Structural Economic Change and the European Union: Winners, losers and public policy options

This report is about the economic effects of ‘globalisation’ in the European Union, and how the European Commission and countries in the EU should respond to it.

It examines the extent and nature of recent structural economic changes to the EU’s economies and attempts to identify who the main ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ from global economic integration are in the EU. It then goes on to assess the effectiveness of recent initiatives at the European Community level aimed at improving Europe’s economic performance and responding to the challenges posed by increased global economic integration. Finally, it offers recommendations for how EU policymakers can maximise the benefits from globalisation while minimising its side-effects.