The new outsiders of central and Eastern Europe, with specific reference to Poland

Abstract:

Evidence from public opinion polls indicates that in the period leading to accession, the publics of the new Member States were generally in favour of adopting the euro. However, adoption of the euro is at least five to six years away, especially in the larger new Member States, and attachment to the euro is relatively shallow. As familiarity with the EU increases, there is potential for the 'politics of asymmetry' in its various guises to come into play and to transform the new outsiders into 'new Swedens'. Whether this happens will depend on economic performance in the early years of EU membership; how the transition from euro-outsiderdom to insiderdom is managed and early integration experiences.