ELIAMEP » European Union

Round-table discussion – “Europe in crisis?”, 10/06/2010

viky — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:40:59 +0000

Adopting a systematic approach to economic governance in the EU will secure the viability of the European project. For that, political will is necessary. The economic crisis that the EU is experiencing is a historical occasion that requires immediate political response and it can only lead to two directions, backwards or forwards. Success or failure may depend on the speed and depth of reforms and the capacity of political leaders to articulate a new narrative, as needed in the case of Greece. Overall, however, the economic crisis could turn for the EU into an opportunity to create an even more political union capable of facing systemic challenges.

As Greece is currently found in the cradle of this crisis in Europe and on the occasion of the launch of the Greek translation of the report ‘An EU “fit for purpose” in the global age: can we rise to the challenge?’, the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and the Europe Direct Information Centre at ELIAMEP organised on Thursday 10^th of June an open discussion on ”Europe in crisis?” with the participation of Lord Liddle, Chairman, Policy Network, London; Prof. Jean Pisani-Ferry, Director Bruegel, Brussels; Prof. Andre Sapir, Senior Fellow, Bruegel, Brussels and Prof. Loukas Tsoukalis President of ELIAMEP moderated by Mr. Foivos Karzis, Journalist. The event was held in English at the Amphitheatre “Y. Kranidiotis” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1, Akadimias Str.) {The videos of the discussion are available here}.

A US made crisis turned European

When Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008, many Europeans thought that the EU was in a relatively good shape with a strong currency and an established internal market searching for its position within a global world in which the centre of gravity was shifting to the East. All speakers agreed that as the clouds of the crisis were approaching the European continent no one had foreseen the storm that would come ahead. Nevertheless, the financial crisis came and impacted the real economy in the EU. Member states are facing increased problems in managing their sovereign debts, while as Professor Tsoukalis pointed out, the social and political implications of this complex crisis are yet to be felt. The fundamental question raised here is what are the reasons that led a seemingly American economic crisis turn into a full blown crisis of the EU currency and overall the EU as a political project in its entity?

Causes and responses to the European crisis

In the year 2010 it became clear according to the panelists that the current financial crisis is the trigger that exposed the EU’s preexisting weaknesses rendering its members vulnerable to economic shocks. Professor Sapir stressed the close link between the ill-functioning social model and growing debt. In his view, the persisting NorthWest-SouthEast divide is an inherent problem of the EU as an economic area as a whole worsened by the differences in economic experience such as:

the capital-inflow dependence in the East and
the devaluation method widely used in the South in the past as the only response to the loss of competitiveness, lost and never replaced after the introduction of the Euro.

Moreover Prof. Pisani also stressed that sanctions as predicted in the Stability and Growth Pact are adequate only in cases of gradual debt escalation, which has not been the case neither in Spain, nor Ireland, for example, which moved from a positive growth to minus public debt GDP ratios in a period of two years.

What does Europe need?

There are fundamental problems the EU needs to face. As Lord Liddle pointed out, the consensus that is building up in favour of radical budget cuts and fiscal retrenchment for all European countries, while maybe unavoidable for certain cases like in Greece, is not necessarily the optimal European policy response to the crisis.

There are two parallel levels that need to be tackled:

- on the national level member states have the responsibility to manage their own challenges (fiscal discipline, lack of competitiveness, etc)

- on the other side, at the European level there is a need to open a real discussion on macro-economic policy coordination and to formulate a new policy agenda.

Arguably, according to Professor Pisani Europe’s response to this crisis represents a serious test for its credibility. An EU reform process should be articulated around three main axes:

- Enhance budgetary discipline that includes the need for tax coordination and, rather than cutting back from it, a reformation of the social security model;

- Address the competitiveness issue in the Single Market and

- Put in place a crisis management regime in Europe.

The live broadcast of the discussion was available to watch via

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Irregular migration in Europe: myths and realities

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:53:22 +0000

Irregular Migration in Europe, edited by Anna Triandafyllidou, contributes to our knowledge of the scale and nature of the much discussed but under-researched phenomenon of irregular migration in Europe, whilst improving our understanding of the dynamics of irregular migration and its relation to European societies and economies. Presenting a comparative analysis of the experiences and policies of different EU member states, this book draws on an extensive range sources, many of which have so far been absent from English-language analyses, to offer an overall picture of irregular migration in twelve EU member states.
This volume will be of interest to policy makers and researchers within the fields of migration, sociology and social anthropology, political science, European integration and European studies, political science and public administration.

Title	Irregular migration in Europe: myths and realities
Author	Anna Triandafyllidou
Edition	Ashgate, 2010

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ELIAMEP Thesis 2/2010:EU energy security and Russia: a re-conceptualization of threats and policy priorities

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:28:19 +0000

In the latest issue of ELIAMEP Thesis, Filippos Proedrou, Lecturer of Politics and International Relations in City College, Thessaloniki, argues that while the global economic crisis has overshadowed most policy-making within the Eurozone, energy security remains a major issue, where Russia holds a special weight. The present ELIAMEP Thesis examines the discourse in EU policy-making circles with regard to Russia and its role as a natural gas provider, on the presumption that whilst the oil market is global, natural gas markets are regional. Although LNG creates potential for the creation of a global gas market, gas trade remains, basically, pipeline-bound and shortages can thus not easily be substituted by other sources. Hence, EU-Russia gas trade carries more weight within their bilateral relationship. This essay aims to clarify the misperceptions haunting EU energy policy and to suggest a more rational working framework. Such a re-conceptualization carries with it major revisions for EU energy policy-making.

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Filippos Proedrou, EU energy security and Russia: a re-conceptualization of threats and policy priorities, ELIAMEP Thesis 2/2010, April 2010

Filippos Proedrou

Lecturer of Politics and International Relations in City College, Thessaloniki

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Public Debate in Paris: ‘After Lisbon, how can we reanimate the European project?’

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:22:55 +0000

The French portal on European issues TOUTELEUROPE held jointly with Policy network, Terra Nova, the European Institute of London School of Economics and ELIAMEP (members of the European partner network of the portal TOUTELEUROPE) a public debate entitled ‘After Lisbon: how can we reanimate the European project?’

While the eurozone faces deepest crisis in its history, initiatives such as the ‘EU 2020’ Agenda, the report of the Wisemen’s Committee chaired by Felipe Gonzalez, the Monti Report for public services, can open up perspectives for a new European project.

ELIAMEP President, Professor Loukas Tsoukalis presented the key findings of the report “An EU fit for purpose in the global age: can we rise to the challenge?”, elaborated by Policy Network in partnership with the European Institute of London School of Economics and ELIAMEP.

The full programme of speakers included Walter Veltroni, Former Mayor of Rome, Pierre Moscovici, member of Parliament and Former Minister of European Affairs and James Purnell, Former Minister of Culture, Former Minister of Labour and current member of the British Parliament. Olivier Ferrand, President of Terra Nova, moderated the session.

The discussion took place on Thursday, April 22 between 18.00-20.00 (french time) at Mairie du IIIe arrondissement in Paris.

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Solutions proposed by a Greek Think-Tank for the Kosovo Conundrum

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:23:22 +0000

ELIAMEP’s Working Paper no 7 by Thanos Veremis, ELIAMEP’s Vice President and Professor of History, University of Athens, presents the solutions proposed for the Kosovo Conundrum by the Greek think-tank, The Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), which was one of the first European institutes to deal with the Kosovo problem. A research
project, financed by the Ford Foundation, began in 1995 on conflict prevention in the region involving various Balkan scholars, including Albanians and Serbs.The author argues that the cleavage between the autonomy that the international community was willing to offer the Kosovar Albanians, and the full independence they demanded, could have been bridged by the ELIAMEP proposal of June, 1998. Evangelos Kofos who was responsible for drafting the proposal, introduced a timeframe that would allow a careful transition from one phase to another with a minimum of friction. It is difficult to foresee the full spectrum of consequences that Kosovar independence will generate. In principle it will create a precedent that will make it impossible for Western states to deny self-determination to other candidates under similar circumstances.

Title	Solutions proposed by a Greek Think-Tank for the Kosovo Conundrum
Author	Thanos Veremis
Edition	WP07, April 2010

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We can’t go on like this: Greek debt crisis and the euro

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:26:13 +0000

With a 12.7% deficit for 2009 Greece is not the only country in Europe with a double-digit deficit. However, large deficits and debt, combined with mismanagement and lack of credibility, have produced an explosive mix in the Greek case. In the context of an unregulated global financial system that has run amok, the destabilising factor of market speculation dealing with sovereign credit default swaps has affected other vulnerable eurozone members as well, resulting to the weakening of the euro. While prime responsibility for dealing with the Greek problem lies in Greece and measures will certainly hit hard for the next three years, a credible political leadership will be the key not only within Greece but in the context of the European Union as a whole. Denial or indecision and lack of solidarity can be dangerous for Greece and potentially also for the euro and the European system more generally. The Greek debt crisis may be a precursor of things to come as sovereign debt climbs up everywhere, itself a by-product of the crisis. Now, it is high time for the euro to acquire solid foundations. We needed them yesterday, not in 2020. While this is a difficult project and political odds are against it, the E.U. and the Euro are living proofs that we, Europeans, have done it before.

Title	We can’t go on like this: Greek debt crisis and the euro
Author	Loukas Tsoukalis
Edition	PP01, March 2010

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ELIAMEP Thesis 1/2010: The last chance in Cyprus negotiations and the Turkey-EU relationship

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:12:32 +0000

Although there is a noticeable increase in diplomatic attention regarding the Cyprus problem, there is no substantial progress yet and expectations for a positive outcome remain rather limited. The present paper –the fourth published by ELIAMEP on the Cyprus issue in the last few months, with one more paper to follow soon from a Turkish-Cypriot author – argues that the Turkey-EU relationship is increasingly linked to the settlement of the Cyprus problem. Recent public surveys on the island show that there is still a conducive environment for a compromise solution, but these surveys also indicate that there are strong tendencies towards a two-state solution in the North and a unitary state in the South. Whilst there is still a possibility for a solution, time is running short for a settlement on the island. All actors should realize at this point that time is not on their side; they need to focus more wisely on the time factor and not waste it again.

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Atila Eralp, The Last Chance in Cyprus Negotiations and the Turkey-EU Relationship ELIAMEP Thesis 1/2010, February 2010

Atila Eralp

Director of the Center for European Studies Middle East Technical University in Ankara

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Rescuing the European project: EU legitimacy, governance and security

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:53:07 +0000

Over the next decade the EU must be ready to redefine itself: what its role is as a political entity in a rapidly changing world and how it should reform itself, both internally and externally, in order to overcome and respond to the multifaceted challenges of the global age we now live in. In short, the challenge of making the EU “fit for purpose”. Needless to say, this is where controversy begins: what exactly is the EU’s “purpose” in the 21st century and what kind of reforms are required to render it “fit”? In this volume, leading thinkers and experts provide compelling answers to issues of legitimacy, governance, internal security and migration.

Title	Rescuing the European project: EU legitimacy, governance and security
Author	Olaf Cramme
Edition	Policy network – ELIAMEP – LSE

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After the crisis: A new socio-economic settlement for the EU

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:21:46 +0000

Over the next decade the EU must be ready to redefine itself: what its role is as a political entity in a rapidly changing world and how it should reform itself, both internally and externally, in order to overcome and respond to the multifaceted challenges of the global age we now live in. In short, the challenge of making the EU “fit for purpose”. Needless to say, this is where controversy begins: what exactly is the EU’s “purpose” in the 21st century and what kind of reforms are required to render it “fit”? In this volume, leading thinkers and experts provide compelling answers to issues of economic governance, financial regulation, budget reform, social policy and sustainable growth.

Title	After the crisis: A new socio-economic settlement for the EU
Author	Roger Liddle (ed.)
Edition	Policy network – ELIAMEP – LSE

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The EU in a world in transition: Fit for what purpose?

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:04:49 +0000

Over the next decade the EU must be ready to redefine itself: what its role is as a political entity in a rapidly changing world and how it should reform itself, both internally and externally, in order to overcome and respond to the multifaceted challenges of the global age we now live in. In short, the challenge of making the EU “fit for purpose”. Needless to say, this is where controversy begins: what exactly is the EU’s “purpose” in the 21st century and what kind of reforms are required to render it “fit”? In this volume, leading thinkers and experts provide compelling answers to issues of defence and security, global economic governance, neighbourhood policy, trade, energy and climate change.

Title	The EU in a world in transition: Fit for what purpose?
Author	Loukas Tsoukalis (ed.)
Edition	Policy network – ELIAMEP – 2009

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