CHALLENGES OF THE PATH TOWARDS AN ENLARGED EUROPE: SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE - INEQUALITY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

• Main Author: Iulian Oneasca
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Institute of Romania 2007-10-01
• Series: Romanian Journal of European Affairs
• Subjects: social inclusion; poverty; EU integration
• Online Access: http://www.ier.ro/documente/rjea_vol7_no3/RJEA_Vol7_No3_Challenges_of_the_Path_towards_an_Enlarged_Europe_South_Eastern_Europe_-_Inequality_and_Social_Exclusion.pdf

“Challenges of the path towards an enlarged Europe: South Eastern Europe” is a series of articles dedicated to support the improvement of the national strategies for mitigating poverty and promoting social inclusion. It aims to make a better use of existing theories and studies, as well as of the national experiences and to support the co-operation on these topics between the transition countries in the region. This paper opens the series of articles, introducing the inequality and social exclusion problem. An overview of the issue is presented and the challenge of the path towards EU integration is analysed with a strong political focus. The main assistance programmes are identified and the challenge termed: regional learning process on a common social inclusion strategy. Sharing the transition and accession experiences in the region helps countries to strengthen the strategic dimension of their policies. It is a political project that takes into account the density of the developed strategic frameworks and the diversity of social economic trends and traditions in the region. It also considers the proximity of the EU and the transition and accession experience of its member states in the region. General policy guidance and some practical rules of the thumb shed some light on policy recommendations.