This paper analyzes two channels of business cycle convergence, which are subsequently applied to the EU acceding countries. First, trade intensity and intra-industry trade is found to induce a convergence of business cycles. This finding confirms the OCA endogeneity hypothesis. Second, labor...

When firms locate segments of their production process abroad we are in presence of international fragmentation of production. This paper discusses the issue both theoretically and empirically. We first assess the absence of a well-articulated and verified theoretical framework to explain the...

State weakness has come to be recognized as a key problem for the transformations in a number of Eastern European countries, particularly those East and South of enlargement. This paper addresses the issue firstly by asking how state capacity can be assessed and observed empirically, and...

Normative discourses on the European institutional set-up have paid attention to both vertical and horizontal decentralism. Decentralism refers to the respect of the autonomy of lower or smaller decision-making levels, the procedures privileging these decision-making levels (subsidiarity), and...

The transatlantic fight that erupted in late 2002 and early 2003 over the war in Iraq was no freak conjunction of unrelated dynamic systems that whirled out of control. The rupture was a real test of the new Pax Americana and the new hegemonic style of the United States-but that style itself was...

This paper explores the conflict of real and monetary convergence during the EMU run-up of the future Central and Eastern European (CEE) EU member states. Based on a Balassa-Samuelson model of productivity driven inflation, it compares the policy options which might make the compliance possible,...

This paper seeks to give a thorough grasp of the migration policy of the EU, specifically the measures and policies connected directly with the countries of origin and transit of immigrants. The purpose is to identify what the most suitable external components of the migration policy should be...

The regulation of media markets at the national level is under severe pressure, due to technological change, the existence of open markets, and international competition. The European Union's Television Without Frontiers (1989) Directive provided a framework which facilitated regulatory...

The paper proposes some hypotheses about the way in which the EU contributes via its MEDA Programme to the promotion of intra-regional economic co-operation among Mediterranean non-member countries. It argues that MEDA is indeed an important political and economic measure to create favourable...

There is a widespread view that Franco-American relations have been consistently difficult at least since the presidency of Charles de Gaulle, but not so difficult as to prevent the two countries from joining together in times of crisis. However, after having simmered for years, the current...