Institutionelle Unterschiede im Ostseeraum –eine heterogene Region im Spiegel internationaler Rankings

Abstract

The paper analyses the institutional divergences between the countries of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) by virtue of five international rankings and pertinent indicator systems. The BSR is still a rather heterogeneous region – not only with regard to per-capita incomes and market sizes, but also from an institutional perspective and in spite of the widespread general application of the “acquis communautaire” of the European Union. It turns out that there still exists a North(-West) – South(-East) divide in the BSR with the Nordic countries leading in most indicator systems, albeit with some surprising deviations in several of the rankings. Estonia is about to catch-up with the richer Northwestern neighbors where the institutional framework proper is concerned