On the convergence of social protection systems in the European Union

Member States of the European Union are autonomous when it comes to the design of their social protection systems. However, they are committed by a recommendation accepted by the European Council addressing the convergence of social protection objectives and policies. Besides, convergence of social protection systems is expected to come about as a result of economic integration. In this paper we examine whether such convergence has occurred during the past decades, using data on replacement rates and social expenditure ratios. We find a rather strong trend of relative convergence and, only during the past two decades, an absolute convergence of social indicators in the EU. But there are only weak signs that these trends are the result of European integration.     

The EU integration process and the convergence of social protection benefits at national level

The essential objective of this article is to measure and interpret the degree of convergence of social protection benefits in European Union member states as the process of European integration has progressed. In this sense, the article analyses the potential role of per capita income and of the socio-demographic characteristics of the population as explanatory variables for the levels of social protection provision in European countries. The empirical study focuses on the period from 1985 to 1999, and investigates whether differences in welfare provision levels decreased as European integration progressed, in line with the convergence in economic and socio-demographic variables between member states.     

Exchange rate and wage policies in Central and Eastern Europe

After the eastern enlargement of the European Union (EU) and due to increasing labor market integration, wage determination in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has become a key issue in European economic policy making. In addition, a controversial discussion concerning the monetary integration of CEE countries into the EMU has emerged. Both issues have earned particular academic and political interest because Eastern and Western Europe are at different stages of economic development and volatile international capital flows seem to require either a higher degree of wage or exchange rate flexibility. Based on the Scandinavian model of wage adjustment by Lindbeck (1979), we analyze the role of exchange rates in the wage determination process of the Central and Eastern European countries to identify which exchange rate strategy contributes to faster wage convergence in Europe. Panel estimations suggest that workers in countries with fixed exchange rates are likely to benefit in the long run from higher wage increases.     

Europe’s lack of structural transformation and necessary policy changes of EMU

Primary goal of stabilisation policy in the Treaty of European Union is price stability. That goal may be in conflict with the goal of full employment in the member states, particularly, then the union is hit by an asymmetric shock. Assuming perfect capital mobility an initial adverse shock [Lessons of Massachusetts for EMU, in: F. Torres, F. Giavazzi (Eds.), Adjustment and Growth in the European Monetary Union, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge] may have permanent effects by releasing a self-reinforcing process, which will result in lower relative growth. Given the specification of a model that captures the crucial element of efficient structural transformation it is easy to conclude the lack of necessary structural transformation within European Monetary Union (EMU). In addition, the basic foundation of economic policy by EMU, as manifested by the Treaty of European Union, is by latter research put into question. Therefore this paper suggest, it is necessary that the Treaty of European Union must be supplemented, changed, or both.     

Social Policy in a Federal Europe

The European Union has a federal structure, in which each citizen is subject to two governments. The position of social policy within the federation is contested, but the EU has gradually developed powers through the extension of its competence, direct intervention in social welfare issues and the push for “convergence”, or agreement on minimum standards. Consistent with its federal nature, the European model of the welfare state is based on convergence, integration of the excluded and social protection through the gradual extension of solidarity. The precise role that the federal government will take on within this is unclear, but it is already having a major impact on social welfare and its influence is likely to increase.     

The Economic Effectiveness of Foreign Trade

The main task posed by the Twenty-Fourth Congress of our Party is that of increasing the economic effectiveness of the national economy. This is also fully applicable to the foreign economic relations of the USSR: a most important sphere of the economy. The directives of the congress on the Five-Year Plan for the Development of the USSR National Economy in 1971-1975 discuss the need to improve the methods and forms of foreign economic relations of the Soviet Union and to increase the initiative and responsibility of ministries and enterprises in the development of directions of such relations that are effective for the national economy. Foreign economic relations occupy a considerable place in the nation's economy. By the year 1973 USSR foreign trade turnover had increased (in comparable prices) 1.9 times compared with 1965 and was 25.3 times greater than the 1938 level.     

An Evaluation of Progress Toward European Monetary Union Using Fuzzy Analysis

European Monetary Union (EMU) is scheduled to commence by the end of the century. Currently, Europeans are engaged in a grand debate over EMU. The controversy is not only over the timetable and stringency of criteria for macroeconomic convergence between member countries, but also over the desirability of the whole EMU enterprise. The European Union (EU) has three choices, to abandon the idea of EMU and opt for independent national monetary policy for each member, to venture the unknown by adopting the EMU regardless of the conditions of its members, or to measure and monitor the fulfillment of EMU preconditions carefully and take the final step when there is a consensus that convergence is reasonably attained. Our paper is a contribution to a systematic quantification and measurement of the fulfillment of the EMU preconditions. We provide a general framework for policy evaluation based on fuzzy logic. We use fuzzy analysis to assess the degree to which each goal is attained, to evaluate the performance of different countries, and to determine the overall progress of the EU in meeting the Maastricht criteria.     

Current Questions of Soviet-American Economic Relations

Peaceful coexistence is materially strengthened and expanded by the development of international economic relations. Both the prospects for and realization of detente will depend in large measure on how relations progress between the Soviet Union and the United States. Pursuant to resolutions of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the USSR's Supreme Soviet, and its Council of Ministers at the time of L. I. Brezhnev's 1973 visit to the United States, the Soviet Union has set itself the task of turning these relations "into a permanent force for world peace, for guaranteeing that the processes of detente now being developed will be irreversible, and for the deepening of peaceful, mutually advantageous cooperation between governments belonging to antagonistic social systems."     

The Impact of European Law on the Development of Social Security Policies in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom joined the European Community in 1973, since when there has been a growing awareness of the international context to the making and delivery of social security. Obligations imposed under the Treaty of Rome to allow for the application of equal opportunities and the free movement of workers were bound to require changes to social security entitlements. It may have been hypothezised that membership of the European Community would promote the convergence of social security systems: the coming together of policies and the equalization of benefit levels. In the event, bilateral agreements between countries remain important and, with the important exception of the decisions of the European Court of Justice, the impact of the European Community (latterly European Union) on policy and practice in the United Kingdom has remained limited.     

媒介批评视角下的肖洛霍夫形象

中国媒体对肖洛霍夫形象的构建,与中苏(俄)两国的政治、经济与文化关系密不可分。当两国关系处于和平友好阶段时,中国媒体对肖洛霍夫的态度就显得很亲善,甚至达到狂热崇拜的地步;一旦两国关系恶化,中国媒体对肖洛霍夫及其作品采取憎恶态度;只有两国关系正常化之后,媒介批评才归于理性与公正。     

Home‐ownership,housing regimes and income inequalities in Western Europe

Norris M, Winston N. Home‐ownership, housing regimes and income inequalities in Western Europe This article compares the structural features of home‐ownership systems in European Union 15 (EU15) countries (home‐ownership rates, mortgages and public subsidisation of this tenure) with data on inequalities in outcomes (variations in home‐ownership access, risks and standards between income groups). Its purpose was to assess the relevance of the debate on the convergence and divergence of housing systems, which has dominated the comparative housing literature. The article concludes that, depending on the level of analysis adopted and the particular variables selected for examination, elements of both convergence and divergence are evident in Western European home‐ownership systems. The comparative housing literature has also largely failed to capture the key inter‐country cleavages in home‐ownership systems that are between the Northern and Southern EU15 countries. These shortcomings are related to methodological and conceptual problems in the literature.     

中国与欧盟外交关系的再思考——以中欧全面战略伙伴关系为例

冷战后的国际体系处在剧烈的转型变化过程中,中国的国家利益及对外关系也根据国际体系的变化得以调整。自2003年中欧全面战略伙伴关系建立以来,中欧关系一度发展顺利,但2006年欧盟发布的第五份对华战略文件却引发此后几年中欧关系的波折。本文试图厘清中欧关系在中国外交战略中的定位,并以中欧全面战略伙伴关系为例,深入探讨中国与欧盟外交关系中存在的现实问题,为实施更为有效的对欧盟外交政策提供参考。     

Capital markets integration and economic growth in the European Union

This paper argues that a deeper integration of capital markets in the European Union is necessary to support accelerated economic growth. Further integrated equity and bond markets will provide access to capital funding improve the allocation of capital, help mitigate market and systemic risks, and ultimately foster a counter-cyclical, sustained real economy growth. The paper provides evidence that the increases in both total portfolio equity and debt to GDP ratios in the euro area actively contribute to real GDP growth.     

Points of View, Social Positioning and Intercultural Relations

The challenge of intercultural relations has become an important issue in many societies. In spite of the claimed value of intercultural diversity, successful outcomes as predicted by the contact hypothesis are but one possibility; on occasions intercultural contact leads to intolerance and hostility. Research has documented that one key mediator of contact is perspective taking. Differences in perspective are significant in shaping perceptions of contact and reactions to it. The ability to take the perspective of the other and to understand it in its own terms is a necessary condition for successful intergroup outcomes. This paper sheds light on the processes involved in intercultural perspective taking by elaborating the notion of the point of view based on social representations theory. The point of view provides a theory of social positioning that can analyse cultural encounters between social actors, and identify the conditions for positive relations. Insights are drawn from a study of public views on the relative merits of science and religion, following a documentary by Richard Dawkins in which it was suggested that religion is a source of evil. The findings demonstrate that the point of view may be categorised according to a three-way taxonomy according to the extent to which it is open to another perspective. A point of view may be monological—closed to another's perspective entirely, dialogical—open to the possibility of another perspective while maintaining some percepts as unchallengeable, or metalogical—open to another's perspective based on the other's frame of reference.     

A multifactorial explanation of youth unemployment and the special case of Austria

One of the biggest challenges currently facing European society is the dramatically high level of youth unemployment. Commonly, political solutions and strategies can be found in those countries that have been able to keep youth unemployment low in spite of the financial and economic crises. Austria is such a case. On the basis of European Union Member State data, the article gives a multifactorial explanation of youth unemployment and asks whether these factors can explain relatively low youth unemployment in Austria. With the country's “youth safety net” presented in detail, it is shown that active labour market policy reduces youth unemployment in Austria. The article also points out the limitations of cross‐country comparisons of youth unemployment rates and proposes the use of a greater number of indicators. Finally, the article argues for economic policies to stimulate demand, which have to be based on a political and social commitment to full employment.     

Pensions in the European Union: Adapting to Economic and Social Changes

Throughout the European Union, pension schemes are undergoing a process of adaptation to a completely different context. Some of the main stumbling blocks to this process are the great number of issues involved and the diversity of questions that these raise: demographic changes, the labour market, economic growth, social justice, the ways of regulating the established provisions and decision-making in their regard. These dimensions do not offer ready-made answers, from the standpoint of pension financing. Apart from the complexity of the situation, however, a fundamental component of European societies is definitely at stake here: the ability to guarantee a decent level of security to all citizens when they reach retirement age.     

The impact of the European Youth Guarantee on active labour market policies: A convergence analysis

The European Union’s (EU) Youth Guarantee aims to improve the labour market situation of young people. Rather than prescribing a uniform policy model, it acknowledges that supportive measures need to align with national, regional and local circumstances. It thus seeks to promote mutual policy learning through the open method of coordination. As an innovative measure, the EU has deployed funding programmes to support the domestic measures related to the Youth Guarantee. We therefore examined in this study whether this mix of recommendations and financial incentives has entailed a convergence of member state policies. Our analysis of policy outputs for the period 2007?2014 yields a mixed empirical picture. There is catching‐up convergence regarding policies’ sectoral coverage but increasing divergence concerning the number of adopted policy instruments. The first two years of financial incentives did not produce any effect on enhancing policy experimentation among less active member states. We offer an optimistic and a pessimistic interpretation of these findings.     

中国与东盟国家经济合作的障碍与对策分析

2010年,中国—东盟自由贸易区将如期建成,这是中国和东盟深化合作、建立全面稳定合作关系的重要标志。与欧洲联盟及北美自由贸易区主要由发达国家构成不同,中国和东盟大多数国家都是发展中国家。要走出一条有中国—东盟自由贸易区特色的区域经济合作之路,就要整合产业结构,加强政府间的合作与交流,推动企业成为经济合作的主体。     

European Welfare Futures: The Views of Key Influentials in Six European Countries on Likely Developments in Social Policy

The welfare state, having reached maturity in most European countries, faces challenges from economic, social and political developments. Some studies argue that common pressures are likely to evoke similar responses; others suggest that the differences between welfare regimes both permit and require different policies. It is also suggested that the single European market will require convergence in tax regimes, social provision and entitlements to ensure fairer competition and to prevent "social dumping". Analysis of data from a survey of politicians, representatives of business, trade unions, civil servants and others shows some convergence in the recognition of problems in welfare policy and in ideas about finance. However, debate about the response to similar issues often differs, according to the detail of institutional structure and the pattern of interests it produces.     

Promoting social Europe? The development of European youth unemployment policies

Since the beginning of the millennium, the institutions of the European Union have intensified their political efforts to combat youth employment. Youth‐specific policy initiatives were launched after the financial and economic crisis of 2008, and the overall subsequent rise of unemployment rates among young people. In this article, we analyse and assess these developments on the basis of an analysis of European policy documents and interviews. Our conclusions are twofold. One, we argue that the Europe 2020 Strategy and its flagship initiatives devoted to youth do not constitute a new policy field or approach, but are rather the outcome of an incrementalist logic of policy development. Two, the European youth strategy is clearly committed to activation, and it pushes policy developments towards a minimalist policy approach of precarious protection. Both developments are explained by the actor constellations and path dependencies of the European policy arena.