes (with special emphasis on the goals of macroeconomic stabilization, currency convertibility, and trade performance); 2) Trade liberalization and the emerging trade patterns (with special emphasis on the sustainability of the recent bold liberalization of trade, the pattern of restructuring and the countries' relation to their former partners in ex-CMEA, as well as to the economies of the European Communities; 3) Enterprises and trade restructuring (with special emphasis on the impact of trade reorientation, price liberalization and privatization on the behavior of East European enterprises). The book uses current empirical data material that is unaccessible from other sources. It collects confronting views and scholarly arguments on the most critical issues of transitions andinternational trade relations from leading East European and Western experts. Readers will find an up-to-date review and comparative analysison the transformation of institutions and on the emerging patterns of trade in Eastern Europe.