ABSTRACT
EU accession has required the Czech Republic and other CEECs to implement EU policies and adapt existing national policies to EU rules and standards. EU accession has affected most areas of public policy in the new member states, especially in cases where domestic policies were seriously inadequate or underdeveloped, and in some cases it has led to the implementation of entirely new policies. It has also led to the creation of new administrative structures for implementing public policies, and required the expenditure of public funds to meet EU rules and standards. At the same time, integration into EU policy schemes has provided access to EU funds that were not previously available, although with these funds often come specific conditions and requirements that impact how the money is used and the way in which policies are implemented. As a result, the implementation of EU policies can have consequences for domestic governance that go beyond the mere expenditure of funds.
