Export Specialisation of Bulgaria in the Relations with the European Union (1999-2007)

Паскал Желев

doi:10.37075/RP.2009.1.08

Authors

Assoc. Prof. Dr Paskal Zhelev Department of International Economic Relations and Business, Faculty of International Economics and Politics, UNWE Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37075/RP.2009.1.08

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to analyze and asses the export specialisation of Bulgaria and its place in the intra-community division of labour in the European Union. Given the high openness of theBulgarian economy towards the EU, the quality and dynamics of its export specialisation vis-a-vis the EU predetermine to a great extent the national economy structural changes, its growth rates and the well-being of the population.Though most of the analyzed indicators for export structure, comparative advantages, factor intensity, technological competitiveness, degree of processing and value added of exports, intensity of intra-industry specialisation show a favorable trend of improvement in recent years, in comparative perspective it is concluded that Bulgaria has developed a relatively unfavorable, low-grade and not perspective international specialisation in the relations with the EU. During the analyzed period (1999-2007) Bulgaria has objectively taken up a position of a peripheral economy, substantially differing in structural and technological aspect not only from the old member states but also from the newly acceded ones.This calls for implementation of a purposeful, large-scale, realistic national strategy for promoting the Bulgarian economy competitiveness and improvement of its place in the intracommunity division of labour.

References

Freudenberg, Michael & Lemoine, Françoise (1999). Central and Eastern European Countries in the International Division of Labour in Europe. CEPII. Document de travail n° 99–05, p. 16

Ng, F. (2002). Trade Indicators and indices. Development, Trade and the WTO, A Handbook (Ed. Hoekman, B., Mattoo, A., English, P.), pp. 587.

Salavetz, Andrea (2004). Structural Changes and Structural Competitiveness - The Experience of Hungary. Economic Thought Journal, 6, 57.

Angelov, Iv. (2005). Competitiveness: The Greatest Economic Challenge for Bulgaria in the European Union (A Macroeconomic Perspective). Scientific and Practical Conference 'Bulgaria's Integration into the European Union: Challenges to Competitiveness', pp. 41.

Michaely, M. (1994). Trade Preferential Agreements in Latin America; An Ex-ante Assessment (No. WPS1583). World Bank. URL: https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/934301468773398976 (accessed 2009-06-07)

Fatás, A. & Mihov, I. (2009). The 4 I's of Economic Growth. INSEAD Business School.

Kaitila, Ville (2001). Accession countries' comparative advantage in the internal market : A trade and factor analysis (No. discussion papers 2001/3). BOFIT. discussion papers 2001/3, p. 13

Collins, S. & Rodrik, D. (1991). Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the World Economy. Washington (D.C.): Institute for International Economics. ISBN: 978-0-88132-157-9

Landesmann, M. (1997). 17 Landesmann, M. (1997), "Emerging Patterns of European Industrial Specialization: Implications for Trade Structures, FDI and Migration Flows", in: The Vienna Institute for Comparative Economic Studies, Reprint Series, 168; Jansen, M., Landesmann, M. (1999). European competitiveness: quality rather than price. In J. Faterberg, P. Guerrieri, and B. Verspagen (eds), The Economic Challenge for Europe: adapting to innovation based growth. Elgar, Cheltenham. Migration, Free Trade and Regional Integration in Central and Eastern Europe (Ed. WIFO, OECD).

Trabold, V.H. & Berke, C. (1996). 18 Trabold, V.H., Berke, C. (1996). Die Veränderung der komparativen Vorteile Mittelund Osteuropas im Transformationsprozess. In: Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Schwepunktheft Systemtransformation; Vierteljahreshefte zur Wirtshaftsforschung Heft 1, 65, Berlin. Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung, 65(1), 57-71.

Wolfmayr-Schnitzer, Y. (1998). Trade Performance of CEECS according to Technology Classes. OECD Proceedings. The Competitiveness of Transition Economies, pp. 43. URL: https://www.wifo.ac.at/wwa/pubid/19923 (accessed 2009-02-07)

Jansen, M. & Landesmann, M. (2000). European competitiveness: quality rather than price. The Economic Challenge for Europe: Adapting to Innovation Based Growth (Ed. Fagerberg, J. and Guerrieri, P. and Verspagen, B.). ISBN: 978-1-84064-590-3

Michael Landesmann (2000). Structural Change in the Transition Economies, 1989 to 1999. wiiw Research Report No. 269, September 2000. URL: https://wiiw.ac.at/p-193.html (accessed 2009-06-07)

Havlik, P. (2009). Structural Change, Trade Specialization and Competitiveness of Manufacturing Industry in Central and Eastern Europe. URL: https://wiiw.ac.at/p-505.html (accessed 2009-06-07)

Havlik, P. (2000). Structural Change, Trade Specialization and Competitiveness of Manufacturing Industry in Central and Eastern Europe. WIIW Structural Report. Structural Developments in Central and Eastern Europe, pp. 87–120.

Landesmann, M. (2000). Structural Change in Transition Economies, 1989 to 1999. Economic Survey of Europe, 95–117.