Moving Targets

2001 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 742-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAINER EISING ◽  
NICOLAS JABKO

After 10 years of controversial negotiations, in 1996 the European Union finally took action to liberalize the electricity supply industry. Given the intensity of bilateral contacts between France and Germany, the reform has often been presented as a straightforward intergovernmental deal. This article argues that the French-German deal was only the tip of the iceberg. Perceptions of national interests evolved considerably in both countries. The most important cause for these changes was at the European Union (EU) level, not at the national level. The institutional dynamics of EU negotiations induced a series of preference changes and key political realignments at the national level.

2015 ◽  
pp. 96-121
Author(s):  
Justyna Miecznikowska

The purpose of the analysis is to demonstrate, in the historical perspective covering the period between 2000 and 2014, the series of modernisation efforts, undertaken within the European Union, which aimed at increasing the rationality of economic and social processes occurring in the single European market. The assumption was that a thorough examination of the current process of EU reforms would allow for the identification of sources of the modernisation crisis. The adopted research hypothesis assumes that the present modernisation crisis is a consequence of the weakness of European governance and insufficient adaptation of the EU policy instruments to the constantly changing political and economic challenges, such as globalisation, territorial expansion and the global financial crisis. Effective modernisation of the European Union is hindered by the manner of implementation of EU’s tasks and objectives at the national level (based on the open method of coordination) and challenged by the interstate competition escalating within the EU in times of economic downturn and arising from the divergent interpretations of national interests. The present modernisation crisis manifests itself in the failure to comply with the adopted economic and social development strategies and the threat of regressive changes.


World Affairs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 183 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-342
Author(s):  
Sedef Eylemer ◽  
Nagihan Söylemez

This study analyzes the effects of supranational governance on the refugee crisis in the European Union (EU). The main argument is that the supranational institutions of the EU have often failed to adequately manage the refugee crisis according to its foundational principles of fair burden sharing and solidarity. This failure has gradually discredited the Union’s basic normative principles such as solidarity, hospitality, and respect for human rights. We show that the gaps between certain policies adopted at the Union level and the practices at the national level have widened, and this has led to a familiar defeat of the normative domain by realpolitik, following some central tenets of classical realism. We aim to show that in several areas of EU policy, as well as how individual states have responded to them, national interests and burden shirking, rather than sharing, have unfortunately prevailed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V. Ratner

Subject. The article considers the concept of circular economy, which has originated relatively recently in the academic literature, and is now increasingly recognized in many countries at the national level. In the European Union, the transition to circular economy is viewed as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of the European Union, protect businesses from resource shortages and fluctuating prices for raw materials and supplies, and a way to increase employment and innovation. Objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the incentives developed by the European Commission for moving to circular economy, and to assess their effectiveness on the basis of statistical analysis. Methods. I employ general scientific methods of research. Results. The analysis of the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy enabled to conclude that the results of the recent research in circular economy barriers, eco-innovation, technology and infrastructure were successfully integrated into the framework of this document. Understanding the root causes holding back the circular economy development and the balanced combination of economic and administrative incentives strengthened the Action Plan, and it contributed to the circular economy development in the EU. Conclusions. The measures to stimulate the development of the circular economy proposed in the European Action Plan can be viewed as a prototype for designing similar strategies in other countries, including Russia. Meanwhile, a more detailed analysis of barriers to the circular economy at the level of individual countries and regions is needed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-79
Author(s):  
Nargiza Sodikova ◽  
◽  
◽  

Important aspects of French foreign policy and national interests in the modern time,France's position in international security and the specifics of foreign affairs with the United States and the European Union are revealed in this article


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emile Tompa ◽  
Amirabbas Mofidi ◽  
Swenneke van den Heuvel ◽  
Thijmen van Bree ◽  
Frithjof Michaelsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Estimates of the economic burden of work injuries and diseases can help policymakers prioritize occupational health and safety policies and interventions in order to best allocate scarce resources. Several attempts have been made to estimate these economic burdens at the national level, but most have not included a comprehensive list of cost components, and none have attempted to implement a standard approach across several countries. The aim of our study is to develop a framework for estimating the economic burden of work injuries and diseases and implement it for selected European Union countries. Methods We develop an incidence cost framework using a bottom-up approach to estimate the societal burden of work injuries and diseases and implement it for five European Union countries. Three broad categories of costs are considered—direct healthcare, indirect productivity and intangible health-related quality of life costs. We begin with data on newly diagnosed work injuries and diseases from calendar year 2015. We consider lifetime costs for cases across all categories and incurred by all stakeholders. Sensitivity analysis is undertaken for key parameters. Results Indirect costs are the largest part of the economic burden, then direct costs and intangible costs. As a percentage of GDP, the highest overall costs are for Poland (10.4%), then Italy (6.7%), The Netherlands (3.6%), Germany (3.3%) and Finland (2.7%). The Netherlands has the highest per case costs (€75,342), then Italy (€58,411), Germany (€44,919), Finland (€43,069) and Poland (€38,918). Costs per working-age population are highest for Italy (€4956), then The Netherlands (€2930), Poland (€2793), Germany (€2527) and Finland (€2331). Conclusions Our framework serves as a template for estimating the economic burden of work injuries and diseases across countries in the European Union and elsewhere. Results can assist policymakers with identifying health and safety priority areas based on the magnitude of components, particularly when stratified by key characteristics such as industry, injury/disease, age and sex. Case costing can serve as an input into the economic evaluation of prevention initiatives. Comparisons across countries provide insights into the relevant performance of health and safety systems.


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