SUPPLEMENT /

*** GYORGY SZELL, CARL-HEINRICH BÖSLING, JOHANNES HARTKEMEYER (Eds.): Labour, Globalisation & The New Economy. Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Fax: [phone] - Internet: http://www.peterlang.de ). "Work - Technology - Organization - Society" series, No. 30. 2005, 560 pp. ISBN 3-631-50865-4.

Labour research is an extremely varied subject given the sheer wealth of connections with other areas of society. Globalisation is not a new phenomenon (it started well over a hundred years ago with Taylorism and the mushrooming of international trade) but it has been accelerating and intensifying in recent years to a huge extent, having a deep, sometimes obvious but sometimes more hidden impact on labour relations, modes of production and governance, collective bargaining and other components of society. This book focuses on the interaction of labour and globalisation with the rest of society, with articles by some three dozen researchers, mainly European academics with contributions from North Americans, Brazilians and Indians. One might have imagined that this range of authors would water down the thrust of the book, but not at all. The book retains its full overall coherence, with essays on varied subjects that always closely mesh with the central theme. The essays were produced from the third Congress of the international network on "Regional and local development of work and labour", so most of the authors are used to working together.

The book includes the twenty-nine most relevant articles from the four dozen presented at the Congress. The overall tone does not always match EU policies but Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament's EPP-ED group, outlines EU perspectives in the introduction. For example, Sociology Professor György Széll writes: 'The economic crisis which we face today in the world and in Europe, is first of all a crisis which concerns the labour factor. The employment strategy of the European Union is to overcome the current crisis - which builds on the four pillars employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability and equal opportunities - is apparently insufficient. It is squeezed between the stability pact of the euro and the globalisation pressure via the Shareholder Value. Employability refers the reasons for unemployment back to the unemployed; entrepreneurship often means just self-employment or false self-employment; adaptability is just the new fashionable expression for flexibility.' Explaining changes in labour relations, Szell notes there has been a shift from stakeholder values to shareholder values. Some of the book's arguments go against the stream. Kevin Doogan ends his essay, for example, by concluding that 'In recent times, the rise in long-term unemployment, relative and or nominal, is a trend observed in almost Member States of the EU… Long-term employment declines are only evident in a very narrow sector of the economy.' As far as the authors are concerned, there is no proof that insecurity at work has increased over the past twenty years. They argue that the continuation of security at work can be put down to the efforts in the world of politics and worker organisations, and talk about lack of job security basically aims to create a feeling of insecurity among workers to make them more flexible. 'The paradox is that a destructive society also creates resistance against its destruction.' Globalisation, 'this new economic scenario has also been explored, albeit badly, from the standpoint of the capitalists interested in investing their capital… Much less attention, if not a complete absence of attention to even the creation of a mystique, has been centred upon the work processes and the labour conditions in this new economic scenario'.

The book is divided into four chapters - The first looks at the new economy and work (the new economy covers products rather than the idea of total re-organisation of the economy, which was contradicted by the implosion of the internet bubble); the second looks at new forms of economic activity; the third at the role of institutions in local and regional development (the local and regional levels are particularly important in the book because this is where the first changes will have to be made); and the fourth at trans-national social regulations and the importance of skilled workers for regional development. In a different time and circumstances, one might have said the book smacked of the Left, but it is actually part of a current trend aiming to counterbalance the 'free market offensive' that began around the time of the last oil crisis. The term 'globalisation', such as it is used today, covers the United States' desire for hegemony or imperialism over the past two decades. Arguing that although globalisation, as the current term is used, gave rise to optimism in the 80s and 90s but recent statistics have shown that it has not kept its promises to improve living standards for the majority, the book calls for the creation of a type of globalisation and market not exclusively guided by neoliberal doctrine. Written with rigueur, this should be a reference book for anyone interested in globalisation and more specifically, in changes in the world of work under globalisation.

Frederik Ronse

*** GARETH DALE: Between State Capitalism and Globalisation. The Collapse of the East German Economy. Peter Lang AG (32 Hochfeldstrasse, Postfach 746, CH-3000 Bern 9. E-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.peterlang.net ). 2004, 370 pp. ISBN 3-03910-181-1.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the two Germanys was one of the high points of European history in the twentieth century. But what exactly was the Democratic Republic of Germany? In what way was it different from the Federal Republic of Germany? What was different about its economy? How did it come into being? How was it developed and how did it decline? What changed when the Berlin Wall came down? These are questions studied by Gareth Dale, who lived and taught in both West and East Germany in the 1980s, a period when he realised that the differences between the two Germanys were not as great as one might believe at first sight. The book starts by demonstrating how the East German economy could be defined as 'state capitalist'. The countries of the Soviet Bloc, including the Soviet Union, experienced competition, whether in terms of the state - competing in terms of industry and the arms trade with countries abroad and carrying out capitalisation domestically and at industry-level of the means of production; competing for resources when it came to drawing up Five Year Plans. He then looks at the Soviet economy and policy under Stalin (establishing areas of influence in Europe, for example), going on to look in greater details at the DDR and its situation in the run-up to re-unification. Juggling theory, experience, information gleaned from the DDR archives, and the eye-witness accounts of former officials, the author has written an interesting book on a subject not often discussed these days but covering events that had a profound impact on the world of out time.

(FRo)

*** STEPHANE MAIL-FOUILLEUL: Les dépens dans le contentieux communautaire. Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - e-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.bruylant.be ). "Pratique du droit communautaire" series. 2005, 550 pp, €92. ISBN 2-8027-1966-1.

Expenses or to put it another way, the share of costs generated by the trial which trial winners can have the losers pay unless the court decides otherwise, are an important area of dispute settlement for cases brought before the European Court of Justice. Uncertainty about how judges will allocate responsibility for these expenses among the parties is a problem for legal practitioners, who generally find themselves unable to answer their clients' questions in any detail or certainty on this point. The rules governing the division of expenses among the parties give judges huge leeway and the division of expenses can therefore vary enormously from one case to another, although there can be similarities at times in terms of structure and substance. The payment of expenses is not covered much in doctrine or jurisprudence, making it difficult for practitioners and theoreticians to find statistics and try to work out guidelines - there are very few books on the subject. Hence the interest of this book by Stéphane Mail-Fouilleul, with its information about the theoretical framework and explanations of judges' decisions. It aims above all to be a practical tool providing a degree of predictability, insofar as this is possible, for the sharing out of responsibility for expenses. To this end, the book is divided into various sections (the third part, for example, looks at 'normal' breakdown of expenses, while the fourth part looks at the breakdown of expenses in public administration cases). It is structured in the same way as a civil code, with chapters being numbered for ease and speed of consultation, and includes a series of tables to give a more user-friendly approach to jurisprudence.

(FRo)

*** DOMINIQUE VOILLEMOT: Gérer la clémence. Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - e-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.bruylant.be ). "Fondation pour l'Etude du Droit et des Usages du Commerce International" series. 2005, 123 pp, €32. ISBN 2-8027-2057-0.

A lawyer specialising in French and EU competition law, Dominique Voillemot makes a detailed analysis in this book of the tools used by the European Commission to combat secret price fixing agreements between companies that distort competition. In its 18 July 1996 Communication on its 'clemency' policy (a euphemism used, the author explains, to describe a grassing system whereby companies betraying other companies get rewarded), the European Commission followed the United States' example by setting up a scheme whereby members of a cartel can get full or partial immunity from fines if they provide new evidence to the Commission before or during its investigation. In another Communication on 19 February 2002, the system was made more effective. The author outlines the questions raised by the system in terms of legal validity and looks at the real interests for companies and their managers making use of it. The French 'clemency' system is studied in the same spirit.

(MT)

*** FRANZ BERNHARD HERDING: Soziale Sicherungssysteme und der Missbrauch einer marktbeherrschenden Stellung i.S.d. Art. 82, 86 EG. Eine Untersuchung am Beispiel der (tarifvertraglichen) Betriebsrenteneinrichtungen in Deutschland. Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, Postfach 350, CH-2542 Pieterlen, Switzerland. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - E-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http: //http://www.peterlang.de ). "Europäische Hochschulschriften - Publications européennes universitaires - European University Studies", No. 4189. 2005, 275 pp. ISBN 3-631-53966-5.

Compatibility between national welfare programmes and EU competition law is the main theme of this doctoral thesis by a young German lawyer from Munster University. The author takes a very detailed look at the reform of pension companies in Germany covering entire industries. He develops criteria for differentiating social protection and free competition under Articles 82 and 86 of the Treaty, illustrating his conclusions with tables and practical diagrams. Analysis and views on a very unusual conflict between European law and German law, touching on a basic issue of growing importance for many people and employees in the European Union.

(PB)

*** JOCHEN A. KEILICH: Die Auswirkungen der Grundrechte/Menschenrechte für das Arbeitsrecht in Deutschland und England. Peter Lang (see above). "Studien zum Arbeitsrecht und zur Arbeitsrechtsvergleichung" series, No. 11. 2004, 274 pp. ISBN 3-631-52373-4.

Based on the European Convention of Human Rights, the German Grundgesetz and the UK's Human Rights Act 1998, a young German lawyer makes a systematic comparison of how national and European fundamental rights have influenced labour law and case law in Germany and the UK. A very detailed book, the outcome of a doctoral thesis for the University of Frankfurt-am-Main, demonstrating the differences, similarities and convergence trends in this field of law in Europe.

(PB)

*** BRUNO BACHY, MICHEL SION: Analyse financière des comptes consolidés. Normes IAS/IFRS. Dunod (Paris. Internet: http://www.dunod.com ). "Fonctions de l'entreprise" series. 2005, 264 pp. ISBN 2-10-008221-3.

What is a company? What are consolidated accounts? What impact do the IAS/IFRS rules, which came into force this year in the EU for all companies quoted on the stock exchange and for some non-publicly quoted companies, have on company accounts and indicators? The two expert authors provide very detailed and comprehensive answers to these questions. They first explain what companies and consolidated accounts are and then focus on the new IAS rules, which make great changes in assessment methods, the presentation of financial reports and even terminology. The aim of the rules is to provide information better suited to the needs of investors. Bruno Bachy and Michel Sion explain that financial reports have to make a better assessment of a company's assets and show overall debt and risk levels. This is a specialist book, unlikely to be fully comprehensible to people who are not financial management professionals, financial directors or accountancy students.

(PBo)

*** The EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document

*** Régions et communes d'Europe. Committee of the Regions - Press and Communications Unit (101 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - Internet: http: //http://www.cor.eu.int ). November 2005, No. 49, 12 pp.

Most of this issue of Regions et communes d'Europe is a dossier on the revised Lisbon Strategy, with articles by Günter Verheugen, Vice President of the Commission in charge of enterprise and industry, Peter Straub, President of the Committee of the Regions, and Gerhard Stahl, CoR Secretary General. All highlight the importance of local and regional bodies for the Lisbon Strategy and opposing any idea of sending the Lisbon Strategy back to nation states. Vladimir Spidla, EU Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner, calls on competitiveness and social solidarity to be combined for a sustainable positive outcome. The dossier also includes articles by the Presidents and other members of the political parties at the Committee of the Regions outlining their views. There is an article on Margot Wallström's Plan D.

*** ARE Dossier. Assembly of the Regions of Europe (2 place Sainctelette, B-1080 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - E-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.a-e-r.org ). Autumn 2005, No. 10, 4 pp.

This Assembly of the Regions of Europe (ARE) dossier looks at renewable energy. Everyone has noticed that energy prices are rising, particularly petrol prices, as high as €1-50 a litre for unleaded in some countries. The EU is the world leader in terms of green energy generation, but is still far from its target of 21% of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. The regions also lead the way in this field. The development fuel cells should allow greater regional and local energy generation with greater independence from the virtual monopoly big energy companies. The ARE calls for greater regional cooperation to share the experience of pioneering regions like Lower Saxony in Germany.

*** Dokumente. Gesellschaft für übernationale Zusammenarbeit e.V. (86 Dottendorfer Straße, D-53129 Bonn. e-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.guez-dokumente.org ). October 2005, No. 5, 116 pp,€4-50. Annual subscription: €18-90.

This issue is the first in a new format. From now on, the magazine will still be produced in a German and a French version, but the articles will look at the same subject matter (rather than the German version looking at Germany and the French version at France as in the past). This issue focuses on demographics since both countries have an ageing population and declining birth rate. One article looks at the lessons Germany can learn from French family policies, while another looks more generally at changes in the birth rate and people's desire to have children in Europe. Another article looks at immigration and the real impact of the aging population on social security and the economy.

*** Europa-Informationen. EKD-Büro Brüssel (166 rue Joseph II, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - E-mail: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.ekd-bruessel.de ). October 2005, No. 110, 20 pp, Annual subscription: €27.

This news letter of the Brussels Office of Germany's evangelical churches provides useful information about the European Institutions. This issue includes articles on the launch of accession negotiations with Turkey, the Commission's Plan D for re-winning people's confidence, and counter-terrorism. Other articles look at the use of embryo stem cells, young people's religious education and the Commission's work on new immigration and asylum guidelines.

*** Usine-entreprise. Benefalux sa (21 rue Jorez, 1070 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - Fax: [phone] - e-mail: [e-mail]). October 2005, No. 3040, 66 pp, Annual subscription: 30 euros.

This magazine is aimed at SME managers and the self-employed, looking at innovation in articles on an international comparative study of Flanders (West Belgium) when it comes to global innovation, a tool companies can use to measure their innovation capacity and a description of several Belgian innovation centres. There is also an article on exports to Iran.