The Social Investment Package And The Europe 2020 Policy Agenda
The European welfare state and the European Union (EU) find themselves caught up in a double bind in the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Politics
Analysis and debate on European and national politics, democracy, the rule of law, parties and elections, and Europe’s place in the world.
Manuel Valls – Le Ferdinand Foch De Nos Jours?
In 1914, as he was leading his men at the Battle of the Marne General Foch, the best of all the French fighting generals told
Is Europe Back On Track?
After the European elections, the World Cup became the new hot topic. Only insiders were interested enough to follow closely the selection process of the
Why We Need Movement Of Free People
When Franklin Roosevelt outlined his essential four freedoms in 1941 he was convinced democracy could only be defended and advanced beyond the remaining 11 democracies
Europe Does Not Understand Deflation And Wages
Led by the IMF, the main body of mainstream economists is now aware of the danger that debt deflation is raising for several Euro Area
Changing Course Towards A Social Europe
Joseph Stiglitz, who won the Nobel Prize in 2001 for his work on how markets work inefficiently was once asked about his opinion on austerity
Streets, Avenues And Highways To Strengthen Social Europe
The EU is slowly recovering from a long period of financial instability and economic sacrifice that has pushed up unemployment to record-high levels and also
The European Councils’ Strategic Agenda Tries To Be Everything To Everybody
Many of those interpreting the results of the European elections claim to discern a fundamental disenchantment with Europe among its citizens. On this basis the
Yesterday’s Rubbish: Or Why Is A Minimum Wage Different From Free Trade?
Germany’s first post-war Chancellor Konrad Adenauer is usually held to be the origin of an often-quoted phrase „Was kümmert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?“. Roughly:
Why We Need More Social Europe
Globalization makes international collaboration more urgent; but it also makes it less likely to happen. Marketization requires social policy, not only to combat the negative
A Binding Social Agenda For The European Union
The recent European Parliament election results revealed a reality that is uncomfortable and challenging both politically and socioeconomically. At the political level, we are witnessing
DG ECFIN And The Missing Greek Exports
Economists at DG ECFIN are starting to notice something we have pointed out already some time ago: Despite an enormous cut in wage costs, Greek
A New Social Agenda For The Next Five Years
Today Europe is boredom… it is submerged by numbers and without soul. As long as Europe cares more about fishing rights than human beings swimming
How Matteo Renzi’s Jobs Act Will Sink Italy
Italy’s new PM Matteo Renzi has pledged to slash the country’s record unemployment with his American-branded ‘Jobs Act’. But his labour reforms, which will see
Why Governments Need To Stop Financialisation
The structural problems within the UK and other mature economies were brought to the surface during and after the financial crisis of 2007-9. In my
There Are Alternatives To The Neoliberal Blind Alley!
In its Working for the Few briefing paper, Oxfam has called attention to a worrying trend: the wealth of 1% of the world’s richest people