Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Unified structural adjustment policy in Europe?

  • European Union
  • Published:
Intereconomics

Abstract

Low growth and high unemployment have induced the European Union (EU) to outline an economic programme in which long-term effective growth and structural policy measures play a central role. Simultaneously, the German government adopted an “action programme aiming at more growth and employment”, in which the efforts on the EU level play hardly any role. Is international coordination of growth and structural adjustment policy legitimated from an economic point of view or is competition between national policies more efficient?

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. cf. B. Gahlen et al.: Zur internationalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der deutschen Wirtschaft, Discussion paper No. 19, Science Center Berlin, 1985. For indicators which emphasize supply conditions and national institutions cf. G. Fels: Zum Konzept der internationalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, in: Jahrbuch für Sozialwissenschaft, Vol. 39 (1988), pp. 135–144.

  2. Cf. J. Donges, K.-D. Schmidt et al.: Mehr Strukturwandel für Wachstum und Beschäftigung, Kieler Studien No. 282, 1988.

  3. Cf. Frankfurter Institut für wirtschaftspolitische Forschung: Zwang zum Strukturwandel. Hilfestellung durch Industriepolitik?, in: Argumente zur Wirtschaftspolitik, No. 46, 1993; and Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Essen: Strukturwandel in der Krise. Analyse der strukturellen Entwicklung der deutschen Wirtschaft, RWI-Strukturberichterstattung 1993, Band 1, Gesamtdarstellung, Essen 1993, p. 139ff.

  4. Cf. H. Klodt, K.-D. Schmidt et al.: Weltwirtschaftlicher Strukturwandel und Standortwettbewerb. Die deutsche Wirtschaft auf dem Prüfstand, Kieler Studien, No. 228, 1989; Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft: Zukunftsicherung des Standortes Deutschland, Bonn 1994; and Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft: Forum Zukunftsicherung des Standortes Deutschland, Bonn 1994.

  5. Cf. OECD: Positive Adjustment Policies. Managing Structural Change, Paris 1983, p. 23; and B. Gahlen: Zu den Leitlinien für eine Politik der positiven Strukturanpassung, in: Erfolg und Mißerfolg sektoraler Strukturpolitik, Beihefte der Konjunkturpolitik, Vol. 31 (1985), Berlin, pp. 231ff.

  6. Cf. European Commission: Growth, Competitiveness, Employment. White Paper, Luxernburg 1994. For a critical description of the White Paper cf. G. Stahl: Gibt es eine europäische Antwort auf die Beschäftigungskrise?, in: Wirtschaftsdienst, Vol. 74 (1994), pp. 146–150.

  7. European Commission, ibid., As for macroeconomic and labour market policies, the White Paper policy recommendations for regulation, deregulation and environmental policy are hardly specific. Therefore the following analysis does not concentrate on them. p. 15.

  8. Ibid. European Commission, ibid., As for macroeconomic and labour market policies, the White Paper policy recommendations for regulation, deregulation and environmental policy are hardly specific. Therefore the following analysis does not concentrate on them. p. 15.

  9. ibid., European Commission, ibid., As for macroeconomic and labour market policies, the White Paper policy recommendations for regulation, deregulation and environmental policy are hardly specific. Therefore the following analysis does not concentrate on them. pp. 101f.

  10. Ibid, European Commission, ibid., As for macroeconomic and labour market policies, the White Paper policy recommendations for regulation, deregulation and environmental policy are hardly specific. Therefore the following analysis does not concentrate on them. p. 105.

  11. For more details cf. H. Wagner: Wachstum und Entwicklung. Theorie der Entwicklungspolitik, Munich and Vienna 1993; and Journal of Economic Perspectives, winter 1994.

  12. Cf. P. M. Romer: Increasing Returns and Long-run Growth, in: Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 94 (1986), pp. 1002–1037; R. E. Lucas, jr.: On the Mechanics of Economic Development, in: Journal of Monetary Economics, Vol. 22 (1988), pp. 3–42.

  13. Cf. P. M. Romer: Endogenous Technological Change, in: Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 98 (1990), pp. S71–S102; or P. S. Segerstrom, T. C. A. Anant and E. Dinopoulos: A Schumpeterian Model of the Product Life Cycle, in: American Economic Review, Vol. 80 (1990), pp. 1077–1091.

  14. cf. e.g. G. M. Grossman, E. Helpman: Innovation and Growth in the Global Economy, Cambridge, Mass. 1991, pp. 339ff.

  15. Cf. G. S. Becker et al.: Human Capital, Fertility and Economic Growth, in: Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 98 (1990), pp. 212–237; R. J. Barro: Economic Growth in a Cross-Section of Countries, in: Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 106 (1991), pp. 407–443.

  16. Cf. S. Sinn: Economic Models of Policy-Making in Interdependent Economies: An Alternative View on Competition Among Policies, Institut für Weltwirtschaft Kiel, Working Paper No. 3, 1989.

  17. Cf. e.g. for the energy market H. Eiß, R. Lukes, H. Pick, W. Schulz: Die Ordnung des Elektrizitätsmarktes in der Europäischen Gemeinschaft, Munich 1990. cf. U. Voigt: Ausbau der transnationalen Verkehrsnetze, in: Europartner Information, June 1994, pp. 35ff.

  18. Cf. e.g. G. M. Grossman, E. Helpman: Quality Ladders in the Theory of Growth, in: Review of Economic Studies, Vol. 58 (1991), pp. 43–61.

  19. cf. R. E. Baldwin, P. Krugman: Market Access and International Competition: a Simulation Study of 16K Random Access Memory, in: R. C. Feenstra (ed.): Empirical Methods for International Trade, Cambridge 1987; R. E. Baldwin, H. Flam: Strategic Trade Policies in the Market for 30–40 Seat Commuter Aircraft, Seminar Paper No. 431, Institute for Economic Studies, University of Stockholm 1989.

  20. Cf. R. Weder, H. G. Grubel: The New Growth Theory and Coasean Economics: Institutions to Capture Externalities, in: Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, Vol. 129 (1993), pp. 488–513.

  21. Cf. P. Aghion, P. Howitt: The Schumpeterian Approach to Technical Change and Growth, in: H. Siebert (ed.): Economic Growth in the World Economy, Symposium 1992, Tübingen 1993, pp. 55–76; R. Weder, H. G. Grubel, op. cit. The New Growth Theory and Coasean Economics: Institutions to Capture Externalities, in: Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, Vol.129 (1993), pp. 488–513.

  22. Cf. T. Bayoumi et al.: Structural Reforms and Macroeconomic Adjustment in Industrial Countries, in: International Monetary Fund (ed.): Staff Studies for the World Economic Outlook, Washington D.C., August 1989, pp. 13–64; W. Maennig: Internationale Wirkungen und internationale Koordinierung der Strukturpolitik, in: Konjunkturpolitik, Vol. 37 (1991), pp. 316–330.

  23. Cf. R. Vaubel: Coordination or Competition Among National Macroeconomic Policies?, in: W.Machlup et al. (eds.): Reflections on a Troubled World Economy, London 1983, pp. 3–28.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Hamburg and E.A.P., Berlin, Germany

    Wolfgang Maennig

  2. Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Politik, Hamburg, Germany

    Helmut Wagner

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Maennig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Helmut Wagner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maennig, W., Wagner, H. Unified structural adjustment policy in Europe?. Intereconomics 30, 25–30 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02926358

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02926358

Keywords

Search

Navigation