European Union
This chapter asks whether and why disadvantage might become entrenched for some groups of natives with a migration background. Using the ad hoc module of the 2014 European Union Labour Force Survey, it compares the over- and underrepresentation in occupational levels of children of immigrants from different origins. In light of prior research, it goes on to pursue possible lines of enquiry to account for entrenchment of disadvantage, demonstrating that it cannot be explained solely by low socio-economic origins. Other potential factors such as differential minority/majority rates of intergenerational mobility, perverse fluidity and replenishment from the countries of origin, grandparental influences and discrimination are then considered. The discussion concludes with a description of the characteristics needed for a data set to eventually furnish conclusive answers.
This paper retraces the Communities external liberalisation efforts, and discusses, where relevant, the repercussions of internal liberalisation on foreign competitors. The aim of the paper is to clarify, and when feasible, to quantify the economic effects of the EU’s trade policies. To this end, it provides an overview of past liberalisation efforts, reviews trade indicators in international comparison and lays out the future trade agenda of the Community. The empirical evidence provided in the paper points to little evidence for trade diversion due to integration in Europe, while trade is likely to have boosted area-wide income significantly. It is openness in general, rather than regional integration, that has favoured growth in Europe ...
This section provides a general overview of the EU system for health and consumer protection, and examines some of the initiatives that the European Commission is currently undertaking to encourage innovation in this area. The first part of the chapter presents a background on some of the challenges we are currently facing including — increasing global food demand, and aging population, hunger, food waste, increasing prices and competitiveness in the food supply chain. The second part identifies some of the initiatives designed to spur innovation through smarter legislative processes and other strategies, launched under the Europe 2020 programme. Finally, there is brief examination of challenges in three areas: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), pesticides, and nanotechnology.
This chapter examines the European Union performance reserve during the 2000-06 programming period. It begins by placing the mechanism in the wider context of EU regional policy and the evolution of monitoring and evaluation at the EU level. It then details the design and implementation of the performance reserve, which attached monetary rewards to the achievement of targets. The case study reveals the political and technical challenges of implementing this mechanism, while also highlighting the learning effects which took place.
Export restrictions on raw materials are applied to achieve a number of policy objectives. However, they can have a significant and negative impact on the efficient allocation of resources, international trade, and the competitiveness and development of industries in both exporting and importing countries.
By diverting exports to domestic markets, export restrictions raise prices for foreign consumers and importers. At the same time, by reducing domestic prices in the applying countries and increasing global uncertainty concerning future prices, export restrictions negatively affect investment, thus potentially reducing the overall supply of raw materials in the long term. In view of existing alternative policy tools that have a different impact on trade, the effectiveness of export restrictions to achieve stated policy objectives should be carefully reviewed.
This publication presents a selection of papers discussed at the OECD Workshop on Raw Materials, held in Paris in October 2009. This workshop was organised in response to the growing concern on the use of export restrictions on raw materials, particularly by emerging economies.
Demographic projections for the EU27 point unequivocally to a growing shortage of young graduates, which will become increasingly pronounced as the decade continues. In theory, selective immigration could fill part of the corresponding labour needs. However, against the prospect of developing selective immigration based on the level of education, it is important to note that the distribution of immigrants by level of education does not appear very favourable, since there is still very heavy overrepresentation of the lowest level of education. In addition, the ability of immigration to help manage demographic challenges depends more on the architecture of the host countries, in terms of integration and non-discriminatory deployment, than on the characteristics of the immigrants themselves.
This article analyses the innovation agenda of the European Union (EU), places it in the context of globalisation and explores its foundation in the theoretical innovation systems perspective. It analyses a number of the central policy domains of this agenda: higher education, doctoral education, research and knowledge transfer.
In the second part of the article, some major challenges of the EU innovation agenda for European higher education and research are discussed. These challenges concern: future shortages of higher education graduates, the issue of access and equity, limited world-class research excellence, the need to further increase knowledge transfer efforts, the lack of private funding in higher education and research, and the processes of academic stratification and regional differentiation.
Programme-cadre de l’UE en matière d’innovation : les défis de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche en Europe
Cet article propose une analyse du programme-cadre de l’UE (Union européenne) pour l’innovation, qu’il place dans le contexte de la mondialisation et dont il explore les fondements à la lumière des systèmes d’innovation théoriques. Il examine différents domaines politiques fondamentaux constituant ce programme-cadre : l’enseignement supérieur, les thèses de doctorat, la recherche et le transfert des connaissances.
Dans une seconde partie, l’article propose une réflexion sur plusieurs défis importants qui attendent ce programme-cadre sur l’innovation pour l’enseignement supérieur et la recherche en Europe : la pénurie future de diplômés de l’enseignement supérieur, la question de l’accès et de l’équité, le niveau d’excellence limité de la recherche à l’échelle mondiale, la nécessité d’accroître les efforts liés au transfert des naissances, le manque de financement privé dans l’enseignement supérieur et la recherche, et les processus de stratification académique et de différentiation régionale.
The renewed interest in nuclear energy which is taking place within the wider framework of unabated growth in energy demand and consequential concerns with both security of supply and climate change, raises issues and calls for answers that go well beyond that context. Indeed, besides short and medium-term considerations and challenges, however important they indeed are, what is at stake might fundamentally be the peaceful future of international relations in the long-term.
This paper analyses what has been the EU institutional reaction to the Euro-area sovereign debt problems, focusing in particular on the new architecture designed to avert a financial crisis. It analyses i) the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM), an EU financial assistance feature available to all 27 member states; ii) the European Financial Stabilisation Facility (EFSF), a temporary credit-enhanced Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with minimal capitalisation created to raise funds from the capital markets (via an investment grade rating) and to provide financial assistance to distressed euroarea Member States (EAMS) at comparatively lower interest rates; and iii) the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), an intergovernmental organisation under public international law. Finally, some concluding remarks are provided.
This paper summarizes the content of the EC’s internal market programme and progress made in its implementation. It analyses the mechanisms which should lead to welfare gains, and reviews a wide variety of micro- and macroeconomic indicators in order to ascertain whether integration has proceeded since the mid-1980s. Policy issues, which are more or less closely linked to the success of the internal market, are also addressed here ...