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European Union (EU) as a whole has made modest short-term progress toward sustainable development goals (SDG). Only in one goal (ensuring healthy lives and promotion of well-being) out of 17, the progress was substantial. The most problematic goals, which show movements away from sustainable development objectives, are goals that are focused on building resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive, sustainable industrialization, fostering innovation, and the goal that takes urgent action to combat climate changes. The analysis between old and new EU members revealed that median new EU member has made bigger progress in the last five years. For 11 SDGs, the average score is lover for median new EU member compared to median old EU member. However, the last available level of the indicator is in general still more favorable for median old EU member compared to median new EU member.

In the enlarged European Union (EU) with 25 members, the free movement of capital, coupled with the free movement of goods and services should be a major direct attraction for both intra-EU and external foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. EU membership does not, however, lead to a linear increase in FDI inflows as many analysts suggest (ECE, 2001). With EU accession, the structure of FDI may change substantially (Hunya, 2000; Dyker, 2001). Activities based on the existence of closed domestic markets (e.g. food and beverages) and on cheap labour (e.g. assembly activities) might be reduced, or even closed down, giving way to more knowledge-intensive activities in the new EU member countries (Kalotay, 2004a). FDI in the new EU member countries is not yet on an uninterrupted growth path. In the pre-accession phase (1995–2003), the relative importance of new EU members in global FDI flows when compared to that of the “old” members of the EU, was actually shrinking. Thus, if new members want to use FDI as one channel for catching up, they have to reverse this trend and increase their inward FDI quite rapidly.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of the enlargement process of the European Union as a factor fostering international competitiveness of EU Member States. The paper argues that the economic integration process has reduced the technological gap between old and new EU Member States, and this pattern of technological innovation can partially explain the strong impulse on the export dynamics of European countries.

The paper builds an augmented gravity model by including the role of technological innovation, proxied by the stock of knowledge at the sector level. The authors gather together information on patents applied to international offices and bilateral export flows available from COMTRADE dataset.

By using a dynamic panel data estimator the authors find three main empirical evidences. First, the enlargement process has produced an overall larger positive impact on export flows for new Members than for old ones, and more importantly that sectors with the higher technological content have received the strongest impulse. Second, the augmented gravity model allows shaping the crucial role of technological innovation in fostering export competitiveness. Third, this impact seems to be stronger for old EU Member States than for new ones.

The major limitation concerns time span adopted in this work. By expanding the dataset to further years it could be possible to better disentangle the effects also related to the new wave of the EU enlargement.

The policy implication derived is that the more the new EU Members catch up technologically as a result of the integration process, the more they will benefit in terms of economic development.

The major originality of this paper is the construction of an augmented gravity model by including the role of technological innovation, applied to distinguished manufacturing sectors in a dynamic panel setting.

The purpose of this paper is to summarise corporate social responsibility (CSR) development issues by organising critical CSR promoting and hindering factors, and to evaluate CSR development problems in Lithuania according to organised factors, legal context and previously implemented empirical investigations in new EU member states and Lithuania.

Analysis and generalisation of various literature sources were applied to organise critical CSR promoting and hindering factors. In order to evaluate the CSR development problems in Lithuania, legal documents and collateral analysis of empirical CSR research in new EU member states and Lithuania methods were applied.

The antithesis between economic and social firms' objectives has existed for a long time, but the current modern world's construct refuted this concept in economic terms and has highlighted social, ethical and environmental values, taking into account definite quality options for everyone – the public sector, NGOs and society – with great expectations to act in a socially responsible way. The priorities of CSR, as emphasised by the European Union (EU), are relevant not only to old EU member states, but also to new ones. The research results show that despite the Lithuanian CSR development vision and goals, the main problems relate to the lack of understanding of CSR and a systematic CSR implementation approach.

The study is based on previously implemented empirical investigations in new EU member states with particular attention to CSR promoting and hindering factors and deeper insight into Lithuanian CSR development issues, which provide a starting point for further CSR research in the area of transitional economies.

The paper summarises empirical investigations implemented in new EU member states during the last few years and brings a broader understanding of CSR development problems in transitional economies.

The paper attempts to stimulate discussion about CSR promoting and hindering factors in new EU member states with particular insight into Lithuanian problems.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact of the 2008 economic crisis on foreign direct investment (FDI), especially in the new member states of the European Union. Particular attention is paid to the activities of subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNE), which can follow different scenarios as a response to the crisis, including a reorganisation of their production systems, and a reduction or closure of activities.

The analysis is grounded on various streams of literature, including international business studies and research on transition. Evidence is derived from UNCTAD data, interviews and desk research. The method of descriptive analysis has been followed, combined with theoretical insights, conceptual discussions and case study evidence.

While the full magnitude and consequences of the crisis are yet to be extensively analysed, the authors' preliminary findings suggest that the response of MNE subsidiaries to the crisis hinges critically upon the type and the industry of such subsidiaries. Export platforms in automotive industries have been hardest hit. However, there are indications of the qualitative development of subsidiaries in other industries, despite the crisis, as well as growing attractiveness of new EU members FDI in services.

This paper is an explorative study on the impact of the crisis on subsidiaries. More academic research should be conducted to understand this phenomenon, especially when the full magnitude of the crisis can be assessed.

The authors' analysis points at important policy implications. The authors challenge the view that rising economic nationalism would be the right answer to the problems created by corporate restructurings. Further, the authors advocate selective host government support to subsidiaries, especially aimed at retaining R&D departments and skilled workforce.

So far, the global economic crisis has been analysed mostly in consultancy reports and in studies focusing on the macroeconomic impact. However, to the authors' knowledge, no academic study has examined the issue of MNE subsidiaries' responses to the crisis.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the empirical dimension of financial integration among the five newest members of the European Monetary Union (Cyprus, Estonia, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the euro area. The main objective is to study the level and the speed of integration between the stock markets of those European Union (EU) member states and the rest of the euro area, assessing in this way the role that the EU enlargement, the drive towards European Monetary Union and the actual adoption of the euro play in the process of European financial market integration.

This study will exclusively test the integration of the stock markets of EU member states that joined in 2004, when the EU expanded, but are already members of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Since there is limited evidence on the effects of EU and EMU enlargements or their announcements, it will be a useful addition to the examination of this issue. Given the small size of those emerging stock markets and the fact that they are part of a stable and well-regulated system, the degree to which they are integrated has implications for investors' portfolio allocation decisions, as they may offer diversification benefits without extreme risks. The case of integration will be examined using various econometric methodologies, two of which (beta- and sigma-convergence) have been given less formal attention and their application is rare, so as to detect both long- and short-run interdependencies and achieve robust results.

The findings indicate an increasing degree of integration for Malta and Slovenia, while Estonia appears segmented. Cyprus and Slovakia exhibited a degree of integration after their accession into EU but this trend changes after they adopted the euro. Overall, the integration process accelerated after the accession in the EU but EMU does not seem to have the same positive impact on it.

Compared with previous studies, the authors' apply the concept of beta- and sigma-convergence, a methodology that will help us identify the speed of integration. Moreover, the period under study includes the recent crisis: this allows us to see if the worsened economic environment has had effect on the level and speed of integration of the countries under study. In the end, it is worth noting that previous studies focused on either advanced markets or neighbouring countries or states with a common history. This alone can create a level of interdependence between the countries under study and bias the results. In this paper, the markets under study have almost nothing in common except their small size and the fact that they are members of the EMU.

There are too many examples of CSR as a mere PR exercise however with public confidence in the existence of a ‘corporate conscience’ at an all‐time low, supported by the box‐office success of movies such as, ‘The Insider’, ‘Erin Brockovich’, ‘The Corporation’ and ‘Supersize Me’, it is recognised that trust needs to be restored. Although high‐profile media‐fuelled initiatives which identify and present awards to companies for ethical performance are regular events these days; customers, employees, shareholders and the general public expect not only quality goods and services but also increasingly demand a genuine commitment to ethical standards and practices, sustainable management of resources and community interaction. This paper explores the potential for furthering the ideals of CSR within the provisions of the recent EU constitutional treaty. The newly adopted Constitution aims to provide Europe with a common identity and set of goals which encompass both business and social interests, yet it has to date received a cool response from the business community. The impact of the Treaty and current CSR initiatives within the EU are discussed as to what extent their provisions might inform the current CSR debate in Europe.

This study aims to establish the position of the European Union (EU-28) countries in the dynamics of international trade openness linkages and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) in correlation with the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, research and development (R&D) expenditures, innovation capability and information and communication technology (ICT) adoption.

In the panel data set, comparative analyses were applied to scatter diagrams, correlation and regression analyses and structural equation models using Eurostat and World Economic Forum (WEF) data for the EU-28 countries in the period 2008–2019.

The empirical results did not confirm the hypotheses that a positive correlation exists between GCI and trade openness indicators and between GDP per capita and GCI. The ICT adoption and innovation capability increase GCI, which affects GDP per capita.

The empirical results provide a better understanding of the importance of trade policies, particularly in terms of trade openness and trade shares of the EU-28 countries, as it could contribute to increasing the GCI of the EU-28 countries. Furthermore, the results of this study underline the importance of ICT adoption and innovation capability and the need for appropriate government policies that improve global competitiveness.

This study, through empirical analysis, demonstrates the existence of correlations between trade openness (exports as % of GDP, imports as % of GDP and export market shares as % of world trade), R&D expenditures, innovation capability, ICT adoption, GDP per capita and the GCI in the EU-28 countries. In addition, this study contributes managerial and policy-based implications on driving forces of global competitiveness.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between liberalization and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs). After their memberships, most of the CEECs have already committed to reducing their GHGs emissions. Although emissions have decreased on average, there is a substantial heterogeneity among the countries. Within the liberalization and integration efforts, increasingly huge amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) has flown to the region. Therefore, the question is whether or not this increase in foreign investment to CEECs is related to the polluting industries. The coincidence of increased FDI and GHGs emission has led us to study the relationship between them.

The paper exploited cross-sectional and time series variation of the data.

The paper found that the polluting FDI is positively associated with GHGs emissions in CEECs.

Few previous studies have taken into account FDI and environmental performance together, so the analysis represents a notable contribution to the pollution haven literature.

This paper aims to examine issues surrounding the competitiveness of the Visegrad countries that have recently joined the European Union, and in particular, to analyse a set of structural indicators that help assess the degree to which they are meeting the terms of the Lisbon agreement.

The approach taken is to examine and analyse published economic and associated performance data.

The Visegrad countries lag behind in many of the structural indicators and thus have progress to make in raising their competitiveness to general European levels. There are also some surprising areas where these counties are in advance of general European levels – such as in technical education.

The paper suggests areas where governments might intervene to improve longer‐term competitiveness.

The paper performs a useful analysis of available data to highlight key policy areas and issues.