[From the Introduction]. The first part of the paper provides a theoretical/analytical context by identifying the alternative ways in which subregional cooperation experiences have interacted with EU integration. It locates VG within this framework and briefly compares its EU pre-accession role with that of other types of subregional cooperation initiatives that have been active in post-communist Central Europe. The next section briefly reviews the origins of the VG and the main phases in its development, covering the period from its formation to the May 2004 EU enlargement. This is followed by a description of the nature and scope of VG cooperation as it developed during the EU pre-accession period. The final part of the paper discusses the nature and role of post-accession VG cooperation, with particular focus on the issue of the VG’s potential as a vehicle for promoting its’ members’ interests in the EU
