Breaking the rural underdevelopment trap? Eastern Enlargement, agricultural policy and lessons for Ukraine

Abstract

This article examines the lessons that the European Union’s Eastern Enlargement and the rural transitions it encouraged in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) hold for an enlarging EU and for Ukraine. Rural development policies in CEE were marked by institutional monocropping and a depoliticized approach to market building. Over two decades later, the EU has adopted a similar approach towards Ukraine but demands more market liberalization from Ukraine before accession than it did from CEE states. At the same time, unlike most CEE countries prior to accession, Ukraine pursues a more protectionist developmental path that directly challenges EU strategies. This divergence questions the adaptability of current EU rural developmental models to post-war Ukraine. The article updates expectations on the impact of Ukraine's EU membership on the Common Agricultural Policy and contributes to the literature on the political economy of EU accessions, the effects of EU Enlargement on Ukraine, and the adaptability of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.