Restructuring and employment : the impact of globalisation in the EU : résumé

The debate about Europe's future role and place in a globalised economy is heating up. As international trade intensifies and new players enter the scene, it appears that the world has reached a new stage of economic integration. Economists tell us that such integration through trade will lead to an overall increase in welfare in the long term; however, policymakers and citizens are concerned about the short-term, negative effects - about those losing out from intensified competition in integrated world markets.