Previous Amigos

The European Single Market guarantees freedom of movement for all EU citizens: the right to settle, work or study in any member country is one of the major accomplishments of European integration. Yet three years after the latest enlargement, various protectionist trends are asserting themselves as welfare reform is accelerating. Is immigration a boon to labour markets or rather a strain on social systems? Is foreign labour creating ‘social dumping’ and exploitation of workers?

Philippe Legrain (UK) is the author of the best-selling Immigrants : your country needs them. He explains why, despite efforts to build Fortress Europe, EU politicians should admit that governments cannot stop people moving across borders, and why it is counterproductive to do so.

Instead of aspiring to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, the EU member countries should be more modest. They should aspire to be better prepared to compete in the global knowledge economy by fundamentally strengthening key areas that currently impinge on its innovative output. Competition policy is a means to an end: promoting innovation, consumer choice, competitive prices and more efficient allocations of resources in general. The execution does not come at the expense of other policies that seek to maintain the same objectives. Therefore, Article 82 should be used in a manner consistent with other fundamental issues under the EC Treaty, such as Article 3 and Article 157 (competitiveness, innovation and technological utilisation).

In 2005 the European Union adopted the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in an attempt to provide economic incentives for reducing pollution. The ETS is being closely watched as the first serious international attempt at a carbon-trading system.
However, ETS has considerable limitations. It is very difficult and extremely expensive to assess emissions. ETS currently excludes agriculture and transportation from its remit. Accordingly, the UK has implemented a carbon tax on aeroplane tickets, introducing the possibility of some types of carbon emissions being traded on a European level while others are taxed on a national level. Many have argued that ETS subsidises polluters and as a barrier to entry for new firms in carbon-intensive industries.
Despite its difficulties, ETS is the obvious model, both for other jurisdictions looking to implement carbon trading, and for whatever system will replace Kyoto when the accord expires in 2008. So, is ETS a good example to follow?

Globalised markets: a positive for proponents of the free market; a source of social evils to the opponents. The debate is often confused in terms of winners and losers. What is the real impact of the integration of formerly poor, yet huge economies such as China and India into the world economy?

Far from being a threat to growth in the West, the issue requires clarification and proper assessment.

Charles Gave, CEO of a global financial analysis firm and an eminent analyst with extensive experience of international fund management, will interpret the trends of financial innovation and explain the positive impacts of market integration.

Almost unthinkable 20 years ago, Sweden has seen rapid development of free schools in the past decade. Thanks to a voucher reform launched in 1993, anybody has the right to start pre-schools, primary, secondary and high schools. Money follows the pupil and schools may be run as cooperatives, foundations, companies or by individuals.

What are the limits and potential of free choice in education, and what is the impact on public schools of greater competition? This event will bring together Per Unckel, former Minister of Education in Sweden and author of the reform, and Etienne Verhack, Secretary General of the European Committee for Catholic Education, to discuss the challenges in the growing market for private education.