Crisis? What Crisis? EU Enlargement and the Political Economy of European Union Social Policy

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob Sykes
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Political Economy ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Turning Point ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The Political ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Eu

This article considers the character of EU social policy and in particular the linkages between the EU's economic and social strategies. Arguably, the most recent enlargement of the EU represents a turning point for the future of EU social policy, though there is disagreement about its future if not so much about the causes of this crisis. The article concludes that the future political economy of EU social policy and indeed of the EU itself may be subject to fundamental changes.

scholarly journals Where are the eastern boundaries of the European Union?

2006 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-468
Author(s):  
Ana Jovic-Lazic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Relevant Factor ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Eu

The EU enlargement to 25 members has significantly changed the political and economic map of the contemporary Europe. EU has become a relevant factor in international relations. At the same time there are certain dilemmas concerning the prospects for the future development and nature of the Union. Considering the fact that the EU geopolitical position has moved eastwards the author wonders how far the Union might spread towards the East, i.e. where the boundaries of the united Europe might be, and what should be the EU policy towards its Eastern neighbors (Russia, Byelorussia, the Ukraine and Moldova).

scholarly journals Crisis?: What (Type) of Crisis? The overlapping problems of the European Union

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (50) ◽  
pp. 33-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Lehmann
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Political Process ◽  
European Population ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Eu

It is common today, even in the European media, to treat the current crisis of the European Union almost exclusively as an economic crisis. The present article pretends to show that such a focus is not only wrong but is indeed dangerous for the future development of the European Union as a whole. The article will argue that the present economic crisis simply aggravated – and a lot – a crisis of legitimacy through which the European Union has been passing for some time. Showing that the anti-European tendencies which are spreading throughout the countries of the continent threaten the very future of the European project, the article will make suggestion on reforms for the future development of the EU, alerting to the necessity to finally elaborate once again a coherent argument for the continuation of the European integration process which puts the European population at the heart of the political process instead of just austerity.

scholarly journals Review of "Uniunea Europeană – un trend în derivă? O analiză a discursului mediatic și a perspectivei tinerilor" (The European Union – a Drifting Trend? An Analysis of Media Discourse and Youth Perspectives) by Oana Ștefăniță, Comunicare.ro, 2017

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Georgiana Udrea
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
The Political ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Public ◽  
Southern States ◽  
The Future ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Eu

In recent times, the European Union has been confronted with huge challenges and crises, which, in the absence of prompt and effective measures, call into question the future of the European project itself. The political incongruities, the disintegrating tendencies culminating with Brexit, the divisions between northern and southern states over economic crisis and austerity measures, the refugee waves and their poor integration into society, the rise of populist and extremist currents, etc. have caused anger, confusion and fear among Europeans, influencing the relations between member states and public perceptions. In this unstable context, studying people’s opinion on the EU and its subtle mechanisms becomes an important and pragmatic effort, as the public has the means to pursue action based on its feelings of support or opposition towards the community block. Oana Ștefăniță’s book, Uniunea Europeană – un trend în derivă? proposes such an insight into the world of young European citizens, investigating their interest in European issues, the EU’s place on the agenda of interpersonal conversations, the way they understand and experience the feeling of European belonging, and their perspectives on the future of the Union.

Social Policy and European Union Politics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Daly
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Policy Model ◽  
The Social ◽  
Democratic Parties ◽  
The Eu

Social policy has a particular character and set of associated politics in the European Union (EU) context. There is a double contestation involved: the extent of the EU’s agency in the field and the type of social policy model pursued. The former is contested because social policy is typically and traditionally a matter of national competence and the latter because the social policy model is crucial to economic and market development. Hence, social policy has both functional and political significance, and EU engagement risks member states’ capacity to control the social fate of their citizens and the associated resources, authority, and power that come with this capacity. The political contestations are at their core territorially and/or social class based; the former crystalizes how wide and extensive the EU authority should be in social policy and the latter a left/right continuum in regard to how redistributive and socially interventionist EU social policy should be. Both are the subject of a complicated politics at EU level. First, there is a diverse set of agents involved, not just member states and the “political” EU institutions (Parliament and Council) but the Commission is also an important “interested” actor. This renders institutional politics and jockeying for power typical features of social policymaking in the EU. Second, one has to break down the monolith of the EU institutions and recognize that within and among them are actors or units that favor a more left or right position on social policy. Third, actors’ positions do not necessarily align on the two types of contestation (apart perhaps from the social nongovernmental organizations and to a lesser extent employers and business interests). Some actors who favor an extensive role for social policy in general are skeptical about the role of the EU in this regard (e.g., trade unions, some social democratic parties) while others (some sectors of the Commission) wish for a more expansive EU remit in social policy but also support a version of social policy pinned tightly to market and economic functions. In this kind of context, the strongest and most consistent political thrust is toward a type of EU social policy that is most clearly oriented to enabling the Union’s economic and market-related objectives. Given this and the institutional set-up, the default position in EU social policy is for a market-making social policy orientation on the one hand and a circumscribed role for the EU in social policy on the other.

scholarly journals Europe at the crossroads: Constitution, enlargement and the future of European Union

2005 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofija Siriski
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The Other ◽  
European Neighbourhood Policy ◽  
Constitutional Treaty ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Future ◽  
Political Commitments ◽  
Enlargement Strategy ◽  
The Eu

Following the largest enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 Member States many people are asking the question: where does Europe end? The Union has already made political commitments to additional EU members: Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia and the other Balkan countries and in spite of the European Neighbourhood Policy further thinking of the EU enlargement also includes Ukraine and Moldova. But the French and Dutch rejection of the constitutional treaty has made the future EU enlargement uncertain and the EU adopted a new comprehensive enlargement strategy based on consolidation of the EU.

27. The Future of the EU

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigid Laffan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Future Scenario ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

This chapter discusses the future of the European Union by presenting four scenarios: Disintegration, Piecemeal Adjustment, Functional Federalism, and a United States of Europe. Although systemic disintegration is unlikely, the chapter argues that partial disintegration of the EU may occur because of the possible exit of the UK and the victories of secessionist movements in some member states. It also shows that the political battle concerning the future of the Union is between Piecemeal Adjustment and Functional Federalism. Moreover, it suggests that a United States of Europe is highly unlikely since the member states are not in favour of further federation while the degree of contestation about the future of the EU precludes a transformation of the system. The chapter concludes by considering the potential impact of Germany's leadership role on any future scenario for the EU.

scholarly journals Subsidiarity in the EU: Reflections on a centre–right agenda

European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-15
Author(s):  
Federico Ottavio Reho
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
White Paper ◽  
The Political ◽  
Federal Policies ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Eu

This article re-examines the problem of EU subsidiarity in the light of the political economy of federalism and centre–right thinking. It argues that if Christian Democratic, conservative and liberal parties are serious about strengthening subsidiarity, they should urge the EU to take steps in the direction of scenario four of the European Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe. Misleadingly titled ‘Doing less more efficiently’, this scenario is in fact about ‘delivering more and faster in selected policy areas, while doing less elsewhere’, as the subtitle correctly states. A new compact combining the targeted strengthening of key federal policies at the EU level with the EU’s gradual disengagement from other policy areas seems the most promising way to take the Union out of the doldrums and strike a compromise between Eurosceptics and Europhiles.

scholarly journals FUTURE IMAGE OF EUROPE: PERSPECTIVES ON THE EU ENLARGEMENT OF SERBIA

ZBORNIK MES ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Plazinić ◽  
Mitar Božić
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Future ◽  
Key Topics ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Eu

The paper aims to explore different outlooks of the future of the European Union, taking into the account EU enlargement project and current negotiations process with Serbia. The analysis focuses on the perspectives from the officials of the European Commission and the Republic of Serbia, as the key actors in the negotiations process of EU memberships of Serbia, as well as the perceptions of the Serbian citizens. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to identify the motives and currents key topics in the negotiations process, which could affect the future image of Europe.

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