Konstantin Syroezhkin, a China pundit in Kazakhstan's former capital, Almaty, says that, although the question of the common border may have been solved, other problems are still a worry.

ECONOMIST: China still spooks its neighbours

From Slovenia to the Macedonian border with Greece, most people in the region still have a lot in common, even if they do not talk about it much.

ECONOMIST: Former Yugoslavia patches itself together

The free flow of goods and a common currency are one thing, but if companies have to deal with 15 different takeover codes when making cross-border acquisitions, a true single market is still an illusion.

ECONOMIST: Takeovers in Europe