Since 1986 Laos has been engaged in radical reform designed to transform its repressed socialist economy into a market economy open to international trade and investment. The Economics of Transition in Laos analyses the successes and failures of economic transition in the context of the institutional and political constraints faced by the reform process. It focuses on the change from a socialist economic system to a market-orientated system, and the transfer from subsistence to market agriculture. Special attention is given to the integration of Laos into the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The author shows that this integration into ASEAN is likely to be an important determining factor in the transformation of Laos into a successful market economy. This authoritative book, the first of its kind, will prove essential reading to social scientists concerned with Southeast Asia, transition or development issues, and to all those interested in contemporary Indochina.

The EU is the main trading partner of developing countries, and the main provider of development aid. The contributors to this book evaluate critical aspects of EU trade and aid policies in order to ascertain whether, and to what extent, they help promote growth and accelerate the development of the Third World. The evaluation takes into account current changes in EU trade and aid policy and makes use of recent advances in empirical methods in order to provide accurate estimates of the policy impact on developing countries. The various studies may contribute to improve the design and implementation of EU policy and its effectiveness in strengthening growth of developing countries and promoting the well-being of their populations. This independent evaluation of EU trade and development policy towards developing countries will strongly appeal to: undergraduate and graduate students in international economics, development economics and European economics; policy makers in the EU and developing countries, development community; non governmental organizations; and those interested in the impact of the EU trade and aid policy.