ABSTRACT
The emerging economies in accession countries will most likely exhibit a high degree of spatial economic dynamics in the years to come, especially if they are increasingly exposed to market forces. The question is whether various regions or industries in these countries have anticipated this transformation, and whether they are already showing the first signs of a shift in their spatialeconomic base. Thus, industries may demonstrate a different pattern of regional localization, or alternatively, specific regions may be able to attract new industries. This would mean a drastic change in the location patterns of industries, reflected in changes in the spatial concentration of sectors or firms and in the regional concentration of various industries. The available theoretical frameworks on location of industrial activity and regional growth are not always conclusive, nor are individual country reports from the accession countries. Additional empirical research is therefore needed for a better understanding of the patterns and changes of regional specialization and location of industrial activity in the accession countries.
