Poland in the European Union

The main purpose of the publication is to present the major achievements and challenges in the process of European integration and show what influence membership in the European Union has on Poland and Poles. The book, addressed to Asian readers, discusses Poland’s position and role in the European Union in a comprehensive manner. The book characterizes the adjustments Poland has gone through in the process of European integration and analyses the effectiveness of the 8 From the Editors European policy pursued by Poland already as a member of the European Union. The work discusses such issues as: the accession effort taken by Polish governments in order to achieve full EU membership; Poland’s role in the new global economic order; the dilemmas related to the development of the EU’s foreign and security policy in the new world order and Poland’s place in this order; Poland’s role in the EU’s institutional system; the economic and legal changes that Poland had to effect in order to join the EU customs union; development of infrastructure in Poland as a result of using EU funds; Poland’s migration and asylum policy. An essential part of the book is dedicated to presenting Asia’s place in the Polish foreign, economic and social policy. Furthermore, the publication contains an analysis of Polish development assistance for Asian countries as well as characterization of Polish cultural policy towards Asia. The main purpose is to show how Asia’s significance in Polish external policy has been growing.