Re-Examining EU Policies from a Global Perspective: Scenarios for Future Developments

This book presents new research into the development of key European policies since the global financial crisis and advances new insights into the process of European integration by examining the major problems and difficulties that the European Union has had to face in new the global economy. Based on the newest statistical data in the field, this collection analyzes the critical turning points in the functioning of European social policies in the context of the challenges presented by the global economy. Each chapter examines a key European policy from welfare to trade and agriculture, as well as highlighting the specific issues, it charts the progress made on the reforming paths as well as presenting thought-provoking scenarios for future development that will be invaluable for researchers and policy makers alike. There are several common issues explored in each European policy: the historical perspective across the development of that policy, the specific mechanisms and instruments of functionality, cross-country comparative aspects with a focus on the New Member States, the new demographic, economic and social dynamics in the global economy and their effects on the European policies, and the future development scenarios derived from the necessity to adjust the policies to the new economic and social context.

Table of Contents:
PART I: THE EUROPEAN MONETARY POLICY AND THE EURO DERIVE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS; Monica Raileanu Szeles 1. The Monetary Unification - a Step Forward into the In-Depth European Integration 2. A Historical Perspective on the European Monetary Union 3. The Euro and The Optimum Currency Area 4. A Brief Literature Review on the Optimum Currency Area Theory 5. The Optimality of EMU from the OCA Perspective 6. The Enlargement of the Euro Area and the Nominal Convergence Criteria 7. The Stage of Economic and Financial Convergence 8. Explaining the Instability and Weaknesses of the Euro Area 9. The New Member States and their Perspective to Join the Euro Zone 10. Conclusions PART II: CRISIS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE WELFARE STATE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION; Monica Raileanu Szeles 11. The European Social Policy from the Treaty of Rome to the Lisbon Treaty 12. The European Social Model and the European Welfare State 13. The Architecture of the European Social Model 14. The European Welfare States 15. The Failure of Generous European Welfare States 16. A Picture of 'Welfare' Inside the EU 17. Towards Reforming the Welfare State 18. The Economic Sustainability of the Welfare State 19. Reforming the European Pension Systems 20. Dimensions of the Aging within the EU and Economic Challenges 21. Overview of the European Pension Schemes 22. Towards Reforming the Social Policies Inside the EU PART III: EUROPEAN ENERGY POLICY: PAST AND PRESENT CHALLENGES; Laura Haar 23. EU Energy Policy - Introduction and Historical Evolution 24. Mechanisms and Instruments Specific to Energy Policy 25. Current State of Implementation of the EU Energy Policy 26. The Creation of An Internal Energy Market 27. Security of Supply through Increased Energy Efficiency 28. Environmental Protection through the ETS Scheme 29. Challenges for EU Energy Policies in the Context of the Global Economic Crisis 30. Perspectives and Scenarios for Future EU Energy Policies in Global Economy PART IV: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY; Nicolae Marinescu 31. Setting Up the Common Agricultural Policy 32. The Main Mechanisms of the CAP 33. The Successive Reforms of the CAP 34. The LEADER Initiative for Rural Development 35. The Adoption of the CAP by New Member States 36. The CAP in the Context of the Crisis and the International Environment 37. Future Perspectives for the CAP PART V: CURRENT FEATURES AND PERSPECTIVES OF EU TRADE POLICY; Nicolae Marinescu 38. The Major Steps in the Development of EU Trade Policy 39. The Main Instruments of EU Trade Policy 40. Trade Agreements Concluded by the EU 41. The Relationships between the EU and the World Trade Organization 42. Trade Policy in the New Member States 43. Challenges for EU Trade Policy in the International Context 44. The Future Development of EU Trade Policy PART VI: EU COMMON FISHERIES POLICY; Karen Jackson 45. Introduction 46. Developing a European System of Fisheries Management 47. Common Fisheries Policy Instruments 48. Current Issues and Challenges 49. Summary and Conclusions

About the Author :
Monica Raileanu Szeles works as Associate Professor at Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania and is Associate Researcher at the research institute ESSEN within the Romanian Academy. Her research interests and publications are in the field of economic growth, economic development, poverty and inequality. Nicolae Marinescu is Associate Professor of International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment and European Economic Policies at the Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania with international teaching experience in various EU countries, an ERASMUS Coordinator at the Faculty of Economics, a Jean Monnet European Module holder, a Business Consultant in the private sector and has a PhD in Management. Dr. Laura Haar is Assistant Professor at the University of Manchester, UK, where her teaching and research cover aspects related to industrial policy, international trade and European energy policy. She has published in numerous academic journals including Energy Policy, Business History, Europe-Asia Studies, Journal of Business Ethics and Financial History Review. Dr. Karen Jackson is a Microeconomist with a focus on international trade. She currently works as a Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Bradford, UK. She has also worked for the University of Stirling and University of Sussex as well as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Department for International Development.