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Thorvald Stoltenberg Ambassador Chairman of the Editorial Advisory
Board Most of us have been overwhelmed by the speed and extent of
the changes that have been taking place in Europe since the late
1980s. Over the span of a few years, we have witnessed the collapse
of the Soviet Union and the unification of Ger many. This process
has had far-reaching implications for Northern Europe: the Baltic
states have attained independence, and with the establishment of
the Baltic Sea regional co-operation and the Barents co-operation,
a new type of East-West relations has come into being. The process
of change continues. Its latest manifestation is the agreement
between Russia and NATO, and NATO and EU enlargement is expected to
take place over the next few years. With such far-reaching
transformations, we need to reflect on what is hap pening. We need
a more coherent picture of the new situation in Northern Europe and
of where we are heading. This Yearbook is an attempt to fulfil this
need. I would like to thank the editors for taking this initiative,
which has been long awaited by those of us who have been actively
interested in the improved relations between the former East and
the old West that have been made possible by the end of the Cold
War - and particularly in the new opportunities for cross-border
co-operation and integra tion in the North European and Baltic
space."
Thorvald Stoltenberg President of the Norwegian Red Cross Chairman
of the Editorial Advisory Board Despite the very optimistic
language on the imminence of new accessions to the European Union
that came out of the June 2001 European Council in Gothen burg, it
will serve no good purpose to neglect the fact that EU membership
for the Central and Eastern European applicants remains a difficult
process. Painful experience makes it prudent to exercise caution in
predicting developments with in the European Union. Negotiations
may drag out, snags may appear and some thing may happen on the way
to ratification. So perhaps it is wise to take a broad er view of
European integration - and therefore integration within the North
European, Barents and Baltic Sea region that is the focus of this
Yearbook. EU membership for those countries that are able to
satisfy the Copenhagen requirements - and the chapters of the
acquis communautaire that have subse quently been specified - is
certainly a prize worth fighting for. But all is not lost if some
of the applicants end up not joining the Union as a result of the
current enlargement round. Even more important than formal
membership is the process of growing together that has taken place
simultaneously with the membership negotiations. We are dealing
here with integration in the real world of trade, investments,
division of labour, politics, environment, hard and soft security,
people-to-people relations etc."
The NEBI Yearbook 2001/2002 provides a balanced picture of integrationist developments in the North European and Baltic Sea area. For this purpose it brings together scholars from several countries and a wide range of scientific areas. The Yearbook emphasises all major aspects of integration, i.e. basic economic integration; environment and infrastructure; cross-border regional integration; and hard and soft security. The special focus of this volume is the impact of EU enlargement on developments in the North European and Baltic Sea area.
Thorvald Stoltenberg Ambassador Chairman of the Editorial Advisory
Board Most of us have been overwhelmed by the speed and extent of
the changes that have been taking place in Europe since the late
1980s. Over the span of a few years, we have witnessed the collapse
of the Soviet Union and the unification of Ger many. This process
has had far-reaching implications for Northern Europe: the Baltic
states have attained independence, and with the establishment of
the Baltic Sea regional co-operation and the Barents co-operation,
a new type of East-West relations has come into being. The process
of change continues. Its latest manifestation is the agreement
between Russia and NATO, and NATO and EU enlargement is expected to
take place over the next few years. With such far-reaching
transformations, we need to reflect on what is hap pening. We need
a more coherent picture of the new situation in Northern Europe and
of where we are heading. This Yearbook is an attempt to fulfil this
need. I would like to thank the editors for taking this initiative,
which has been long awaited by those of us who have been actively
interested in the improved relations between the former East and
the old West that have been made possible by the end of the Cold
War - and particularly in the new opportunities for cross-border
co-operation and integra tion in the North European and Baltic
space."
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