East European Countries and Turkey vis-à- vis the EU: A comparative analysis of commercial relations

Bütün Doğu Avrupa Ülkeleri Avrupa Birliği’nin ekonomisine, kurumlarına ve politikalarına, özellikle de halen amaçladığı Avrupa kıtasının neoliberal yapılanmasına önemli ölçüde bağımlı olduğundan, 2008 krizi bölgeyi gerek ekonomik gerekse sosyal açıdan ciddi bir şekilde etkilemiştir. Bu makale, 2008 krizinden kaynaklanan olumsuz ekonomik ve sosyal ortamın, Türkiye dahil seçilmiş on bölge ülkesi arasında ticareti arttırmak suretiyle işbirliğini geliştirip geliştirmediğini analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu makale, Avrupa Birliği’nin uzun zamandan beri devam eden neoliberal politikalarının bu on ülkenin finansal krizden etkilenme nedeni olsa dahi, bu yapısal nedenin geleneksel Avrupa pazarlarına alternatif olarak bölge içi ticareti arttırmak suretiyle işbirliğini geliştirmelerine imkan sağlamadığı sonucuna ulaşmıştır. Tam tersine, eşitsiz ve birleşik gelişme yaklaşıma uygun olarak Avrupa Birliği bu ülkelerin ticari faaliyetlerindeki başat rolünü korumaktadır.

AB Karşısında Doğu Avrupa Ülkeleri ve Türkiye: Ticari ilişkilerin karşılaştırmalı bir analizi

As all East European Countries are, in one way or another, linked to the economy, institutions, and policies of the European Union, especially with respect to its present aim of neoliberal structuring of the European continent, the 2008 financial crisis severely affected the region both economically and socially. This paper analyzes whether the negative economic and social environment in Europe, stemming from the 2008 crisis, has enhanced cooperation by promoting trade among the selected ten countries in Eastern Europe including Turkey. It concludes that although the long-standing neoliberal policies of the European Union were a basic cause adversely affecting Eastern Europe by the financial crisis, this structural cause did not lead to increased cooperation by promoting intra-regional trade as an alternative to their traditional European markets. On the contrary, the European Union still maintains its dominant role in the commercial activities of these countries due to the uneven and combined development.

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