Documents Raza, Werner G. 7 results

"After decades of marginalization, industrial policy (IP) is back on the political agenda. While this shift in economic policy discourse in principle is to be welcomed, from a worker-oriented economic and political point of view, it is very important to carefully think about the why, how and for whom of industrial policy. What are the motivations for IP, which objectives shall be achieved, who should be the beneficiaries of IP, who shall sit at the table when it comes to taking decisions, and finally, who will be responsible for implementation? Upon the basis of an in-depth analysis of recent EU industrial policy for the Twin Transformation, the report outlines a policy agenda for the next five years that aims to accelerate an inclusive as well as effective Twin Transformation agenda."

"Economic studies on trade liberalization typically highlight positive expected effects. This paper discusses those issues which are frequently neglected, but are nevertheless important for policy-makers. These are macroeconomic adjustment costs and social costs of regulatory change. Our discussion uses the most relevant studies on the economic effects of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) as reference points. We provide a rough estimate of macroeconomic adjustment costs of TTIP in the order of €33–60 billion over a 10-year transition period. Our analysis of regulatory change concludes that assessments have been biased and that the social costs of regulatory change due to TTIP might be substantial. Given the prominence of regulatory issues on the trade agenda, we call for full ex-ante regulatory impact assessment of future trade agreements."

"Liberalisation of public services can be implemented not only through autonomous legislative action by individual countries, but also as a consequence of obligations arising from membership of supranational or international organisations. This article analyses how the process of the commodification of services at the level of the WTO, i.e. via the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), interacts with the politics of trade and services liberalisation in the European Union. Thus, we highlight the specific role of services negotiations in the WTO for the political dynamics of liberalising public services in the EU. Our conclusions highlight three specific functions of the GATS agreement: first, it serves as an institutional mechanism to ‘lock-in' liberalisations achieved at a national or European level, secondly, it exercises a disciplinary effect on national regulation, and, thirdly, it provides an additional platform for the application of forum-shifting in the politics of international trade."

"Wesentliches Ziel des seit 1995 rechtsgültigen GATS-Vertrages (General Agreement on Trade in Services) ist die "fortschreitende Liberalisierung" sämtlicher Dienstleistungsmärkte. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, wird seit 2000 eine weitere Liberalisierung verhandelt. Die vorliegende Studie lotet die potenziellen Auswirkungen der derzeitigen Verhandlungspositionen auf den rechtlichen und institutionellen Handlungsrahmen der gewichtigen Sektoren Finanz-, Umwelt-, Transport- und Gesundheitsdienstleistungen aus. Der Fokus der Betrachtung liegt dabei auf möglichen Veränderungen für Beschäftigte im Dienstleistungssektor Deutschlands. Dabei werden zum Teil erhebliche Risiken für Beschäftigte und deren Vertretungsorgane identifiziert. Gerade öffentliche Dienste geraten unter Druck. Die geforderte Liberalisierung der temporären Arbeitsmigration läuft zudem Gefahr, bisherige tarifliche Vereinbarungen zu unterlaufen und die Rechte der ArbeitsmigrantInnen einzuschränken."