Enlarging EU Environments: Central and Eastern Europe from Transition to Accession

The 2004 enlargement of the European Union (EU) from 15 to 25 member states is an enormous step in the historic process of European economic, political and cultural integration. This chapter reviews a number of political and environmental changes that have taken place in Central and Eastern European (CEE) states and societies since 1989 and discuss the roles and impacts of foreign assistance in these transitions. It summarises key aspects of the ‘Europeanisation’ turn in contemporary social science research. Democratisation across the ‘post-communist’ CEE region is quite varied, with some new democracies judged as well consolidated and others experiencing either stagnation or reconsolidation of authoritarian rule. With the pivotal role played by ecological issues in the overthrow of the communist regime, many anticipated that environmental concern would remain prominent and that CEE countries would become environmental leaders. ‘Capacity development for the environment’ applies this more integrated perspective directly to the environmental arena.