Prof. David Farrell of SPIRe and the Dublin European Institute discusses the large and important variation in the electoral systems that will be in use for the European Parliament elections this May. Check it out on our sister blog here
Monthly Archives: February 2014
Cutting taxes is a largely ineffective strategy for attracting foreign investment.
Dr. Aidan Regan of SPIRe on the effects of tax policy on attracting foreign investment: The eurozone crisis has hastened the move toward increased fiscal integration among member-states, reflected in the fiscal stability pact, and the proposed measures for a centralised authority to monitor national budgetary decisions. This move toward a fiscal union is widelyContinue reading “Cutting taxes is a largely ineffective strategy for attracting foreign investment.”
Countries which intervene most often in negotiations over EU legislation tend to have the least bargaining success.
The Laeken Declaration states that: “[T]he European project . . . derives its legitimacy from democratic, transparent and efficient institutions.” Negotiations aimed at revising EU transparency legislation (Regulation 1049/2001) began in 2008, but since December 2012 are at an impasse. These negotiations are important because the outcome will govern how the public can access records relatingContinue reading “Countries which intervene most often in negotiations over EU legislation tend to have the least bargaining success.”
Europe’s ‘structural reform’ agenda is little more than a fairytale
Dr. Aidan Regan blogs about structural reforms as a response to the Eurozone crisis: There are four actors who have dominated the political and policy response to the Eurozone crisis: the executive of the German Federal Republic, now a super majority between the Christian and Social Democrats, Finance Ministers who make up the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) ofContinue reading “Europe’s ‘structural reform’ agenda is little more than a fairytale”
Transparency in the Council of the European Union has increased over the last decade, but only for the least controversial negotiations
The Laeken Declaration states that: “[T]he European project . . . derives its legitimacy from democratic, transparent and efficient institutions.” Negotiations aimed at revising EU transparency legislation (Regulation 1049/2001) began in 2008, but since December 2012 are at an impasse. These negotiations are important because the outcome will govern how the public can access records relatingContinue reading “Transparency in the Council of the European Union has increased over the last decade, but only for the least controversial negotiations”
The Brussels Insider 