Europe's Income, Wealth, Consumption, and Inequality

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Close Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Individual Country ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Social Trends ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Eu

The book is the Europe volume in an international series on income, wealth, consumption, well-being, and inequality. It focuses on the European Union (EU) and its member countries and other European countries that are in close association with it. The book provides an overview of economic and social trends in the countries and in country groupings. It takes the long-term process of European integration as a starting point. It addresses policy areas pertaining to certain aspects of inequality and the European social model in thematic chapters. It makes a specific point to look at the EU not as a conglomerate of individual countries but as an economic and political entity whose parts are closely interlinked politically and economically. It considers commonalities and differences in institutions and policies as they might impact the situation not just in one country but in the Union as a whole. The EU experience during the Great Recession and the Euro Crisis strongly show that developments in one country or a group of countries can harm not only well-being in an individual country but in the Union more broadly. The chapters often take a novel approach in the analysis of social trends and policies and identify major policy challenges for EU and national policymakers.

scholarly journals The EU: Big on Big Things and Smaller on Smaller Things

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Bilge Filiz
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Welfare Regimes ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Policy Model ◽  
European Social Policy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

Welfare regime is composed of the social and economic policies that are adopted to protect and promote the economic and social well-being of its citizens. While neoliberal principles extend through globalization, welfare regimes have been suffering from this process since policies are developed with the emphasis on individual empowerment rather than collectively shared welfare. While spending a great deal of efforts not to lose its competitiveness, the European Union tries to create an alternative for the structure of its social policies. However, this attempt remains highly vulnerable due to the impact of capitalist economic system on development of EU social policy/model since the beginning of the EU integration process. This article analyzes the roots of underdeveloped social policy in EU history at three stages: explanation of underdevelopment of social Europe from several theoretical paradigms; examination of deep-rooted problems of European social policy within the dynamics of European integration; elaboration of EU modernization process; and clarification of this deficiency with the example of European Social Model deemed as a politically constructed project.

The European Union as an object of insecure collective attachment: A response to ‘Brexit: Who is afraid of group attachment? Part I. Europe: What Europe?’ by Arturo Ezquerro

2021 ◽  
pp. 053331642110012
Author(s):  
Antigonos Sochos
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
European Population ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Group Attachment ◽  
Asymmetrical Power ◽  
The Eu

In this commentary I argue that the European Union has been functioning as an insecure object of collective attachment for large parts of the European population for many years. According to attachment theory, in relationships of asymmetrical power insecure attachment is formed as the narrative constructed by the most powerful party overwrites the authentic experience of the weakest, generating conflicted representation of self and the attachment object. That attachment object may be interpersonal or collective. The EU narrative on how it safeguards democracy and citizen well-being contradicts the true experience of many Europeans who struggle to make ends meet in neoliberal Europe. On this basis, an insecure collective bond with the EU is established, as the latter fails to recognize and address the needs of many of its citizens.

scholarly journals Confronting Energy Poverty in Europe: A Research and Policy Agenda

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 858
Author(s):  
Stefan Bouzarovski ◽  
Harriet Thomson ◽  
Marine Cornelis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Policy Agenda ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Multiple Strategies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Research And Policy ◽  
The Eu

This paper scrutinizes existing policy efforts to address energy poverty at the governance scale of the European Union (EU) and its constituent Member States. Our main starting point is the recent expansion of energy poverty policies at the EU level, fuelled by the regulatory provisions of the Clean Energy for all Europeans Package, as well as the establishment of an EU Energy Poverty Observatory. Aided by a systematic and customized methodology, we survey the extensive scientific body of work that has recently been published on the topic, as well as the multiple strategies and measures to address energy poverty that have been formulated across the EU. This includes the principal mitigation approaches adopted by key European and national institutions. We develop a framework to judge the distributional and procedural justice provisions within the recently adopted National Energy and Climate Plans, as an indicator of the power, ability and resolve of relevant institutions to combat the causes and consequences of energy injustice. We also provide a research and policy agenda for future action, highlighting a series of scientific and decision-making challenges in the European and global context.

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCES OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION ON THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF THE EU COUNTRIES

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Gabriela Cosmulese ◽  
Veronica Grosu ◽  
Elena Hlaciuc ◽  
Artur Zhavoronok
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Member State ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Digital Evolution ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Adult Participation ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Eu

In the context of the information skills development programs that are being developed by the EU, there is an increasing interest in the acquisition and use of digital competences as an impact factor on the educational system at all its was levels. The present study aims to analyze the evolution of digital specializations generated by the digital evolution, in parallel with the development of the educational system, through a statistical analysis of the main indicators that have been reported at EU level on early education abandonment, employment rate of graduates, employment of IT specialists by gender, adult participation in gender-based learning, and other impact indicators that demonstrate the capacity of the population in the digital domain through the use of ICT solutions. The object of research were the statistical indicators reported for 2017 by Eurostat at the level of the European Union, for each member state of the union, obtaining a total of 29 statistical observations. The data were modelled through the GRETL statistical program, obtaining a model based on the smallest squares method in 2 phases. This paper shows that there is a need to assimilate the European approaches in the field of digital evolution, a necessity which varies according to the economic development of each member state, Romania being ranked in the chapter of assimilation of the objectives of the open education agenda in the second part of the European ranking, including based on the low absorption rates provided for Union programs in this area. The study theoretically proves and empirically confirms that the function obtained through modelling can be assimilated to the service demand function and can be integrated into the offer function harmonized with the information factor. This research study represents a contribution to the field of management of public utility companies and can be useful for educational institutions, students, the labour market and the general public, providing a starting point for further indepth research in this area. Keywords: educational system, digital revolution, economic development, EU Agenda.

European social models in times of crisis: Sapir’s contribution reviewed

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 295-311
Author(s):  
Matilde Lafuente-Lechuga ◽  
Úrsula Faura-Martínez ◽  
Olga García-Luque
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Graphical Analysis ◽  
Social Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Social Models ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Europe 2020 ◽  
The Eu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show evidence of the divergence of welfare outcomes in the European Union (EU) during the economic crisis, which made the European social model fail, and the convergence among European countries halt. This study reviews Sapir’s model for classifying European welfare state systems and adapts it to the new reality, taking into account Europe 2020 targets on poverty reduction and employment growth. Design/methodology/approach Two variables are used in the application of Sapir’s graphical analysis to European social models: the employment rate as efficiency indicator, and the people At Risk Of Poverty and/or Exclusion rate as equity indicator. Both efficiency and equity are present in Europe 2020 targets. In addition, a cluster analysis is applied. Findings The division of EU member states into four geopolitical social models has proved to be dynamic, changing in the period under analysis. As a consequence of the economic crisis and the fiscal consolidation, efficiency and equity levels across the EU are polarised between the Mediterranean and the Nordic models. Originality/value This paper shows the effects of the economic crisis in the EU, analysing the evolution between 2008 and 2014, and incorporating Eastern Europe new member states into the analysis.

Religion in the EU: Using Modified Public Reason to Define European Human Rights

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1439-1468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M. Awe
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
John Rawls ◽  
Public Reason ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Public ◽  
Common Value ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Dialectical Process ◽  
Comprehensive Doctrines ◽  
The Eu

At the current stage of its evolution, the European Union (“Union” or “EU”) has reached a juncture where many leaders and scholars believe that greater integration is both desirable and necessary. Presumably, a primary method by which greater solidarity and integration can be achieved within the EU is through the public inclusion of common value-laden concepts – as defined through a dialectical process – present within comprehensive doctrines such as religion. To date, however, an effective and inclusive means for utilizing religion in this manner has yet to be formulated. In response, this article takes two prominent paradigms – Jurgen Habermas' intersubjective discourse theory and John Rawls' liberalism – to approach the problem and draws from them a new solution that, while tied to their theoretical underpinnings, is nonetheless a novel approach to achieving greater integration within the Union. Under this new framework, the process of legislatively defining human rights allows the morality common to European comprehensive doctrines – including official and unofficial religions – to bolster the Union's solidarity, legitimacy, and democracy both procedurally and substantively.

scholarly journals An AHPSort II Based Analysis of the Inequality Reduction within European Union

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 646
Author(s):  
Álvaro Labella ◽  
Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Cohard ◽  
José Domingo Sánchez-Martínez ◽  
Luis Martínez
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Discussion Section ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Eu Countries ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Proper Analysis ◽  
The Eu

Nowadays, sustainability is an omnipresent concept in our society, which encompasses several challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change and so on. The United Nations adopted the Agenda 2030, a plan of action formed of universal Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and targets, which countries have to face in order to shift the world toward a sustainable future. One of the most relevant SDGs since the onset of the financial crisis in 2007 has been the so-called reduced inequalities, which consists of dealing with the inequality of opportunities and wealth between and within countries. However, reducing inequalities depends on many heterogeneous aspects, making it difficult to make a proper analysis that evaluates the European Union (EU) countries performance of this goal. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to evaluate the inequalities in EU countries based on a sorting a multi-criteria decision-making method called AHPSort II. This approach allows to obtain a classification of the EU countries according to their achievements in reducing inequalities to subsequently carry out a deep performance analysis with the aim of drawing conclusions as to the evolution of inequality in them along the years. The results are consistent with the main international organizations’ reports and academic literature, as shown in the Discussion Section.

Challenging the masters of the treaties: Emerging narratives of constituent power in the European Union

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARKUS PATBERG
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Normative Theory ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Constituent Power ◽  
Constitutional Politics ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Popular Initiative ◽  
The Eu

Abstract:There is a growing sense that if the EU is to avoid disintegration, it needs a constitutional renewal. However, a reform negotiated between executives will hardly revitalise the European project. In light of this, commentators have suggested that the EU needs a democratic refounding on popular initiative. But that is easier said than done. Shaping the EU has been an elite enterprise for decades and it is hard to imagine how things could be otherwise. In this article, I map four public narratives of constituent power in the EU to sketch out potential alternatives. Political actors increasingly call into question the conventional role of the states as the ‘masters of the treaties’ and construct alternative stories as to who should be in charge of EU constitutional politics, how the respective subject came to find itself in that position, and how it should invoke its founding authority in the future. These public narratives represent a promising starting point for a normative theory that outlines a viable and justifiable path for transforming the EU in a bottom-up mode.

scholarly journals Collective Labor Rights and the European Social Model

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diamond Ashiagbor
Keyword(s):  
Market Integration ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Labor Rights ◽  
Social Rights ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Social Model ◽  
Mobile Capital ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Eu

This article explores the tension between competing discourses within the European Union, as this regional trading bloc seeks to capture further gains from market integration, whilst simultaneously attempting to soften the social impact of regional competition within its borders. This article analyzes the difficulty of maintaining the European social model, or a revised version of it, in the context of increased market integration. Through a close reading of two cases decided by the European Court of Justice in 2007, the article interrogates the extent to which discourses on social rights at the EU level can be made sufficiently robust to ensure the application of international or national labor standards as a buttress against increasingly mobile capital, in order to prevent “social dumping." It concludes, however, that the terms on which the foundational texts of the EU integration project operate—elevating “market" rights to equal, fundamental, status with social and labor rights—means that the exercise of social rights such as the right to strike is ultimately contingent on their compatibility with market integration.

scholarly journals WTO Negotiations on Market Access in Agriculture: a Comparison of Alternative Tariff Cut Proposals for the EU and the US

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Bureau ◽  
Luca Salvatici
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
Market Access ◽  
The United States ◽  
Import Demand ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Agricultural Commodity ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Eu

Abstract This paper provides a summary measure of the possible new commitments in the area of agricultural market access undertaken by the European Union and the United States, using the Trade Restrictiveness Index (TRI) as the tariff aggregator. We take the 2001 bound tariffs as the starting point and attempt to assess how much liberalization in agriculture could be achieved in the European Union and the United States as a result of the present negotiations. We compute the index for 20 agricultural commodity aggregates under the actual commitments assuming a specific functional form for import demand. We compare the present levels of the TRI with three hypothetical cases: a repetition of the same set of tariff cuts commitments of the Uruguay Round according to a EU proposal prior to the 2003 WTO ministerial meeting, a uniform 36% reduction of each tariff, an harmonization ( "Swiss" ) formula based on the initial US proposal.

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