Croatia Towards Europe: Economic and Social Change

Croatia towards Europe: Economic and Social Change

A BritishAcademy Project Conference

Institute for Advanced Studies

University of Bristol

Friday 11th February 2005

Croatia became a candidate for EU membership in May 2004 and aims to enter the Union in 2007. This purpose of this workshop is to identify recent developments in the key areas of policy concern in the economic and social fields, to map the current issues and problems and to identify the likely impact of the accession process on economic and social problems in the next few critical years leading up to EU accession.

Specifically, the workshop will address the following key issues: What have been the main features of Croatia’s economic and social transformation since the elections of 2000? What are the current pressing economic and social issues that Croatia must face? What has been the impact of the drive for EU integration on Croatia’s political economy, competitiveness, social policy and public finances? What are the key economic and social issues that will need to be addressed over the next three years in the run-up to accession? How will EU accession be likely to affect economic and social welfare in Croatia?

PROGRAMME

Croatia towards Europe: Economic and Social Change

At the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol

Verdan Smith Room, Friday 11th February,

10.30 – 10.50 Registration and coffee

10.50 – 11.00 Introduction and Welcome

Martin White (Provoist, IAS) and Will Bartlett (SPS, University of Bristol)

11.00-11.15 Opening Remarks:

Croatia towards the European Union

H.E. Mr Josko Paro, Amnbassador of the Republic of Croatia in the UK.

Session 1: 11.15-13.15 Chair: Will Bartlett (SPS, Bristol)

A: 11.15-12.15

Croatia and the European Union: Accession as a Key to Transformation

Katarina Ott (Institute of Public Finance, Zagreb)

Discussant: Maria Vagliasindi (EBRD, London)

B: 12.15-13.15

The European Decade of Croatia's Transformation: Path Dependencies and Challenges of Europeanization

Vojmir Franičević & Ivo Bićanić (University of Zagreb)

Discussant: Matt Shinkman (EIU, London)

13.15-14.00 Buffet Lunch

Session 2: 14.00-16.00 Chair: Iraj Hashi (University of Staffordshire)

C: 14.00-15.00

SME policy, Entrepreneurship, and Competitiveness in Croatia

Nevenka Cučković (IMO, Zagreb) & Will Bartlett (SPS, Bristol)

Discussant: Slavo Radosevic, (UCL-SSEES, London).

D: 15.00-16.00

Structures and Cultures of Welfare in Transition: Europeanisation and Croatian Social Policy

Paul Stubbs (Institute of Economics, Zagreb) & Siniša Zrinščak (Faculty of Law, Zagreb)

Discussant: Noemi Lendvai (SPS, Bristol)

16.15 Tea

16.15-16.30 Concluding Remarks:

Maja Vehovec (University of Rijeka) & Will Bartlett (University of Bristol)