Report on the State of the European Union - Volume 1

This yearly report aims to examine and monitor process of European integration, and analyses the growing role played by EU institutions (Parliament, Council, Commission, Court of Justice) in shaping - through several legislative instruments - the rules governing an increasing number of sectors of the European economy. Itt is a rigorous, albeit non-technical, analysis of a wide range of topics, from the Euro takeoff to competition policy, from the diffusion of the principle of mutual recognition to the consequences of the EU "enlargement" towards Central-Eastern Europe. The report is written in an accessible way focusing on different topics each year depending upon their relevance and current importance. It will be a useful resource for academics and policymakers, journalists, and government advisors.

PART 1: DEMOCRACY AND LEGITIMACY Democracy and Legitimacy and Political Representation in the EU Institutions Overruled Europa: Market vs. Democracy in the EU PART 2: CONVERGENCE AND COHESION The Mirages of Nominal Illusion: Variations on Convergence Regional Differentials and Cohesion Policies in the European Union PART 3: MACROECONOMIC POLICIES The Conduct of Macroeconomic Policies in the Euro Asia The European Policy Mix: Law and Order PART 4: SOCIAL INTEGRATION European Indicators for Social Cohesion: A Step Forward Along the Lisbon Path From Tax Competition to Social Race to the Bottom? European Models and the Challenge of Mobility