Together apart? Stocktaking of the process of labour market integration in the border region between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic

"This article explores the process of labour market integration in the border region of Saxony, Poland and the Czech Republic. The underlying understanding of integration is combining institutional factors and the behaviour of market players. The sources of this conceptual framework stem from political science on the one hand and economics on the other. This article has two aims: firstly, we want to identify the likely development of the labour markets in the region concerned, secondly, we wish to gain some information about the interrelation of the different factors mentioned. The article is based on a number of empirical studies with three main sources: firstly official statistical data, secondly surveys, and finally results from evaluation studies. Concerning the prospects of the integration of regional labour markets, the article states that the integration process will take some time. Institutional thresholds consist not only of the transition regulations, but also of a misfit between the different national systems (e.g. of vocational education). In any case, the entire region is expected to be affected by common development trends, such as losing population due to the migration of mainly younger people. In the players' perception so far, a mutual understanding of the problems has not been reached. Whilst Polish and Czech players emphasise the opportunities to be gained from integration, the German players are cautious. However, some of their fears seem to be exaggerated: migration will most likely be oriented not towards the border region, but to the centres, only commuting might be a subject to deal with. Efforts to support actively the integration of the labour markets have so far shown only very limited results. All in all integration processes will take time. Not only does the institutional misfit need to be overcome (or at least interfaces need to be defined), but also perceptions and attitudes (at least on the German side of the border) need to be changed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))europäische Integration, Grenzgebiet, EU-Osterweiterung, Arbeitsmarktentwicklung, regionaler Arbeitsmarkt, grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit, internationale Zusammenarbeit, Einwanderung, Grenzpendler, Landflucht, demografischer Wandel, institutionelle Faktoren, Arbeitsmigration, Integrationspolitik, internationale Wanderung, Ost-West-Wanderung, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Sachsen, Polen, Tschechische Republik, Europäische Union, Osteuropa, Mitteleuropa

Die Integration Ostdeutschlands in die Europäische Union: eine Erfolgsgeschichte?

Seit der Vereinigung ist die Zustimmung zur deutschen EU-Mitgliedschaft in Ostdeutschland stark zurückgegangen. Überzeugende Gründe hierfür sind nicht zu erkennen. Die Aufnahme der DDR in die EG erfolgte weitgehend reibungslos und verzögerte die deutsche Vereinigung nicht. Bei der Übertragung des Gemeinschaftsrechts und bei der Anwendung der Beihilfenaufsicht haben die europäischen Institutionen die spezifische Situation Ostdeutschlands gewürdigt. Über die EU Strukturfonds engagiert sich die EU stark bei der Entwicklung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft. Eine Analyse des ostdeutschen Außenhandels deutet allerdings darauf hin, dass die internationale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit sowohl zu Zeiten der DDR, wie auch heute noch sehr gering ist. Umso wichtiger ist für Ostdeutschland die Einbindung in den europäischen Binnenmarkt, der durch den Dreiklang aus offenen Märkten, Wettbewerbsrecht und Hilfen bei der Strukturanpassung gekennzeichnet ist. Die heute geringe Unterstützung der deutschen EU-Mitgliedschaft wird hier als Resultat anfangs überzogener, dann enttäuschter Erwartungen interpretiert. Abstract East Germany's Integration into the European Union: A Success Story? Since unification, East German support for German EU-membership has experienced a sharp drop. It is hard to determine any convincing reasons for this. The integration of the GDR into the EC was, on the whole, a smooth process and didn't delay German unification. The European institutions acknowledged the specific situation in East Germany when assigning community law and applying subsidy control. The EU has a strong commitment in developing the competitiveness of the East German economy through EU structural funds. However, an analysis of East German external trade indicates that international competitiveness is weak, a situation which prevailed in the time of the GDR as well. All the more important for East Germany is the integration in the European single market, which is characterised by open markets, competition law and assistance in structural adjustment. Thus, the present lack of support for EU-membership is interpreted as being the result of exaggerated expectations, which were then disappointed

Die Foerderung von gewerblichen Investitionen in Ostdeutschland durch den Europaeischen Fonds fuer Regionale Entwicklung: Fallstudien Ostberlin, Brandenburg und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Available from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel W 620 (108) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman