The Central and Eastern European countries, led by Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, are orienting themselves toward Europe after the political changes and ultimately hope for full integration into the EC.

The rapprochement with the EC and the current economic reforms were the subject of the papers and discussions printed in this book at a symposium organized by the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg with experts from East and West, European parliamentarians and politicians. The focus was on the exchange of ideas and mutual learning about the problems of economic transformation associated with reorientation, especially privatization and stability of the economy, foreign economic and monetary relations, and technology transfer.

Whether and under what conditions essential investments, loans and expertise will play a greater role in this process was one of the key questions facing many Western companies, association representatives and scientists in the current phase of uncertainty.