What are Central and Eastern European countries ?

Confronted with the challenges of globalization, Europe is changing. One of the aspects of the " Old continent " revitalization is the insertion of CEE countries in the European economy and politics. The acronym CEE corresponds to the Medium Europe, that is traditionnally comprised of all the small Nations situated between Russia and Germany.

Since 1991, this ensemble has been characterized by many state reshuffles that makes difficult to fix precisely its limits. In the perspective of the European Union enlargment, the European Commission has many times tried to answer the question of the boundaries of Europe, in order to help precise the meaning of the article O of the Maastricht Treaty according to which " Each European state can ask to become a member of the Community ". Too many conceptions of Europe (geographical, cultural, economical, historical, religious…) being opposed, the Commission has acknowledged in the Lisbonne European Council report that it was impossible to establish an exclusive list of European countries.

Some specialists include in the composition of CEE countries only the former Eastern European countries, excepted the Democratic Republic of Germany. Another definition of the CEE countries, more commonly accepted because it is larger and all the more homogeneous, adds to this first ensemble the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Albania and the Baltic countries.

On the contrary, the European countries of the CIS, although pertaining to the geographical Europe, make up a sensibly independant ensemble, deserving, according to us, a distinctive analysis.

A great commercial potential

These lexical precisions being made, we have to insist on the economic and commercial opportunities that this zone offers. Unquestionnably, there are considerable commercial outlets for both Western consumption goods, which fascinate local consumers, and Western equipments and technologies, which are necessary to the local firms if they want to survive the competition.

However, if the potential for success exists, operating in Central and Eastern European markets is not always easy. We recommend a comprehensive preparation and understanding of the local environment and spirits, which may partially be achieved thanks to this website.