Suchergebnisse

This paper asks whether we can, from an economic point of view, justify the EU Cohesion Policy. To this end, our research - using structural equation modelling, macro-economic modelling and regional inputoutput analysis - found a) positive dynamic effects of Cohesion Policy on regional growth, b) small static effects on output if parts of the Cohesion Policy funds are reallocated to the strongest EU economies and c) strong demand spillovers from the less-developed to the more-developed regions. For us, the dynamic Cohesion Policy gains in growth outweigh the static allocation inefficiency. Additionally, the spillovers from the less-developed regions mitigate potential losses in the more-developed regions. Therefore, our answer to the question 'Can we justify EU Cohesion Policy from an economic point of view?' is 'Yes, we can.'

AbstractThis paper provides an introduction to a series of articles that review the EU's engagement with a number of regional groupings of developing countries. It provides the context for the following studies by reviewing the response that the European Commission has made to the demands for increased effectiveness in its administration of the EU's collective aid policy and its evolving role in achieving coordination, complementarity and coherence across EU development policy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

External relations is among the most dynamic areas of EU law its constitutional foundations profoundly affected by the Reform Treaty. This volume gathers leading analysts to assess core developments in the field, including the coherence of the EU's activity, its development policy and its contribution to international law

The publication in 1999 of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) is a significant step towards European spatial planning. It follows a period of intergovernmental and inter‐institutional development of a framework and policies, which raises many issues about the normative and discoursive positions and constructions which are integrated into the process. The paper reviews the emergence of the ESDP, and explores how 'rurality' is being contested within the new European spatial discourse it contains. The Foucauldian discourse analytic approach focuses on the articulation of a new policy discourse within the text of the adopted ESDP document, but places this analysis within a broader consideration of the contested policy process. Discussing three key policy issues peripherality, a new urban‐rural partnership, and rural restructuring, the paper argues that the emphasis on competition, and the focus on urban areas and functional regions, raise clear concerns about the treatment of rurality. Key areas for further research are identified in response to the current vacuum of academic debate over rurality in European spatial policy.

A growing part-time employment share has been a main feature of a number of industrialized countries over the past two decades. A considerable variation in the rate of part-time work is evident by gender, age group, industrial sector and occupation. The stylized facts support the view that part-time employment represents an important opportunity particularly for young, older and female workers to enter the labour markets of the European Union. For the majority of workers in these groups, the decision to work part-time has been a voluntary one, which is all the more satisfactory in terms of welfare maximization. Our results indicate that the development of the part-time employment rate over time and the strong variation in the PTR across countries are significantly affected by policy and institutions. In particular policy measures geared toward encouraging part-time work are found to be positively related to actual part-time developments. These measures include both the legal framework directly affecting part-time positions and the creation of financial incentives (subsidies and improvement of social protection) to take up a part-time job. Moreover, other labour market institutions, including benefit systems and the stringency of employment protection legislation for regular contracts, are found to significantly but indirectly influence the growth in part-time work.

Chapter 1:Introduction -- Chapter 2: Development of Renewable Energy Policy Norms and Legislation in the EU -- Chapter 3: Development of Renewable Energy Policy Norms and Legislation in Member States -- Chapter:4 Policy Implementation in the EU Member States -- Chapter 5: Conclusion.

Instruments for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) are one of the most important instruments fo EU development and regional policy avaliable to the candidate countries for EU accession. Enlargement of EU can cause, what already can be seen, considerable problems. Especially when the level of economic development is lower in some new member states and candidate countries than in " old " EU member states. Amon these countries are also western Balkan countries which use IPA funds (IPA I and IPA II) to solve problems caused by lack of money on national, regional nad city level as well as for the citizens. The aim of this paperwork is to explain what the European Commission has done by analyzing experiences in the utilizing IPA I funds. In the paper work we try to explain the new conditions, beside indispensable Stabilisation and Association Agreement, for programming and absorbing IPA funds that should increase impacts of financial and technical support for achievement of reform goals, particulary emphasising EU 2020 Strategy for smart, suinstable and inclusive development.