Abel Reyna-Rivera
PhD (European Studies) Thesis Student
Trade Relations Between the EU-15 and the EU-10: Specialisation, Competitiveness and Enlargement
Background
- BCom (Economics and Finance, University of Otago, New Zealand, 2000)
- Post Grad Dip Economics (University of Lincoln, New Zealand, 2001)
- Grad Dip Arts (University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 2003)
- BA (Hons) (Political Science, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 2004)
Contact Details
Phone +64 3 364 2987 ext 4938
Fax +64 3 364 2634
ari18@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Postal Address
c/o National Centre for Research on Europe
2nd Level Geography Building
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch
New Zealand
Details of Research
My PhD thesis is concerned with the economic implications of the recent expansion of the European Union (EU), on 1st May 2004, when ten new countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) were admitted as members. It examines the extent to which economic transformation has occurred since the collapse of communism in central south-east Europe in 1989, followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and then by the disbanding of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), which destroyed the rationale on which the trade relation between communist states had been constructed. Forced to seek new trade partners, the former communist states focused on the then fifteen-member EU (EU-15). Between the first and second world wars, these fifteen countries had in any case been the major trade partners for each of the economies of the countries admitted in 2004. Their geographic proximity and their relatively large per-capita incomes and so high purchasing power also made them an attractive proposition for exporters seeking new markets.
My research focuses in detail on the economies of ten selected CEECs: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Reviewing how the EU trade of these former communist countries has evolved as their trade regimes liberalized, my argument does not assume an equivalent process of evolution simply because these countries are all in transition from a socialist to a market economy. Indeed, there are major differences not only in their relative comparative advantage in 1993, but also how their relative comparative advantage has evolved since then. The EU-10 countries have liberalized and reformed their economies to varying degrees. This along with differences in their earlier manufacturing bases, political stability, administrative reforms and geographical proximity to major EU markets has led to different developments in comparative advantage and foreign direct investment.
The project is focused on the relationship between the expansion and economic development in the economies of the CEEC countries, and the structure of trade in the wider EU.
Research Interests
International trade, Economic development and Globalization.
Recent Publications (2003-)
conference papers
- Reyna Rivera, A., “Australian Trade & Comparative Advantage Patterns associated with an enlarged European Union”, New Europe, New Governance, New Worlds?, Monash European and EU Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 12 – 14 April, 2007
- Reyna Rivera, A., “How Far New Zealand Comparative Advantage Shifted From Agricultural And Low Cost Industrial Products To High Value Added Products? A Comparative View With Respect To EU-10”, Knowledge, Identities and Governance: Challenges for Contemporary Europe, Inaugural New Zealand European Union Centres Network Annual Conference, University of Auckland, New Zealand, 9–10 November, 2006
- Reyna Rivera, A., “EU Enlargement, Economic Transformation and Comparative Advantage in EU-10 and Russia”, The Future Competitiveness of the EU and Its Eastern Neighbours, hosted by Turku School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Turku, Finland, 1 – 2 September, 2006
- Reyna Rivera, A., “Economic Transformation and Comparative Advantage in Recent European Member Countries: A Comparative view”, European Association for Comparative Economics Studies (EACES) 9th Bi-Annual Conference: Development Strategies – A Comparative View, hosted by Brighton Business School, University of Brighton, UK, 7 – 9 September, 2006
- Reyna-Rivera, A., "Trade relations between EU-15 and Central Eastern European Countries: Specialisation, Competitiveness", Asia–Pacific EU Conference, EU Studies Association Asia–Pacific, hosted by the National Centre for Research on Europe, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, 9–11 September, 2004