QUALITATIVE ASSESMENT OF ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF INTEGRATION IN EU: THE CASE OF ALBANIA

Abstract

TEverybody is conscious for the importance of Albanian integration in EU. But each of us must be aware of the fact, that this outstanding process is accompanied by some benefits and costs, which has to be paid by our society. The main objective of this study is to qualitatively asses the economic impact of Albanian integration in EU. The first section is dedicated to theoretically explanation of the types of effects of integration which may be: direct or directs ones, micro or macroeconomic effects, and short run or long run effects. In the second part I am mainly focused on a qualitative assessment of effects of Albanian economic integration in EU. The main benefits relate to the new opportunities that will be ushered in, principally arising from better access of Albanian exports to foreign markets, enhanced competitive structures and improvements in efficiency, which in the long run will strengthen the Albanian economy. The costs arise mostly from the change-over from a protected economy to an open competitive one, which could lead to a loss of income and employment.. There are introduced in the third part, three main quantitative methods which are recommended to be used for a further step of quantifying the economic effects of Albanian integration in EU.Integration, Effects; Assessment, Qualitative, Quantitative