scholarly journals “New vs. old Europe”: Contested hegemonies and the dual-guarantee strategy of the East European countries

2005 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-244
Author(s):  
Mustafa Türkes
Keyword(s):  
European Countries ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
East European ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Us ◽  
Soft Security ◽  
The Eu

The paper analyses the East European countries' (EEC) security strategy in light of contesting US and Franco-German hegemonic projects. The EEC' s quest for a dual-guarantee strategy, which aims to get hard security from the US through NATO and soft security from the EU, is detailed as to show objectives of the EEC. It is concluded that although this strategy may succeed in times of crisis, it is untenable in the long run because the terms of relations between the EEC and both the US and EU are largely defined by the latter two, not by the EEC. Thus, rather than escaping from one-way dependency, the EEC's dual-guarantee strategy may result in dual dependency on both the US and the EU.

Income convergence in Europe: Catching up or falling behind?

2012 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Czasonis ◽  
Michael Quinn
Keyword(s):  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Income Convergence ◽  
Euro Zone ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Time Frames ◽  
The Eu

One of the motivations for a country to join the European Union is the belief that this will boost short- and long-run incomes. Researchers have tested the hypothesis of income convergence in different settings using either regression or unit root analysis, with mixed results. In this paper, we use both methods on the same samples over a significant time period. This allows us to judge differences in results across varied time-frames and methodologies. The focus of these tests is on convergence to German and EMU average incomes by Eastern European countries and those within the Euro-zone from 1971–2007. The evidence for convergence is mixed. Among the Euro-zone countries, there is more evidence of convergence in the 1970s and 1980s than recently. There is significant evidence that Eastern Europe experienced convergence and that capital formation was one of the root causes. While the results do not support the hypothesis that joining the EU increases convergence, reforms undertaken in the 1990s by Eastern European countries in preparation for joining may have helped them to “catch up”, even if the act of joining the EU did not directly impact convergence.

scholarly journals The EU’s Maritime Security Strategy: a Neo-Medieval Perspective on the Limits of Soft Security?

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (75) ◽  
pp. 9-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan Flynn
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Trade Flows ◽  
Maritime Security ◽  
Maritime Trade ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
Security Regime ◽  
Critical Interpretation ◽  
Maritime Strategy ◽  
Soft Security ◽  
The Eu

Abstract This paper offers a critical interpretation of the EU’s recent Maritime Security Strategy (MSS) of 2014, making distinctions between hard and soft conceptions of maritime security. The theoretical approach employed invokes the ‘EU as neo-medieval empire’ (Bull 1977: 254-255; Rennger 2006; Zielonka 2006). By this account, the main objectives of EU maritime strategy are stability and encouragement of globalised maritime trade flows to be achieved using the classic instruments of ‘soft maritime security’. While replete with great possibilities, the EU’s maritime security strategy is likely to be a relatively weak maritime security regime, which suffers from a number of important limits.

scholarly journals Arbitrage hedging in markets for the US lean hogs and the EU live pigs

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 505-511
Author(s):  
M. Ziegelbäck ◽  
G. Kastner
Keyword(s):  
Cointegration Analysis ◽  
Monetary Benefit ◽  
Price Adjustments ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Economic Interpretation ◽  
The Us ◽  
Price Differences ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Eu

  The paper describes an attempt to gain insight into the relationship between cash and futures markets for US lean hogs and EU live pigs, and the opportunity of arbitrage hedging. In doing so, the authors use newer methods of threshold cointegration analysis for time series from 1999 until 2008. Besides the existence of a long-run equilibrium, asymmetric price adjustments can be demonstrated. This is especially the case for the EU live pigs, where price variations of the basis are higher and exhibit lower standard deviation. The results also perfectly show that cash prices follow the futures market more than the other way round. Furthermore, a grid search has revealed that the residual-based threshold in either market is near zero and therefore coherent with economic interpretation. Thus, at least theoretically, arbitrageurs in those markets are able to exploit the price differences between the two markets and reap no-risk monetary benefit. Hence, the results are in line with the statement that “speculating the basis” generates a better return.

Balanced Budget Rules and Expenditure Limits: Lessons from the US and Australia and Implications for the EU

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 607-636
Author(s):  
Mark Humphery-Jenner
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Constitutional Amendments ◽  
The Us ◽  
Balanced Budget ◽  
Tax And Expenditure Limits ◽  
Balanced Budget Requirements ◽  
The Eu

Governments periodically receive accusations of over-spending. These accusations are sometimes warranted. Some commentators propose that strict tax and expenditure limits (TELs) and/or balanced budget requirements (BBRs) may resolve excessive expenditure. Governments can implement TELs and BBRs through constitutional amendments, statutory schemes, or non-binding aspirational goals. They have been proposed as a remedy to allegations of over-spending in some European countries. However, it is not entirely clear if TELs or BBRs are effective or will resolve excess expenditure. I analyze TELs and BBRs as implemented in the United States and Australia. I argue that the Australian model of aspirational TELs and BBRs is beneficial if there is a political will to enforce them. However, if there is no such political will, then statutory (as opposed to constitutional) TELs and BBRs best strike a balance of flexibility and constraint.

EU corruption fight passes to civil society and media

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Interest Groups ◽  
The Political ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Checks And Balances ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Media ◽  
Roll Back ◽  
The Eu

Subject The non-appearance of an expected EU anti-corruption report. Significance The European Commission’s cancellation of its second report on anti-corruption efforts across member-states and EU institutions removes a key benchmark against which to hold European governments to account at a time when several are attempting to roll back anti-corruption reforms and disable checks and balances. Given the political sensitivity of the first report, the move also feeds populist criticisms that the EU itself is prone to corruption and unwilling to expose itself to scrutiny. Impacts Populist governments appear to be learning from one another that they can remove limits on their power. This will allow interest groups to entrench their political and economic dominance, hindering economic growth in the long run. The US president’s attacks on parts of the media for ‘fake news’ may encourage use of anti-establishment rhetoric to discredit critics.

scholarly journals One Step Back, Two Steps Ahead

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-43
Author(s):  
Tobias Franke
Keyword(s):  
European Security ◽  
It Use ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Us ◽  
One Step ◽  
European Security Strategy ◽  
Geographical Scope ◽  
It Structure ◽  
The Eu

By analyzing the European Security Strategy (ESS) this paper identifies five underlying key tensions which evolve around the questions: what are the threats the EU is facing, how (if at all) will it use force to counter these threats, what precisely are the objectives and interests Brussels seeks to achieve and defend and what capabilities does the EU need for these ends, how will it structure its interaction with the US/NATO, and what is the realm – the geographical scope – of the EU‘s security ambitions? The paper is well aware of the interlinkage of these questions but chooses geography as a starting point of analysis.

Wrestling an Alligator

Peacemakers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. Pardew
Keyword(s):  
European Countries ◽  
American Military ◽  
Deputy Minister ◽  
East European ◽  
Military Equipment ◽  
The Eu ◽  
The Way

The T&E Program moves forward despite constant international interference and difficult relations between the Muslims and the Croats. The EU embargo on Bosnia prevents East European countries from selling equipment to the Federation. However, the Dutch agree to the sale of nonlethal trucks. The Secretaries of State and Defense demand the removal of the Bosnian Muslim Deputy Minister of Defense Cengic from his position. In a compromise, both the Muslim and Croat ministers in Bosnia are fired, clearing the way for the unloading of American military equipment destined for delivery to the Federation. Gradually, T&E makes progress, but serious problems remain between the Federation partners.

scholarly journals Business cycles synchronisation between the EU-15 and selected Eastern European Countries – The wavelet coherence approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jovan Njegić ◽  
Dejan Živkov ◽  
Jelena Damnjanović
Keyword(s):  
Business Cycles ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Wavelet Coherence ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
The Eu

This paper strives to investigate the level of business cycles synchronisation between 8 Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and the EU-15. We use wavelet coherence and phase difference methodology as a very suitable tool that observes simultaneously the strength of business cycles’ co-movement in the aspect of time as well as in the aspect of frequency. The results indicate that the business cycles of CEECs are generally synchronised with the EU-15 business cycles, whereas distinct differences existed before, during, and after the financial crisis (2008–2009) and during the European sovereign debt crisis (2010–2011). In other words, we demonstrate that very strong business cycles synchronisation occurred in almost all CEECs during crisis periods and at higher wavelet scales, while only moderate synchronisation is recorded in relatively tranquil periods at higher frequencies. The results suggest that smaller CEECs, but also larger countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, and to some extent Slovakia as well have a higher level of business cycles synchronisation with the EU-15, particularly in the crisis period at short-run as well as at long-run fluctuations. However, we do not find strong business cycles co-movement in cases of Poland and Latvia via HP and BP filters at higher frequencies during the crisis, which might indicate a higher resistance of these countries to external systemic shocks.

scholarly journals D. Trump as a Factor in the Political Demarcation in Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Pavel Ivanov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The Political ◽  
White House ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
The Us ◽  
Political Differences ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Eu

The article analyzes the role of the American leader as an indicator of internal political contradictions in European society. The subject of the research is the socio-political differences in Europe in the context of attitudes towards the political course and personality of US President D. Trump. The purpose of the study is to identify the main political forces that approve and share D. Trump's policies in the EU countries, the reasons for support, and efforts to advance their positions. The US initiatives to change the European political landscape are disclosed. The reasons for the growth of support for the US President and the transformation of attitudes towards him in European countries are revealed. The author reveals the conflict potential of socio-political challenges and the sharpness of disagreements regarding the policy of the White House. Conclusions are drawn about the similarity of the socio-political delimitation in European countries and the United States, a high level of D. Trump's influence on the internal political processes in the EU is noted. The author came to the conclusion about the strengthening of support for the American president, the growing popularity of the conservative parties of the «political alternative» and the deepening of the internal political division, both in Europe and in the United States.

Characteristics Development of Agriculture and Agricultural Policy Southeast European Countries

2016 ◽  
pp. 275-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoran Simonovic ◽  
Predrag Vukovic
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Policy ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Southeast Europe ◽  
East European ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
High Volatility ◽  
Main Instrument ◽  
Production Subsidies ◽  
Characteristics Development ◽  
The Eu

In general the agricultural policy South East European countries are characterized by high volatility, which is expressed in terms of applied instruments and measures as well as in regard to the products to which it relates. In the first phase of price and trade liberalization, most countries have abolished or significantly reduced non-tariff barriers to the import and export of a wide range of products. Also, most countries have reduced or abolished production subsidies and left import tariffs as the main instrument to protect producers. This chapter emphasizes that the further development of CAP in many ways depended on negotiations with the countries of Southeast Europe. Some of these countries are already in the EU and some candidate countries which are at different levels of negotiation with the EU. Southeast European countries are basically agricultural country with low productivity and low prices of agricultural products to be completely restructured. These countries can be reintegrated into CAP only respect the rules and with the help of EU member states.

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