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European Political Economy

European Political Economy is concerned with comparison of the relationships between states and markets in Europe as well as the change in these relationships due to economic, monetary and political integration. Research at the European Institute is centred around four themes:

(i) Integration of the Economic and Monetary Union. This theme considers on the one hand, the effects of the single market and the euro on European economies and their governance. On the other hand, it also considers the impact of member state developments on the stability and governance of the Euro area, most recently in light of the ongoing financial and fiscal crisis. 

(ii) Comparative political economy of institutional change. Institute research investigates phenomena of long-term economic, political and social change in Europe, such as the transformation of welfare regimes and production systems.

(iii) Social policy and structural reform in Europe. Staff members study the development of social policies such as pensions, education and health care, and strategies for institutional reforms of diverse social models in Europe. A new area of research is whether and how financial re-regulation of markets after the crisis takes social policy concerns on board.

(iv) Transition, enlargement and regional development in Central and South East Europe. Research covers the political, economic and policy aspects of change in countries inside and outside the European Union, with a particular interest in the EU's impact on this region.

European Political Economy Highlights

Reforming Pensions

NEW PUBLICATION

“Two of the finest minds in the economics profession lucidly explain the theory and practice of pensions. They uncover the various trade-offs in designing and reforming pension systems in an imperfect world. While difficult, good reforms appear to be possible. I wish that this book had been available when I became interested in pensions. It would have saved me a lot of time and energy.”

--Lans Bovenberg, Scientific Director, Netspar, Tilburg University

Publications

Nick Barr (2012)
The Economics of the Welfare State
5th edition, Oxford University Press and Stanford University Press

Iain Begg (2011)
'Prevent or Cure? Dilemmas Facing Economic Governance'
Iain Begg et al (eds) European Economic Governance, Europe in Dialogue 2001/02, Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Foundation

Joan Costa-i-Font (2010)
'Family Ties and the Crowding Out of Long Term Care Insurance'
Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 26(4): 691:712

Claire Gordon [with Will Bartlett and Roberta Benini] (2011)
Measures to Promote the Situation of Roma EU Citizens in the European Union
Study No. PE 432.747, requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberty, Justice and Home Affairs, Brussels

Bob Hancké (2011) 'Varieties of European Capitalism and their Transformation', in: Paul Heywood, Erik Jones, Martin Rhodes and Ulrich Sedelmeier (eds.), Developments in European Politics 2, Palgrave MacMillan

Vassilis Monastiriotis [with George Petrakos] (2010) 'Twenty Years of Economic Transition in the Balkans: transition failures and development challenges'
Southeastern Europe, vol.34 (2), pp.149-169

Waltraud Schelkle (2012) 'Good governance in crisis or a good crisis for governance? A comparison of the EU and the US'
Forthcoming in Review of International Political Economy

Marco Simoni [with Lucio Baccaro] (2010) 'Organizational Determinants of Wage Moderation'
World Politics 62:4