scholarly journals Enhanced Economic Governance in the EU: Alternative to a Political Union?

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Kawecka-Wyrzykowska
Keyword(s):  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
List Type ◽  
Economic Governance ◽  
Political Union ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Realistic Approach ◽  
The Eu

Abstract In reaction to the sharp deterioration of fiscal positions and a sovereign debt crisis in the majority of EU member states, EU leaders have been strengthening the EU economic governance framework, in particular for the eurozone member states. This has been reflected mainly through a reinforcement of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) within the so-called six-pack and through the recent adoption of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG). The objective of this paper is to present the main decisions taken to address intensifying problems in the EU and assess them from the point of view of stability of the eurozone. The paper argues that the recent adoption of the six-pack and of the TSCG has created a legal basis for more effective governance structure that is much stronger than previously, and closer fscal coordination among EU member states in order to ensure public fnance sustainability. The practical results will depend, however, on the political willingness of countries to accept the new rules and rigorous enforcement of those rules. Most of the new solutions continue the previous approach: stricter preventive and punishing rules, and their more rigorous application. TSCG has adopted a new element: parallel to EU rules, there should be enhanced national rules (possibly in the form of constitutional commitments) and national institutions responsible for fscal discipline. This approach implies that international rules are not strong enough for sovereign countries, which agree to be subject to democratically elected national authorities but do not want to follow decisions by “outside” institutions. In addition, reverse voting in the Council encourages for more pragmatic, economically justifed use of the modifed SGP. In view of a lack of political will to move forward into a political union, this seems the only realistic approach to ensure fscal stabilization and keep the eurozone alive in the short and medium run. Two main research methods have been applied: (a)Statistical analysis of data on changes of the public fnances in the EU member states (budgetary defcit and public debt), (b)comparative analysis of successive EU documents on strengthening economic governance and identifcation of strong and weak aspects of the new documents from the point of view of stability of the eurozone. The main conclusion is that in a situation of a lack of political will to move forward into a political union, the only realistic approach to ensure fscal stabilization and keep the eurozone alive in the short and medium term seems to be to enforce rigorously the recently adopted new commitments aiming at better fscal control of euro area members.

scholarly journals Pomoc publiczna na szkolenia pracowników a konkurencyjność gospodarki Unii Europejskiej

2017 ◽  
pp. 159-173
Author(s):  
Piotr Podsiadło
Keyword(s):  
State Aid ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Gdp Per Capita ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Positive Externalities ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Eu

The paper discusses guidelines for implementation of art. 107-109 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, from the point of view of state aid for training. Training usually generates positive externalities for society as a whole, since it increases the pool of skilled workers from which other firms may draw, improves the competitiveness of the EU industry and plays an important role in the EU employment strategy. Statistical analysis was carried out on state aid granted by the EU Member States in the period 2001-2014 - from the perspective of its impact on competitiveness of these countries. This should lead to verification of thesis that the amount of state aid granted by the EU Member States for training, should positively correlate with the size of the GDP per capita of these countries

scholarly journals The influence of the ICT on the control of corruption in public administrations of the EU member states: a comparative analysis based on panel data

2021 ◽  
pp. 41-59
Author(s):  
Armenia ANDRONICEANU ◽  
Elvira NICA ◽  
Irina GEORGESCU ◽  
Oana Matilda SABIE
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Relevant Variables ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Control Of Corruption ◽  
The Eu

Developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have led to major changes in public administration in all democratic states. The fact that information can be made public and accessible from anywhere, at any time, requires a new approach to the process of computerization of public administration. The objective of the research was to know the influence of ITC integration in the EU state administrations on corruption control in the period 2010 - 2019. We selected four relevant variables, which we integrated in a panel analysis including the 27 EU member states. Using STATA we made an econometric model on panel data and obtained interesting results from a scientific point of view. The results show that the integration of ICTs in the EU public administrations has significantly contribution to reducing corruption These results demonstrate the need to accelerate the digitization of administrations and create an integrated model of government cloud in the European administrative space. In addition, the results of the research highlight the differences between EU states in terms of the impact of ICTs on government efficiency and economic development.

The New EU Rules on Insurance Customer/Policyholder Protection Viewed against the NAIC Model Acts

Global Jurist ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Paul Martinez ◽  
Pierpaolo Marano
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
The United States ◽  
List Type ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Distribution Services ◽  
The Eu

AbstractEffective October 1, 2018, the Member States of the European Union had to bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive (EU) 2016/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of January 20, 2016 on insurance distribution (IDD). The IDD arose out of a desire to give insurance customers equal protection regardless of the type of distributor from which they obtained insurance. Essentially, the IDD seeks to level the playing field of protections for insurance customers by simplifying, consolidating, and expanding customer protections when needed. The IDD has the stated goal of focusing on “the area of the disclosure of information” to customers. The directive is intentionally broad and applies “to persons whose activity consists of providing insurance or reinsurance distribution services to third parties.”Although it is much too early to predict the course of the IDD within the European Union, a comparison can be drawn with the Model Acts promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in the United States to glean an inkling as to where the IDD might be headed. Parts of the Model Acts have been in place for a number of years and, while the legal regimes they cover are modestly different, there are nonetheless broad lessons that can be drawn in the comparison of the two. Whether the path of the IDD follows the arc of the Model Acts, or not, will perhaps be attributed to three instrumental aspects: 1.The IDD is unquestionably focused on customer protection. The NAIC is more nearly concerned with uniformity. It may be that the IDD’s focus will contribute to better traction among the EU Member States then Model Acts have experienced in the United States.2.Unlike the IDD, the NAIC Model Acts are not comprehensive with respect to customer protection.3.The NAIC Model Acts have seen inconsistent adoption by the states, a factor that has contributed to a lack of uniformity and constancy across any number of insurance products. While the IDD should not suffer from spotty adoption, the relative flexibility of the EU Member States in adopting more stringent rules may lead to a lack of uniformity and consistency similar to that of the Model Acts. Thus, the IDD may very well face the same headwinds faced by the Model Acts in the United States.Accurate predictions are always elusive when dealing with the implementation of regulation and legislation. Accordingly, we will watch with curiosity whether the IDD, which takes a much more global approach in customer protection, will see more success.

scholarly journals Agri-Environmental Issues in the National Sustainable Development Strategy of the Member States of the Enlarged EU

2005 ◽  
pp. 346-353
Author(s):  
Andrea Gáthy
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Accession Countries ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Eu

In preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg), almost all EU member-states and some accession countries presented their national strategies for sustainable development (NSSD) during the summer of 2002. Along with other countries, Hungary is only now setting up this important document. Everywhere during the last decade, as in the EU countries, the intention was to involve the environmental problems into other political questions (agricultural, energy and transport policy, etc.). Today the strategy-builders have given up the sectoral view because of difficulties and setbacks, and use a view aiming the problem.Agri-environmental issues appear as the elements of sustainability in the national strategies. For example, in accordance with the danger of global warming, the emission of green-house gasses of agriculture; in line with eco-efficiency, the production of renewable raw materials and energy sources originating from agriculture, and, in relation to changing lifestyle, food-safety and the future of biological agriculture will be disputed. With this study, I investigate the main characteristics of sustainable development strategies at both the EU level and at the level of the different member states from an agri-environmental point of view.

But it does move, doesn´t it? The debate on the allocation of refugees in Europe from a German point of view

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Bendel
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
The Political ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Window Of Opportunity ◽  
German Government ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Eu

This article examines the current debate on the allocation of refugees, based on the principle of “shared responsibility and solidarity among the EU Member States”. Arguing that the Dublin system has failed, I discuss alternative proposals, adopting both the perspective of the Member States and the view of the applicants themselves. Whereas most research has centred on the opportunities and risks of these instruments, on their efficiency or cost-benefit-relation, I ask for the political enforceability of the possible alternatives in the light of changed power relations in the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council. I shall argue that particularly the current perception of the German government might represent a window of opportunity for a policy change.

scholarly journals Democratic Backsliding in the European Union

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Sitter ◽  
Elisabeth Bakke
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Member State ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
The Other ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Member States ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Eu

Democratic backsliding in European Union (EU) member states is not only a policy challenge for the EU, but also a potential existential crisis. If the EU does too little to deal with member state regimes that go back on their commitments to democracy and the rule of law, this risks undermining the EU from within. On the other hand, if the EU takes drastic action, this might split the EU. This article explores the nature and dynamics of democratic backsliding in EU member states, and analyses the EU’s capacity, policy tools and political will to address the challenge. Empirically it draws on the cases that have promoted serious criticism from the Commission and the European Parliament: Hungary, Poland, and to a lesser extent, Romania. After reviewing the literature and defining backsliding as a gradual, deliberate, but open-ended process of de-democratization, the article analyzes the dynamics of backsliding and the EU’s difficulties in dealing with this challenge to liberal democracy and the rule of law. The Hungarian and Polish populist right’s “illiberal” projects involve centralization of power in the hands of the executive and the party, and limiting the independence of the judiciary, the media and civil society. This has brought both governments into direct confrontation with the European Commission. However, the EU’s track record in managing backsliding crises is at best mixed. This comes down to a combination of limited tools and lack of political will. Ordinary infringement procedures offer a limited toolbox, and the Commission has proven reluctant to use even these tools fully. At the same time, party groups in the European Parliament and many member state governments have been reluctant to criticize one of their own, let alone go down the path of suspending aspect of a states’ EU membership. Hence the EU’s dilemma: it is caught between undermining its own values and cohesion through inaction on one hand, and relegating one or more member states it to a second tier—or even pushing them out altogether—on the other.

Accountability in the Economic and Monetary Union

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menelaos Markakis
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Democratic Legitimacy ◽  
Economic And Monetary Union ◽  
Banking Union ◽  
Economic Governance ◽  
Member States ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

This book looks at accountability in the field of Economic and Monetary Union, including the Banking Union. It looks at the emergence of a new constitutional and governance architecture in the Eurozone, following the measures that were adopted in response to the crisis. It shows how the rules and institutions that were put in place in response to the financial and public debt crisis affect not only the economies of the Member States but also the lives of European citizens. It makes the case for instilling more democratic legitimacy into the Economic and Monetary Union and examines the impact of the new EU economic governance framework on the horizontal and vertical distribution of power in the EU and the Member States. The key question is: what is the appropriate level, type, and degree of accountability and transparency that should be involved in the development of the EU’s governance structures in the areas of fiscal/economic governance and the Banking Union? The book evaluates the powers conferred on the European and national parliaments in the fields of economic governance, monetary policy, and banking supervision/resolution, as well as the European Parliament’s input into the crisis-induced measures. It further looks at access to EU courts, the available remedies, and the role of the EU and national courts in reviewing economic and monetary policy measures. Finally, it sets out the author’s own proposals regarding the reforms needed to strengthen the Eurozone, as well as transparency, accountability, and—more broadly—legitimacy in the Economic and Monetary Union.

BIOECONOMY DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL BASED ON MORE EFFICIENT LAND USE IN THE EU

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina PILVERE ◽  
Aleksejs NIPERS ◽  
Bartosz MICKIEWICZ
Keyword(s):  
Green Growth ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Growing Stock ◽  
Europe 2020 ◽  
Europe 2020 Strategy ◽  
Analysis And Synthesis ◽  
Key Industries ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Production Resource

Europe 2020 Strategy highlights bioeconomy as a key element for smart and green growth in Europe. Bioeconomy in this case includes agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and pulp and paper production, parts of chemical, biotechnological and energy industries and plays an important role in the EU’s economy. The growth of key industries of bioeconomy – agriculture and forestry – highly depends on an efficient and productive use of land as a production resource. The overall aim of this paper is to evaluate opportunities for development of the main sectors of bioeconomy (agriculture and forestry) in the EU based on the available resources of land. To achieve this aim, several methods were used – monographic, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical analysis methods. The findings show that it is possible to improve the use of land in the EU Member States. If all the Member States reached the average EU level, agricultural products worth EUR 77 bln would be annually additionally produced, which is 19 % more than in 2014, and an extra 5 billion m3 volume of forest growing stock would be gained, which is 20 % more than in 2010.

THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF HOUSEHOLDS IN POLAND COMPARED TO OTHER EU MEMBER STATES

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 634-638
Author(s):  
Joanna Szwacka Mokrzycka
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Economic Condition ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Consumption Expenditure ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Financial Condition ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Structure Of Consumption ◽  
The Eu

The objective of this article is to present the standard of living of households in Poland in comparison with other EU member states. The starting point for analysis was the economic condition of Poland against the background of other EU member states. The next step consisted of assessment of the standard of living of inhabitants of individual EU member states on the basis of financial condition of households and the structure of consumption expenditure. It was found that the differences within the EU in terms of economic development and the standard of living of households still remain substantial.

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