Swedish voters are still reluctant to join the euro. For this situation to change, the EU’s economic and monetary union (EMU) must be able to ensure economic prosperity, writes Karolina Ekholm, Professor in International Economics at Stockholm University. (2022:14epa)

As the EU aims at strengthening the competitivity of European companies, the functioning of the Single Market comes to the fore. Is a more assertive industrial policy compatible with free and fair competition? This question is studied in a volume focusing on the legal instruments that govern the EU’s internal market. (2020:1op)

A much discussed topic in the European Union is how public procurement may be used to support general societal goals, such as good environmental protection. But to what extent is it actually possible for public authorities to use procurement in order to achieve non-economic goals? In this report, the situation in Europe is compared with the one in the United States.

Several EU Member States have developed measures to postpone retirement and prolong working life. In this analysis, the authors highlight the main evolutions in the area, and the current situation of the 50-74 year olds on the labour market in eight European countries.

According to the Europe 2020 strategy, public authorities in the European Union should make better use of public procurement in support of general societal goals such as good environmental protection and social conditions. This analysis discusses the proposal from the European Commission on new procurement rules that will enhance strategic use of public procurement.

Economic growth has been high on the European agenda for quite a while, with initiatives such as the Europe 2020 strategy and, more recently, the Compact for Growth and Jobs. The initiatives are numerous, but they do not necessarily lead to enhanced growth.

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.

The EU has been and remains committed to concluding a comprehensive climate agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In this paper, outcomes of the latest round of negotiations, based on the UNFCCC and held at the Durban Climate Conference (2011), are assessed from the perspective of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, focusing on some critical questions.

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 EU and other concerned parties are now gathered in Durban in order to try to reach an agreement governing emission reductions after 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires. The EU has been a leading actor in the climate negotiations since the 1992 Rio conference.