*** SARAH BOUQUEREL, PIERRE-ALAIN DE MALLERAY: L'Europe et la pauvreté: quelles réalités? Fondation Robert Schuman (29 boulevard Raspail, F-75007 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 53638300 - Fax: 53638301 - e-mail: info@robert-schuman.org - Internet: http://www.robert-schuman.org ). "Notes de la Fondation Robert Schuman" series. 2006, 116 pp, €10.
No less than seventy-two million people lived under the financial poverty line in the European Union three years ago, in other words, seventy-two million people living on income not high enough to ensure acceptable living standards. Has there really been any improvement over the last three years? Highly doubtful, hence the utility of this brief study by two French researchers, taking a detailed look at the multifarious nature of poverty in the European Union by means of a comparative analysis.
The authors are both high ranking civil servants, trained at the prestigious 'Ecole polytechnique' in France, senior lecturers in economics at the university politics department of the 'Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)'. Sarah Bouquerel and Pierre-Alain de Malleray start off by pointing out that the general trend in both the long and the short term is for there to be a decline in poverty. There are fewer poor people in the EU today than in 1970, they explain, but admit that in this area in particular, it is better to let well alone because there are huge gaps between countries. They go on to explain that the EU has few direct tools for dealing with poverty since, as is explained in the introduction, poverty is due to social choices and fundamental judgments which cannot be anything but the expression of national sovereignty and cannot be handed over to supranational bodies. The principle of subsidiary prevails here, but it would be wrong to assume that this means that fighting poverty is not a major EU concern. In this connection, the authors praise Eurostat's work because only the research and comparisons by the EU's Statistical Office have enabled different forms of poverty to be studied on a common basis, along with the depth of poverty, how long it lasts and its characteristics in different countries and social models. More importantly, combatting social exclusion has gradually been turned into an autonomous EU policy, governing by the EU's Open Coordination Method and EU tools known as 'National Action Plans'. The authors have to admit, however, that the balance sheet is unfortunately mixed, with the process failing to give rise to convergence among the Member States. Fortunately, the EU's direct (and therefore restricted) action is shadowed by the EU's indirect action with the recognition of national welfare systems as the main vector for reducing poverty. Bouquerel and de Malleray explain that by excluding social welfare from EU competition rules and by encouraging the gradual coordination of welfare systems, the EU is helping to boost the effectiveness of the main tool used by public authorities to tackle poverty. The two researchers also review various EU policies they describe as powerful levers for tackling poverty despite the fact that improving the lot of the have-nots is not their prime objective, like the Common Agricultural Policy, the Cohesion Policy and, especially, growth policies because the question of a fair sharing of the common cake is secondary if the cake is too small…
In their conclusions, Sarah Bouquerel and Pierre-Alain de Malleray end by stating loud and clear that unlike views expressed by some pundits during the debate in France on whether to ratify the European constitution, the European project has not been accompanied by a deepening of inequality and an increase in poverty. All the same, far from being eradicated, poverty continues, meaning that it is important to increase the effectiveness of EU action in this field - but how? The authors suggest, for example, that Member States should adopt a common indicator for measuring non-financial poverty in order to move away from simply equating the complex phenomenon of poverty with simply not having enough money.
Pierre Bouvier
*** FRANCOIS HOUTART: Délégitimer le capitalisme. Reconstruire l'espérance. Colophon Editions (25 rue Gratès, B-1170 Brussels. Internet: http://www.colophon.be ). "Essais" series. 2005, 202 pp, €12. ISBN 2-930254-13-0.
Enormous wealth has been generated in three centuries of development of the capitalist system. Spectacular progress has been achieved in science and technology. And yet, notes Canon Houtart in the prologue to this book, a summary of his previous books, there have never been so many poor people and the social gap between people has never been so great. In the author's view, this means there is a gulf between theory and practice, a gulf between words and reality, between intentions and outcomes. Is this the result of accidental malfunctioning or the result of human weakness and selfishness? Or is it the logic of the system itself that has to be revised? Can capitalism be humanised or will it have to be totally replaced? Do social groups exist in whose interest it is for capitalism to continue, and which social groups would these be today? Is there a spiritual dimension to social struggle? These are some of the questions considered in this argument by a committed author, reflecting the entire career of this priest and sociologist. In 1999, he was one of the initiators of the 'other' Davos, a demonstration calling for another world before journalists had even heard of the idea. Emeritus professor at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium, François Houtart has always fought against neo-liberalism, which leads to social exploitation and ecological destruction. While calling for action, he also points out in this book that there is a preliminary requirement - in order for social stakeholders to be able to act, they need to be aware of the mechanisms underpinning society so they can totally transform them. In the preface, Prof. Samir Amin comments that both François Houtart's theoretical work and his political activism illustrate the priceless nature of the convergence in diversity found in the huge 'another world is possible' family. He provides the following excellent illustration of the thread running throughout the book - Christian Liberation Theology, to which François Houtart has dedicated his whole life, forms a natural confluence with all other currents of humanist thought in building the possible and necessary socialist future.
(LD)
*** VOLKER LUCKE: Grundlagen und aktive Wege zur Arbeitnehmergleichberechtigung. Eine rechtsvergleichende Untersuchung über Möglichkeiten / Grenzen benachteiligter Arbeitnehmer in Deutschland, Europa und Südafrika. Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Tel./Fax: (41-32) 3761727 - Internet: http://www.peterlang.de ). " European University Studies", Second Series, No. 4139. 2005, 339 pp. ISBN3-631-53716-6.
Whether in South Africa, Germany or elsewhere in Europe, workers can be subject to discrimination in various areas of their professional lives. The author of this book explores equal rights legislation in the countries in question and how to achieve genuine equal rights for workers. Volcker Lücke examines discrimination from two angles - while it is black workers who suffer the most discrimination in South Africa, it is the treatment of women at work which is the most problematic in Germany and in Europe in general.
(CDi)
*** Mutualité. Association Internationale des Sociétés d'Assurance Mutuelle. (22B/16 square de Meeûs, 22B/16, BE-1050 Brussels. Tel.: (32-2) 5033878 - Fax: 50330 55 - E-mail: aisam@aisam.org - Internet: http://www.aisam.org ). 2005, 179 pp.
The insurance industry has been undergoing huge changes in recent years. The events of 11 September, globalisation and a new accounting system have led insurance bodies to decide upon new rules and have drawn the attention of regulatory authorities which have been monitoring the insurance industry. After experiencing the end of mutual systems in the 1990s, mutual insurance companies are now facing the challenge of constant controls by the Commission, which is leading to increased interest in the idea of mutual insurance companies. In May 2004, AISAM organised a conference with ratings agencies and several other mutual insurance associations, the proceedings of which are published in this book. The participants start by explaining the operation and pros and cons of the current ratings system, followed by contributions from representatives of assessment companies. Mutual insurance companies, members of AISAM, give their point of view. AISAM President, Filomeno Mira, concludes the publication. The articles reveal that while not wholly up to scratch, there are certain benefits in the ratings system, namely improving management, cheaper consultancy services a label allowing greater openness and access to other financial markets. The publication is in four different languages - English, French, German and Spanish. (NDu)
*** GEORGE MUIR: The Railway in Britain: on the right lines. Compagnie européenne du rail et des compagnies d'infrastructure (53 av. des Arts, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2130870 - Fax: 5125231 - E-mail: contact@cer.be - Internet: http://www.cer.be ). "CER Essay Series" series. 2006, 39 pp.
The author of this booklet, Director General of the Association of Train Operating Companies, explains that ten years on from the privatisation of British Rail, the railway system in the UK is making progress in terms of both freight and passengers despite the series of accidents in recent years. The author also highlights progress in terms of sticking to timetables. (LD)
*** WOLFGANG CLOSS (Eds.): Yearbook/Annuaire/Jahrbuch 2005 -Multimedia and New Technologies/Multimédia et nouvelles technologies/Multimedia und neue Technologien. Observatoire européen de l'audiovisuel (76 allée de la Robertsau F-67000 Strasbourg. Tel: (33-3) 8814 44 00 - Fax: 88144419 - E-mail: obs@obs.coe.int . Internet: http://www.obs.coe.int ). 2005, 107 pp, €85. ISBN 92-871-5787-1.
The first part of this collection of 2005 statistics from the Council of Europe's European Broadcasting Monitoring Centre looks at multimedia and multimedia software and video game companies. It next looks at online sales figures and internet usage and equipment and the sale of online leisure activities. The third part looks at statistics concerning new services like pay as you view television, internet television, video by demand and mobile television. The last part of the book looks at electronic cinema and technical services companies. The analysis of technical services companies focuses on development labs, copy production, computer graphics and CD and video duplication. (NDu)
*** Financial supervision in Europe: Do we need a new Architecture? Ligue européenne de coopération économique (2 place du Champs de Mars, Box 8, B-1050 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2198250 - Fax: 2190663 - E-mail: elec@easynet.be - Internet: http: //http://www.elec.easynet.be ). "Cahier Comte Boël" series, No. 12. 2006, 55 pp.
Since the start of the European project, the 'Ligue européenne de coopération économique' has been working to encourage European economic integration. Following Economic and Monetary Union, integration of the financial sector is one of the next important stages in economic integration in the EU, which is why this 'Cahier Comte Boël' publication aims to contribute to the current debate on financial supervision in Europe and its focus on banking, needed to be able to move in the direction of the highly antagonistic aims of a stable and unified financial market at the same time as leaving great supervisory and crisis management freedom at national level. The document starts by analysing major trends in the EU financial industry, and outlining possible regulatory policies, and obstacles to be overcome. The authors add: "Supervisory structures should, in our view, adapt to market developments and not the other way round."
(FRo)
*** GERHARD FINK, PETER HAISS, SIRMA HRISTOFOROVA: Credit, Bonds, Stocks and Growth in Seven Large Economies. Europainstitut der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (39-45 Althanstrasse, A-1090 Vienna. Tel.: (43-1) 313364135 - Fax: 31336758 - E-mail: europafragen@wu-wien.ac.at - Internet: http: //fgr.wu-wien.ac.at/institut). "EI Working Papers", No. 70. 2006, 35 pp, €7-20.
This report from Vienna University's European Institute examines the bond markets in connection with growth in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands, and also in the United States and Japan. This study is clearly aimed at experts.
(LD)
*** JEAN-MICHEL CICILE: Terminologie bancaire, économique & financière. Revue Banque Edition (18 rue La Fayette, F-75009 Paris. Internet: http://www.revue-banque.fr ). "Techniques bancaires" series. 2005, 357 pp, €59 (France). ISBN 2-86325-459-6.
This is the second edition (the first was published in 1995) of a lexicon of current terminology in the banking, business and financial world in French and German. An alphabetical index of key terms and their usage facilitates access. Formerly head of translation at the Bank of France, the author has included the new terminology that has emerged with the creation of Economic and Monetary Union, recent innovations in the banking and finance world, new accounting rules for banks, settlement and clearing systems, pension funds and taxation. The lexicon also includes many terms from the business world.
(LD)