Economic Impact Of Eu Membership On Entrants

As part of its EU strategy, the Swiss government commissioned several research projects covering the most important aspects of economic integration. Given the interesting results and the wealth of methods used in these studies we decided to organize a conference on the topic of 'The Economic Impact of EU Membership on Entrants: New Methods and Issues". The idea was to use the work on Switzerland as a case study for discussing modern approaches on how to assess the economic effects of joining an integration zone. This seemed to us to be a topic of considerable interest for the rising number of prospective EU-member countries. The response was very favourable with many eminent scholars agreeing to contribute. The conference took place in Lausanne, Switzerland in October 1999 and the papers submitted together with the discussions are published in this volume. We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and to thank the University of Lausanne for providing the venue facilities for the conference. Many persons helped in the preparation of the conference and this volume but we would like to especially mention Marc Surchat who provided substantial input for the conference and Walter Brodmann who very efficiently reviewed and finalized the manuscript. The Editors RICHARD E. BALDWIN AND A YMO BRUNETTI THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EU MEMBERSHIP ON ENTRANTS: NEW METHODS AND ISSUES INTRODUCTION What a transformation Europe has witnessed in the past 15 years.

"Prime Minister Blair often claims that 60 percent of the UK's trade and three million job 'depend on' EU membership. In fact, 48 percent of UK exports of goods and services go to the EU. Moreover, nearly 80 percent of our economy is the result of domestic activity, involving buying from and selling to each other. The export of goods and services to the rest of the world account for another 11 percent, and only ten percent is the result of exporting to the EU. In any event, the jobs currently resulting from trade with the EU would not be lost if we left. A number of authoritative studies have found that leaving the EU would have little impact on employment. The balance of the costs and benefits of UK membership of the EU is unequivocally negative. The net costs are substantial. The current recurring annual direct net cost to the UK of EU membership is estimated to range between approximately three and five percent of the GDP, with a 'most likely' figure of four percent of the GDP, equivalent to 40 billion per year. Within the 'most likely' 40 billion, 20 billion is the direct net cost of EU regulation to the UK economy - annually. A further 15 billion is the direct net cost to the UK economy of the Common Agricultural Policy. Another 5 billion is the annual cash subsidy that the UK pays to 'Brussels' through the EU budget. The current heavy burden of direct net economic cost - four percent of GDP - will not get lighter in the future. At best it will get no worse. The gloomy prognosis for the future is due partly to measures already in the EU pipeline, starting with the EU Constitution and enlargement, and partly to the UK being locked into a regional bloc in marked long-term decline. On a global view, the EU model of conducting trade, via a tightly-regulated customs union, is outmoded. The world outside the EU, with a superior trading and economic performance, tends to choose interlocking networks of user-friendly free trade agreements. These deliver the same benefits that EU members derive from the single market, but with very few of the costs."

This compelling volume, from the Centre for Economic Policy Research, examines the discussion surrounding expansion of the European Union (EU). The contributors address the key issues in the debate, including the implications of expansion for the global trading system, enlargement-related pressures to reform EU decision-making, and the economic consequences of membership for entrants. Using theoretical techniques to report results and insights, this book not only sheds light on the consequences of Austria, Finland and Sweden joining the EU, but also discusses and evaluates the possible membership of Central European ex-socialist countries. This is an important book for students and scholars interested in regional integration, and also for policy-makers in the new EU member countries and in applicant countries.

What purpose does the EU serve? Why and how was it set up? How does it work? What has it already achieved for its citizens, and what new challenges does it face today? In a globalised world, can the EU compete successfully with other major economies while maintaining its social standards? How can immigration be managed? What will Europe’s role be on the world stage in the years ahead? Where will the EU’s boundaries be drawn? And what future is there for the euro? These are just some of the questions explored by EU expert Pascal Fontaine in this 2017 edition of his popular booklet Europe in 12 lessons. Pascal Fontaine is a former assistant to Jean Monnet and former professor at the Institut d’Études Politiques, Paris.

It is rare for countries to give up their currencies and thus their ability to influence such critical aspects of their economies as interest and exchange rates. Yet ten years ago a number of European countries did exactly that when they adopted the euro. Despite some dissent, there were a number of arguments in favor of this policy change: it would facilitate exchange of goods, money, and people by decreasing costs; it would increase trade; and it would enhance efficiency and competitiveness at the international level. A decade is an ideal time frame over which to evaluate the success of the euro and whether it has lived up to expectations. To that aim, Europe and the Euro looks at a number of important issues, including the effects of the euro on reform of goods and labor markets; its influence on business cycles and trade among members; and whether the single currency has induced convergence or divergence in the economic performance of member countries. While adoption of the euro may not have met the expectations of its most optimistic proponents, the benefits have been many, and there is reason to believe that the euro is robust enough to survive recent economic shocks. This volume is an essential reference on the first ten years of the euro and the workings of a monetary union.

Now in its 5th edition, the Economics of European Integration guides students through the facts, theories and controversies surrounding the dynamics of European economics. With clear and comprehensive discussions about European history, law, institutions, politics and policies, students are encouraged to explore and analyse the contemporary status of integration within the European Union. Designed for students taking modules in European economics, the text provides in-depth analysis of economics arguments with examples, illustrations and questions to help bring this thought-provoking subject to life.

The Fifth Enlargement that took place in 2004 and 2007 was a milestone in the history of the European Union. Not only because of the large number of acceding countries but also because of their recent political and economic experience. Ten of them had undergone a profound transition from a totalitarian regime to democracy, and from a centrally planned economy to a market-based system. Most of them had income levels signi?cantly below those of the then EU-15. Now, 6 years later, we can clearly see that the process of European integration, both before and after 2004, was what enabled Europe to overcome the gaps between various parts of the continent. The enlargement made Europe a better and wealthier place and streng- ened its position in the world. Integration into the European Union has always been one of the strongest incentives for reform in the new Member States. Particularly important in my view have been the development of ?nancial markets through foreign direct investment and capital in?ows, and the opening of labour markets – which was a two-way phenomenon, with markets being opened up in acceding as well as the incumbent Member States. The Fifth Enlargement was thus an exercise of glo- lisation in miniature, a practice run for the Union to tackle the challenges of the ever smaller world.