The challenge of Rural Development in the EU Accession Countries

This volume examines the reforms and policy changes necessary in the rural sectors of the ten countries that have started the accession process for eventual membership in the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia). The papers in this volume are selected from the presentations at the Third World Bank/FAO EU Accession Workshop held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on June 17-20, 2000, and are organized around four topics: (i) Defining the Concepts of Rural Development Options for EU Accession Candidate Countries; (ii) Rural Development in the European Union; (iii) Rural Development in Central and Eastern Europe; and (iv) International Experiences and the Role of International Organizations in Supporting Rural Development in the EU Accession Candidate Countries. This volume is intended for agricultural policy makers and government officials in the candidate countries, EU officials, World Bank and FAO staff, development scholars, and all others interested in the process of rural development in Central and Eastern Europe.