European boundaries: Unity or division of the continent?

The article examines the historic structures of the European continent, paying special attention to the impact of former boundaries that separated particular national and economic systems on the present regional differentiation of several countries. The empirical data refer to Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) and relate to the current and future discrepancies between the EU Member States and their neighbours. The hypothesis is that since the current regional differentiation in Europe has long historic roots, it will be very difficult to overcome the differences in the levels of regional development, especially in the current model of global, competitive economy.