ABSTRACT
Without a doubt, emerging countries are already playing a significant role in the global economy. Their influence in matters of economics and geopolitics is only bound to increase. In essence, this holds true of China, India and other Asian “tigers”, but also—albeit to a lesser extent—of Eastern Europe, understood as a more or less homogenous group of like-minded countries sharing both geographical location and communist experience. Admittedly, they are likely to grow in importance (for obvious reasons) mainly within the European Union. Yet, given the dynamism, industriousness and entrepreneurialism of their citizens, as attested by the recent intensification of migratory processes, Eastern European countries may well inject new energy into the “old” Europe, thereby invigorating the entire community. This, in turn, might strengthen EU clout in the global economy. In this context, it is particularly worrying, therefore, that attempts have been made to stir anti-immigrant sentiment and to obstruct cross-border labour mobility. Of course, such moves are not only self-defeating, but also go against the EU principle of free movement of workers. From a certain point of view, they fly in the face of the very idea of European integration.
