4.2. Strategy of the eu integration.

The feature of foreign policy aimed at EU integration post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Baltic states was the fact that these countries are subordinated to her domestic political and economic transformation. They have successfully implemented market reforms and they agreed restructuring of national economies.

Radical reforms and accelerated growth, which is based on rapid liberalization of trade and prices in curbing inflation through tight monetary policy, contributed to economic growth in 1995 in the subregion has reached 5%, in Romania, Slovakia and Poland - even 7%.

From the geopolitical point of view, the strategy of integration in Eastern and Central Europe includes fast pace of reform of national economies in a stable growth mode, and also common interests in the global communicational projects: from the transcontinental transport routes to new gas and oil transmission lines and continental electronic network.

The Strategy for the Central Eastern European integration was determined in 90 years of the twentieth century by two main directions: the first one toward the European Union and NATO; the second - integration within its own subregion. Regarding the first direction, its implementation was designed for the medium term and depended on the creation of appropriate preconditions.

Movement of Central and Eastern European Countries in this direction have found political support in Western Europe. The evidence of this are the agreements signed between the European Union and countries in transition. Some of these countries - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - really count on the priority of this movement.

The basis for such optimism is the fact that these countries not only to regulate relations in trade and financial cooperation, as well as in law. Thus made basis for harmonization of legislation governing economic, business.

The second direction is realized in a number of integration groupings that were formed in the subregion with a quite specific intentions and plans. An example is The Visegrad Group - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland - as an integrated community, is to promote international economic cooperation.

The mechanism to achieve this goal - implementation of agreements and agreements on liberalization of mutual trade, the coordination of foreign policy, settlement of issues concerning customs and non-tariff restrictions. Cooperation within this integration association was seen as "springboard" towards the EU. In joining the European Union in Central and Eastern Europe associated participate in subregional integration such structures as the Central European Initiative and Central European Free Trade Association.

4.3. Features of the integration of post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe into the European Union.

Relations between Central and Eastern Europe countries and the European Union were built on the principles of integration-contractual mechanism. At first, the European Union has granted these countries both short-and long-term support in reforming of their national economies. A special role in this belongs to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, created in 1991. Later, as already mentioned, the European Union concluded several bilateral agreements on trade and cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe countries. Agreements were based on the Copenhagen criteria and covered the following priority spheres: • facilitation of access of goods of beneficiary countries to the markets of donor countries, • agriculture and food industry, • investments stimulation, • training of personnel, • environment.

At the same time (early 90's) is maintained the EU political dialogue with Albania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which followed the signing of common declarations. Wide application of the EU integration-contractual mechanism in a development of relationships with Central and Eastern Europe countries concerned with the signing of the so-called European Union Association Agreement. A European Union Association Agreement was signed between the European Union and such countries as Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic. The Copenhagen criteria was formed the basis of this agreement, but they were designed for more remote prospect and deeper relationships in comparison with the agreements on cooperation. Moreover, the "Europe Union Association Agreement" substituted the cooperation agreements and complemented the EU actions concerning implementation of the program PHARE (Economic Assistance Program). In accordance with the "European Union Association Agreement" was established institutional structure within the Association Council and Association Committee. The Association Council presided the implementation of the "Europe Union Association Agreement" (at the ministerial level, was meeting annually). Association Committee was responsible for maintaining the continuity of relations between the Community and associated members. The main coordinator was the European Commission. Association Agreements were preferential, ie, those that involved the trade concessions in order to strengthen mutual trade. They were designed for an unlimited life and covered such fields as: • political dialogue, • free trade and free movement of goods and services, • economic cooperation, • cultural cooperation.

In "European Union Association Agreement" emphasized that the final goal is competent membership in the Community, and a form of associated membership mission is to help reach this goal. In 1994 (at a special conference) on French proposal was adopted Europe Stabilization Pact. Pact provided support for wider application of preventive Diplomacy in Central and Eastern Europe countries, which had intended to join the European Union. A prospect for such cooperation is clearly defined: Central and Eastern Europe countries own future connecting with competent membership in the European Union. At the summit in Gothenburg in the end of June 2001 the Heads of State and Government of EU-15 countries have reached agreement as to the best prepared candidate countries would be able to complete negotiations by the end of 2002 and then as new EU members to take part in European Parliament elections in summer 2004.