Structural challenges for Europe

Contents:

+ Introduction: Structural Reform and Competitiveness – the Position and Future of an Integrated Europe Foreword
Klaus Liebscher

Part I: Structural Reforms and Competitiveness: Where Does Europe Stand Today?

Part II: Financial Sector Development

Part III: Financing of Enlargement and Catching Up

Part IV: Social Security Reform

Part V: Taxes and Benefits/Fiscal Structures

Part VI: Enterprise Sector Reform/Network Industries

Part VII: The Adequate Policy Mix

Part VIII: Looking into the Future – Europe’s Position in the World Economy in 2020 IndexAbstract:

The main thrust of the book is that the sharing of mutual experiences is important for generating an acceptable policy mix, both at EU and national levels. The contributors highlight key financial issues, including the role of FDI and of foreign banks in the still ‘under-banked’ acceding countries, the re-launch of social security systems and the fiscal challenges of financing the catch-up process. They also examine the ongoing EU debate surrounding the application of the Stability and Growth Pact in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) and go on to explore the contrasting evidence that some CEECs have shown more extensive privatisation efforts than some EU countries.

Published in Association with Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Austria