The book refers to two transitions. Eastern European economies, including CIS republics, are in the process of transition to a market economy. EC countries are on the way to implementing an economic and monetary union and many of them would welcome a political union. EC countries cannot be separated from EFTA member countries, nor Europe from the rest of the world. The two transitions are different in kind, and in some respects are opposed. While Western Europe is searching for more trade and monetary integration, i.e. for more globalisation, Eastern economies are exposed to disintegration. At the same time the East is influenced by the West and both transitions have some common challenges: the search for a model of capitalism, intermediate between laissez-faire and interventionism; the search for competition as a discipline and for efficiency. The book focuses on privatization, economic reform, relationships between banks and industry, the role of the State, the dynamics of banking and financial sectors, monetary reform, the independence of the central bank, the European monetary union, and East-West economic and financial relations. This collection of papers, authored by members of universities, financial institutions and international organisations, is of outstanding interest for policy makers, executives and academics.
