The last quarter of the twentieth century witnessed major political and economic changes in Eastern Europe and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The combination of political instability, ethnic conflicts, economic hardship and the opening of borders that followed the disintegration of communist regimes brought about a considerable amount of international migration among countries with economies in transition, as well as from these to countries with established market economies. The present report seeks to describe the main features of international migration to and from this region since 1980 using a large amount of empirical evidence gathered by sending and receiving countries.
Part 1. Regional overview -- Chapter 1. Data sources, definitions and measurement issues -- Chapter 2. Historical overview -- Chapter 3. International migration levels and trends since 1990 : regional traits -- Chapter 4. Intra-regional diversity -- Chapter 5. Future trends: issues and challenges -- Part 2. Country reports.
