Improving Business Environment In Cee Countries As A Factor Of Their Membership In The European Union

The aim of the paper is to compare the most important macro- and micro- determinants shaping the business environment in CEE countries in the period before the membership in the EU. The paper will examine and compare the most important effects of the internalization and modernization processes in the analyzed countries with special reference to: structural changes in foreign trade, FDI and GDP formation, indices of competitiveness on the European internal market in relation to the EU market openness (reduction of tariffs barriers and quantitative restrictions for industrial products) and to their adaptation to external tariffs level and EU common trade policy, macro-economic stability -adaptation to Economic and Monetary Union convergence criteria , changes in the level of enterpreneurship measured by the activity of SME's enterprises, changes in the level of innovativeness of SME's main demand's and supply's barriers in the SME's activity, barriers and stimulators in the creation of innovation in SME's, adaptation of SME's to international norms and standards quality and ecological)As a result of the twin processes of economic transformation and integration with the Western European structures, the CEE countries analyzed herein have already: almost totally opened their economies to the flow of manufactured goods and products, (free trade area has been established finally in 2002year), are significantly advanced in the step-by-step process of opening the foreign trade market to agricultural products in accordance with the CEFTA and Association Agreements. With regard to the services market the mandated liberalization process required fully opened the capital market for FDI, portfolio investment flows and short term capital flows, nearly fully opened to flows of services, (the immediate introduction of a national treatment clause applicable to construction, consulting, and transportation (road transportation, with the exception of cabotage between the CEE and EU countries) and financial (banking and insurance) services, as well as the conclusion of liberalization of the telecommunications industry and in transactions involving the delivery of high-tension electricity and natural gas. Presented at 13th International Conference, Vaasa, Finland, May 2003.