"This article looks at issues of trade in south-east Europe and seeks to establish a framework for the political economy of Balkans countries which presents an alternative view of the recent economic development of each one, as well as of the region as a whole. The authors introduce a detailed analysis from which to develop an understanding of the level of globalisation of each of the economies in question, providing detailed statistics for the level of trade, and of imports and exports, of each Balkans country and its level of participation in international trade relationships. This consequently allows us to judge its level of globalisation both in absolute as well as comparative terms. The authors conclude that few Balkans countries are yet sufficiently globalised to allow them to have joined the current surge in international trade, especially in the context of an increasing concentration of trade relationships amongst EU members, although all are showing sufficiently positive signs which may allow them to join such a surge and to take advantage of these patterns in future."

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