• Policy brief by Katinka Barysch, 03 October 2003

    The stability and growth pact – the EU’s fiscal rule book – is in tatters. The eurozone’s largest countries, Germany and France, are in breach of the pact, having exceeded the 3 per cent of GDP limit for budget deficits in 2002 and 2003. Theyare likely to do so again in 2004, possibly alongside Portugal and Italy.

  • Bulletin article by Katinka Barysch, 01 October 2003

    Europeans are right to worry about their economy. Forecasters think that the eurozone economy will grow by a paltry 0.5 per cent this year. But the real problem is that Europe's sluggish performance is part of a long-term trend.

  • Report by David Willetts, 05 September 2003

    US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was onto something when he classified the current EU countries as 'old Europe'. Germany, France and Italy together will have more than 70 million people over 60 in 2040. The fact that Europeans are leading longer, healthier lives is to be welcomed.

  • Working paper by Alasdair Murray, 05 September 2003

    Als sich im März 2000 die EU-Staatschefs zum Gipfel in Lissabon versammelten, schien Europas Wirtschaft am Anfang eines neuen goldenen Zeitalters zu stehen. Die Wachstumsraten waren die höchsten seit nahezu einem Jahrzehnt.

  • Report by Alasdair Murray, 11 July 2003

    Europe wants faster growth. But it also wants social fairness and a healthy environment. This is why companies in the EU are under growing pressure to broaden their focus from pure profits to policies of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

  • Briefing note by Katinka Barysch, 06 June 2003

    The British government predicts that joining the euro would boost domestic investment, employment and growth – provided the economic conditions are right. It has promised to implement measures to ensure that Britain will benefit from the euro.

  • Policy brief by Katinka Barysch, 07 March 2003

    The economies of the new member-states are too small to have much impact on the current EU. The EU as a whole has gained from enlargement and will continue to do so. But labour intensive industries and border regions will have to cope with increased competition.

  • Policy brief by Katinka Barysch, 03 January 2003

    By most measures, the euro’s first year been a success. Doomsayers had predicted that the currency changeover would cause mayhem on European highstreets, long queues in front of cash machines and a wave of crime and forgery. In the event, the participating countries adapted to the new currency quickly and smoothly.