Projects
Does GATS pose a challenge for the European Social Model?
GATS proponents in the EU claim that liberalization of trade in services is crucial for the economic growth and employment. On the contrary, critics of the Agreement, including trade unions at European and national level, argue that GATS is more a risk than an opportunity, in particular with respect to the regulatory capacity of governments (and social partners), access to public and other services, jobs, pay and working conditions in the EU.
Globalisation and Gender
The relative impact of endogenous and exogenous forces, such as those found in the process of globalisation, on the nature of gender relations remains a topic in need of empirical and detailed research.
Relocation (of enterprises) in the context of an enlarged EU
Relocation of enterprises from the West to the East of Europe is in the centre of current debates, on political level, in the media, in trade union circles and among researchers. The debates are often loaded with emotions and biased on basis of local and actual conflicts of interests.
The implications of the growth in China and India for EU labour markets
Scarcely a day passes without media reports on the phenomenal growth of the Chinese and Indian economies. In Europe, rather than being seen as a welcome development, this is often seen in terms of a threat for a number of reasons: