An Agenda for a Growing Europe The Sapir Report

by Sapir, André; Aghion, Philippe; Bertola, Giuseppe; Hellwig, Martin; Pisani-Ferry, Jean; Rosati, Dariusz; Viñals, José

• ISBN13: 9780199271498
• ISBN10: 0199271496
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-06
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Over the past decade European economic integration has seen considerable institutional success, but the economic performance of the EU has been varied. While macroeconomic stability has improved and an emphasis on cohesion preserved the EU economic system has not delivered satisfactory growth performance. This book is the report of a high-level group commissioned by the President of the European Commission to review the EU economic system and propose a blueprint for an economic system capable of delivering faster growth along with stability and cohesion. It assesses the EU's economic performance, examines the challenges facing the EU in the coming years, and presents a series of recommendations.

Author Biography

Andre Sapir is Professor of Economics at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and a member of the Group of Policy Advisers at the European Commission. Philippe Aghion, Harvard University Giuseppe Bertola, Universita di Torino and European University Institute Martin Hellwig, Universitat Mannheim Jean Pisani-Ferry, Universite Paris-Dauphine Dariusz Rosati, Szkola Glowna Handlowa w Warszawie and Narodowy Bank Polski Jose Vinals, Banco de Espan Helen Wallace, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, and Sussex European Institute Marco Buti, Group of Policy Advisers, European Commission Mario Nava, Group of Policy Advisers, European Commission
Peter Smith, Group of Policy Advisers, European Commission

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xi
List of Tables	xii
List of Boxes	xiii
Composition of the Group	xiv
1. Overview	1	(8)
1.1. Assessment	2	(2)
1.2. Challenges	4	(1)
1.3. Recommendations	5	(4)
2. A conceptual framework	9	(8)
2.1. On policy coherence	10	(3)
2.2. A perspective on economic policies in the European Union	13	(4)
Part I. Assessment	17	(96)
3. Policy implementation	19	(8)
3.1. Growth	19	(3)
3.2. Macroeconomic stability	22	(1)
3.3. Cohesion	23	(1)
3.4. The budget	24	(3)
4. Economic performance: Growth, stability, and cohesion	27	(57)
4.1. Growth	27	(23)
4.2. Macroeconomic stability	50	(18)
4.3. Cohesion	68	(16)
5. Economic trade-offs	84	(8)
5.1. Trade-offs among objectives	84	(5)
5.2. Growth and the trade-offs	89	(3)
6. Economic governance in the EU	92	(23)
6.1. The issue	92	(1)
6.2. Current patterns of economic governance within the European Union	93	(5)
6.3. Economic governance: An evolving agenda	98	(10)
6.4. Where are the governance fault lines?	108	(2)
6.5. Conclusions	110	(3)
Part II. Challenges	113	(34)
7. Is the European model sustainable?	115	(7)
7.1. A good start	115	(1)
7.2. New challenges	116	(2)
7.3. The road ahead	118	(1)
7.4. Facing the dilemma	119	(3)
8. Making a bigger Europe work	122	(21)
8.1. Implications for growth and cohesion	123	(9)
8.2. Implications for macroeconomic stability	132	(4)
8.3. Implications for European Union governance	136	(7)
9. Europe and the world	143	(4)
9.1. Wider Europe-neighbourhood	143	(2)
9.2. Wider world	145	(2)
Part II. Recommendations	147	(59)
10. Principles	149	(8)
10.1. Assessing past performance	149	(1)
10.2. The challenges ahead	149	(1)
10.3. Rethink the European Union economic system	150	(1)
10.4. Redesign policies	150	(1)
10.5. Revise modes of delivery; Governance methods and the budget	151	(3)
10.6. An agenda for a growing Europe	154	(3)
11. Policies for promoting growth	157	(26)
11.1. A dynamic Single Market	158	(3)
11.2. Boosting investment in knowledge	161	(3)
11.3. Improving Economic and Monetary Union's macroeconomic policy framework	164	(12)
11.4. Convergence and restructuring an enlarged European Union	176	(7)
12. Modes of delivery: Governance methods and the budget	183	(23)
12.1. Achieving effectiveness in the governance of the European Union	183	(14)
12.2. Mobilising the European Union, budget	197	(9)
References	206	(9)
Index	215