What the study found
The study finds that Central and Eastern European (CEE) states have not remained only passive rule-takers in the EU single market. Since the 2008 financial crisis and later EU shocks, they have used new opportunities and constraints in creative ways, sometimes involving actors beyond central governments.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these changes matter because the EU's single-market governance has become a hybrid system: stronger supranational constraints in some areas and more room for domestic experimentation in others. They suggest this could affect economic upgrading, convergence, and the balance between national experimentation and EU-level coordination.
What the researchers tested
This symposium examines how EU member states adjusted domestic policies in response to changes in single-market governance after 2008. It focuses on Central and Eastern Europe and includes four empirical contributions looking at practice in the manufacturing and finance sectors.
What worked and what didn't
The findings indicate that CEE states have leveraged uneven regulatory space in creative ways and have often mobilised actors beyond central governments to address domestic economic challenges. However, the abstract says the outcomes for economic upgrading and convergence are mixed and uncertain.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe the detailed methods or the specific evidence behind each of the four empirical contributions. It also notes that outcomes remain mixed and uncertain, so the available summary does not support a single clear result across all cases.
Key points
- CEE states are described as active agents, not only passive EU rule-takers.
- Since 2008, EU governance shifts have created both tighter constraints and more room for domestic experimentation.
- The symposium focuses on CEE responses in the manufacturing and finance sectors.
- Actors beyond central governments were often mobilised to address domestic economic challenges.
- The abstract says economic upgrading and convergence outcomes are mixed and uncertain.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- CEE states used new EU space for domestic agency after 2008
- Authors:
- Sonja Avlijaš, Dorothee Böhle, GergŐ Medve‐Bálint, Jasper P. Simons
- Institutions:
- University of Belgrade, University of Vienna, Eötvös Loránd University, Corvinus University of Budapest, Centre for Social Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht University
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-20
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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