The financial crisis has shattered the confidence of economic agents in the banking system. In order to prevent future crises, the reasons for banks’ excessive risk taking have to be understood.
How is consumer interest representation, at both national and EU level, affected by European integration? How can the consumers´ influence in Europe be strengthened, and to what extent is it facilitated by the EU consumer policy? Finally, do the developments at national level affect the consumers’ political participation at the EU level? In this analysis, Paolo Graziano examines the EU consumers’ strategy with regard to its capacity to increase the role of consumers in the domestic and EU decision making. He illustrates the evolution of consumer interest groups both in the EU and nationally, looking specifically at the case of Italy.
The lessons learned from the banking panics preceding World War II had been all but forgotten when the financial crisis erupted five years ago. This European Policy Analysis advocates two reforms to reduce the likelihood of another financial calamity.
The United Kingdom is one of the European Union’s more reluctant members. A domestic debate has indeed started on EU competences, and a possible referendum on membership.
The EU has only in recent years adopted legislation in the field of nuclear safety. This legislation is not very far-reaching, and it largely replicates international conventions in the field.
Professor Christopher Lord, author of the present report On the Legitimacy of Monetary Union argues that both economists and political scientists have often failed to ask one of the most central questions, namely whether the monetary union can be considered legitimate.
The Council of the European Union is certainly the most powerful institution of the European Union, as a major Community legislator – alone or with the European Parliament – and as an executive body. Still, there is only limited knowledge of the Council’s decision-making and how the Council reaches an agreement.
The political consequences of the euro crisis are considerabe. The role of the Eurogroup has been strengthened, with a corresponding widening of the gap between the Eurozone and other EU Member States.
In March 2012, the European Commission presented two legislative proposals in the field of posting of workers, which constitute a response to the intense debate following the CJEU’s rulings in the Laval quartet. The first proposal, the Monti II-Regulation, attempts to clarify the relationship between the right to take collective action and the economic freedoms, while the second one, the Enforcement Directive, aims at improving the enforcement of the Posting of Workers Directive, through equally ensuring workers’ rights and enhancing cross-border services by reducing employers’ administrative burdens.
The Swedish model of Government administration – with independent authorities and a comparatively small Government Office – differs from the model common in most other EU member states. Whether the Swedish model is appropriate in the context of the EU has therefore been a topic of discussion since Sweden became a member of the European Union