Perspectives of the Legal Approximation Process in Central Eastern Europe [antikvár]

Preface The historic decision by the European Council of Copenhagen in 1993 opened the door for the countries in Central and Eastern Europe to become members of the European Union. Accession will necessitate that these countries meet the Copenhagen membership criteria including the adoption of the acquis communautaire. As a consequence, approximation of laws, which had already its legal base in the Europe Agreements, is a fundamental precondition of the eastward enlargement of the European Union. Since the conclusion of the Europe Agreements, the ongoing legal approximation process in the candidate countries proved to play a crucial role in modernizing the respective national law systems, strengthening democratic institutions and facilitating the emergence of open-societies based on the rule of law. Furthermore, with equal significance, the approximation of laws helps to overcome the division in the continent and brings together the peoples of Europe within a framework envisaged by the legal architects of our unified Europe. To advance the public aware-ness of the functioning of the Community institutions and the application of Community law must be the mission of law schools throughout Europe. The utmost importance of legal approximation coupled with an ever increasing demand for expertise and training both in the applicant countries and member states led the Academy of European Law and István Bibó College of Law to organise jointly an international conference on the nature, extent and impact of the legal approximation process as well as on the perspec-tives for progress. The organizers of the conference put emphasis on inviting scholars of high international repu-tation not only from the Central Eastern European region but alsó from the EU Member States to share their experience and to exchange their views. Bringing together the representatives of both member and candidate countries reflected the message of the organizers that the prepara-tion for enlargement is a two-way-road as well as the learning process of the common elements and specialties of each and every adhesion. Outstanding experts of the matters of European integration had been asked to chair the sessions to ensure an in-depth analysis of everyday problems in public administration. The publication contains a selection of speeches of our distin-guished guests accompanied by the papers delivered in the working groups of the conference. Please allow us to acknowledge our very considerable debt of gratitude to H.E. Michael Laké, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Hungary, H.E. Paul Poudade, Ambassadeur de la Francé en Hongrie, H.E. János Martonyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary, Mr. János Ader, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Hungary, Mr. Lajos Ficzere, President of the Academy of European Law for taking the patronage of the event. Our special thanks are due to the Delegation of the European Commission to Hungary, the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, the Ministry of National Cultural Heritage and the Soros Foundation for their generous support. Eds.