Last date for submission of paper: unknown; Contact person: Euroacademia; Among the major economic developments of the past two decades, the transition of the former centrally planned economies of Central East Europe (CEE) to market-driven economies has received great interest from economists, academics and policy makers around the world. One intriguing aspect of this transition is the diversity of the scenarios undertaken by individual countries in reforming their economies, yet remaining within the common framework of mainstream economic policy. There is strong evidence that trade is the primary engine for the growth experienced by these economies and, of the transition process itself and, furthermore, it is central to the current process of development and deeper integration of these economies into the European Union. This panel focuses on the integration process of the CEE economies into the European Union, their outstanding economic performance following accession, the significant challenges faced since the global financial crisis of 2008 as well as their road to economic recovery. The research considered for this panel looks initially at the process of economic integration of the CEE countries through trade; however, it emphasizes the broader aspects of structural change and economic development, caused by trade, foreign direct investment and technology transfer. It is predominantly concerned with the implications that European and intra-CEE trade has had for structural transformation and economic dynamics. A distinct feature of our panel, therefore, is that the discussion moves beyond the core