Estonia : Implementing the EU accession agenda

This country study is based on the work of several World Bank missions that visited Estonia between October 1997 and July 1998. The study focuses on selected issues in the Estonia's EU accession agenda. The selection emphasizes areas where there is greatest overlap between the accession agenda and measures to strengthen economic management. It also includes reforms in areas where there is complementarity between reforms designed to facilitate accession and structural reforms that will support long term growth and economic integration. These are the modernization of public administration, the adherence to EU quality standards, the continuous improvement of the operation of the customs board, and the completion of land reform. Finally, the last two chapters of the study examine areas where implementing the accession agenda entail either a fundamental change in Estonia's trade policy regime, or have high compliance costs. These are the adoption of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as it evolves, and complying with EU environmental standards. The team that prepared the report wishes to thank the Government of Estonia for the excellent cooperation received from senior officials at the office of the Prime Minister, the State Chancellery, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, and the Bank of Estonia...