Category: Economy

Educating Europe: A Story of Shifts and Grand Old Myths

Sotiria Grek Education has been an important, if often unrecognised, means of achieving European integration, writes Sotiria Grek. She argues that the shift of emphasis from a shared high European culture to a standards-based economic mindset reflects the desire of EU leaders to build different kinds of European identity, and that Europe’s current challenges may …

The UK’s EU Referendum – Issues for Business

Owen Kelly The debate around the UK’s upcoming EU referendum will have impacts across society, including on business, writes Owen Kelly. Analysing it against the Scottish independence referendum, he argues that companies must proactively engage in the discussion and make their views clear, or risk being pulled into the debate directly. St David Street, Edinburgh, …

Scottish Minimum Pricing on Alcohol: The Court of Justice Speaks

Arianna Andreangeli In-Depth Analysis The recent EU court preliminary ruling on Scotland’s alcohol minimum pricing illustrates the conflict in EU law between upholding the integrity of the internal market and allowing measures designed to protect public health, writes Arianna Andreangeli. She explains that the case has rested on whether minimum pricing or taxation can better …

Most Read Articles of 2015

Anthony Salamone Since our launch six months ago, European Futures has featured contributions from across the broad range of issues facing Europe today – from the UK’s EU referendum to the Eurocrisis, from the migration crisis to EU-Russia relations. Much more to come from us in the weeks and months ahead. Managing Editor Anthony Salamone …

EU Energy Union: Is There Anything New Under the Sun?

Francesca Batzella The European Commission’s proposal for a European Energy Union is just the latest development in the long history of EU energy policy, writes Francesca Batzella. She suggests that the aims and substance of the Energy Union are broadly a continuation of previous initiatives, and that its greatest innovation may well be its new …

Greece’s Fiscal Crisis: Some Distance Yet to Run

Dermot Hodson The risk of Grexit – Greek exit from the euro area – has diminished after a summer of dramatic political developments, writes Dermot Hodson, but it has not gone away. High debt levels, uncertainty over further debt relief and the outlook for growth and inflation, he argues, point to persistent contradictions over Greece’s …

The Netherlands: An Unexpectedly Turbulent EU Presidency

David Bokhorst Despite hopes for a low-keyed EU presidency next year, the Netherlands will find itself coordinating Council business on the many challenges and crises facing Europe at present, writes David Bokhorst. He argues that, although much of the agenda may be beyond their control, the Dutch will nevertheless pursue their strategic objectives, with a …