Number of results to display per page
Search Results
312. A Statistical Analysis of the Quality of Impact Assessment in the European Union
- Author:
- Caroline Cecot, Robert Hahn, and Andrea Renda
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- In 2002, the European Union required that an impact assessment be done for all major initiatives, including many regulations, directives, decisions, and communications. This paper is the first paper to statistically analyze these impact assessments using the largest available dataset. As a benchmark, we compare our results in the EU with recent results on the quality of regulatory analysis in the U.S. We score impact assessments using a number of objective measures of quality, such as whether a particular assessment provides any quantitative information on costs or benefits, and use the scores to develop two indices of quality.
- Topic:
- Economics, Government, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Europe
313. Contemporary Chinese Views of Europe
- Author:
- Karine Lisbonne-de Vergeron
- Publication Date:
- 11-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Chatham House
- Abstract:
- Undoubtedly, the Chinese currently think of Europe, and of the European Union, primarily in economic terms. Since 2004, the EU has been China's first trading partner, accounting for 15% of its overall external trade in 2006, with a bilateral increase of 25% from 2005. Overall, bilateral trade between China and the EU has increased more than sixty-fold since 1978 to reach nearly €255 billion in 2006. In return, China is the EU's second largest trading partner, after the United States, and in 2006 became the largest source of EU imports, amounting to approximately €192 billion, or 14.4% of the total, a 21% increase from 2005. Over the same period, EU exports to China increased by 23% to approximately €63 billion.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, International Political Economy, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Europe, and Asia
314. Growth and Responsibility: A Review of Business Action for Africa between the UK and German G8 Presidencies 2005-7
- Author:
- Richard Reeve
- Publication Date:
- 06-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Chatham House
- Abstract:
- In March 2005 the report of the Commission for Africa called for a sea change in the way the business community engaged in the development process in Africa. The G8 Gleneagles summit that July made a series of commitments on boosting African development, while in London a new international network was launched to bring G8 and African business leaders together to build on the momentum of the Commission and the UK's dual G8 and EU presidencies. Business Action for Africa (BAA) declared its aims as: to present a clear African and international business voice to promote growth and poverty reduction; to promote more positive, balanced perceptions of Africa; and to develop and showcase good business practice.
- Topic:
- International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Russia, United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and Germany
315. Economic Survey of Greece, 2007
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- Growth performance over the last decade has been among the best in the OECD, though a precise calibration is not yet possible following the recent revisions to GDP data. High growth has been driven by a range of factors, some of which are transitory. It is particularly encouraging that growth has been sustained over the last two years, despite substantial fiscal consolidation, mainly being driven by investment and exports. However, significant further reforms are needed to ensure that good performance is sustained in the years to come. It is imperative to use this period of strong performance to tackle remaining weaknesses in product and labour markets and move fiscal policy further towards a sustainable position by vigorous continued consolidation and pension reform. The key challenge, in terms of political economy, is to manage the required reforms in a context where society may be unduly complacent because the “good times” appear to be continuing.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Greece
316. Economic Survey of Italy, 2007
- Publication Date:
- 06-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- A welcome economic recovery is under way in Italy. In part, this reflects the cyclical upswing in the rest of Europe, but there are also early signs of a more fundamental improvement, notably in terms of export and labour market performance. Even so, medium-term prospects remain challenging: Total factor productivity shows little signs of resurgence, high public indebtedness threatens fiscal sustainability and population ageing looms large. Without further reforms to restore economic dynamism, living standards will be dragged down relative to other countries. This Survey discusses policies undertaken by the government to address these challenges, notably to boost competition on product markets, achieve fiscal sustainability and make fiscal federalism work – all in support of growth and adjustment.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Italy
317. EU Commercial Policy in a Multipolar Trading System
- Author:
- Simon Evenett
- Publication Date:
- 04-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Abstract:
- In recent years, the bipolar multilateral trading system of the post-war years has given way to a multipolar alternative. Although many specifics have yet to be determined, some contours of this new trade policy landscape are coming into focus and in this short paper I examine their implications for the European Union's external commercial policy. Particular attention is given to both the state of business-government relations and the propensity to liberalise under the auspices of reciprocal trade agreements by Brazil, India, and China; the potential new poles of the world trading system. I consider the likely consequences of these developments, plus factors internal to both the European Union and the United States, for the possible con-tent of future multilateral trade initiatives.
- Topic:
- Development, Government, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Europe, India, and Brazil
318. The Soviet Collapse: Grain and Oil
- Author:
- Yegor Gaidar
- Publication Date:
- 04-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
- Abstract:
- In the summer of 2002, after the Russian government introduced the flat income tax, completed fiscal reforms, created the Stabilization Fund, and introduced land reform in Russia, I had a premonition that the window of opportunity for further reforms would be closing for a number of years. I was correct in my prediction.
- Topic:
- Economics, Energy Policy, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, Asia, and Soviet Union
319. Austria's Deepening Economic Integration with Central and Eastern Europe
- Author:
- Rina Bhattacharya
- Publication Date:
- 08-2007
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Abstract:
- The Austrian economy has benefited substantially from the expansion of economic ties with Central and Eastern Europe, which has provided a significant boost to growth, productivity, competitiveness, profits and (more controversially) aggregate employment. Indeed, among the older EU member states, Austria has benefited the most from the transition of the Central and Eastern European countries from planned economies to market economies, and the subsequent entry into the EU of the ten new member states, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, in 2004. However, important segments of the population in Austria, and in particular low-skilled and semi-skilled workers in the manufacturing sector, appear to have been adversely affected by these developments. There is thus a need for policy measures to help those segments of the workforce that have had difficulty coping with growing competition from Central and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, more can be done to make Austria a more attractive location for highly skilled and well qualified expatriate workers and to maintain Vienna’s position as a central hub for multinationals operating in the region. These include, in particular, the need to strengthen eastern transportation links and to reduce to a minimum bureaucratic hurdles and red tape for foreign enterprises seeking to operate out of Vienna.
- Topic:
- International Trade and Finance, Regional Cooperation, Economic Cooperation, and Financial Stability
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Eastern Europe, Austria, and Central Europe
320. European Financial System Governance
- Author:
- Karel Lannoo
- Publication Date:
- 06-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies
- Abstract:
- Much has been achieved in upgrading and integrating the 'governance' of the European financial system in recent years. In parallel with the successful adoption of the Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP), the EU managed to reform its regulatory structure, extending what was proposed by the Lamfalussy Committee for securities markets in early 2001 to banking and insurance. The EU thus created permanent committees of securities, banking and insurance supervisors (the 'Level 3 Committees' – CESR, CEBS and CEIOPS). This rapid reform demonstrated that national authorities were capable of overcoming domestic biases, adapting the supervisory structure, and instituting a much greater degree of supervisory cooperation than had existed previously.
- Topic:
- Economics and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- Europe