What should Romania expect for? A few comments on the subjects of convergence, cohesion and divergence in the EU

Abstract

Only twoyears andRomania should catch the last wagon ofthe EUintegration train andjoin the otherformer candidate countriesfrom CEE. WhatshouldRomania expectfor? One of the "hot ” subjects concerns the convergence criteria - both nominal and real - and possible Solutionsfor the newly entrant countries. What we intend through thepresent article is a reviewofthe main concepts and debates on the subject ofconvergence (nominal and real - beta, sigma or gamma convergence) and those related— theories and models ofeconomic convergence (neo-classical, neo-liberal, augmented neo-classical, endogenous growth, regional growth), further debates on the Balassa-Samuelson dilemma, on the optimum currency area, core-periphery scenarios, simultaneous and consecutiveperiods ofconvergence and divergence and others. The purpose is to obtain a synthesis ofthe issues Romania should deal with, in the integration perspective.