Investigación en España. De Nature a Science

Nature, como revista científica de alto impacto, ha sido testigo en España de acontecimientos que han acabado marcando, para bien o para mal, la vida pública del país. De sus páginas han surgido comentarios críticos y noticias científicas que han contribuido a internacionalizar el sistema español. El autor relata estos impactos al tiempo que anuncia su paso de Nature a Science. = Nature, as a high impact scientific journal, has witnessed the events that have marked, for good or evil, Spain¿s public life. Nature has published critical and scientific news that have contributed to internationalize Spain¿s science and technology system. The author describes these impacts and announces he has left Nature to join Science

The European Semester in Belgium: A state of play. European Policy Brief No. 32, October 2014

After four rounds of the European Semester process of EU economic coordination, Belgium has done relatively little to comply with EU recommendations. This brief substantiates and confirms this claim after clarifying the meaning of these recommendations. While the challenges underlined by the European Commission still lie ahead, Belgium’s ownership of the recommendations for reforms has been low. Not only do coordination processes remain bureaucratic and technocratic, but many of the recommendations’ concerns – external competitiveness, social security reforms, market reforms – are not traditionally defended by the political left in Belgium. The controversy surrounding the recommendations for national structural reforms owes much to their supply-side orientation, which contrasts with the inability of the EU to pursue demand-side policies. But despite this disequilibrium, the recommendations highlight relevant issues that ought to be addressed, and indicate where scope for national debate exists

A case for adjusting fiscal consolidation in the eurozone. European Policy Brief No. 14, January 2013

Fiscal consolidation is essential to ensure the sustainability of eurozone countries’ public debt. However, as a principle, consolidation should not be pursued at a pace unnecessarily undermining growth in the short term. Repeated downward revisions of growth call for the use of the flexibility foreseen in the EU fiscal framework. The Commission should adapt the deadlines for fiscal correction to prevent excessive, pro-cyclical adjustment in 2013. In turn, adequate surveillance and coordination must ensure structural adjustments constitute the core of fiscal consolidation plans

Los Procesos de funcionarización del personal laboral al servicio de las administraciones públicas

Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaLa tesis analiza en extensión el denominado proceso de funcionarización del personal laboral al servicio de las Administraciones Públicas españolas. En concreto, el estudio se efectúa desde las siguientes perspectivas: 1º.- Especificar qué puestos de trabajo en las Administraciones Públicas españolas (Administración estatal, Administraciones de las 17 comunidades Autónomas, Corporaciones Locales, Servicio Nacional de la Salud y Universidades Públicas) deben ser ejercidos obligatoriamente por funcionarios públicos y qué puestos pueden ser ocupados por empleados sometidos a un contrato de trabajo. Igualmente, se efectúa un análisis del derecho comparado, especialmente del francés y el alemán. 2º.- Descripción del conjunto de normas legales, reglamentarias, acuerdos y pactos de funcionarios y otras disposiciones que regulan en España la funcionarización tanto de los empleados estatales, como los autonómicos, locales, universitarios y del Servicio Nacional de la Salud. 2º.- Análisis central de todo el proceso selectivo que supone la funcionarización: los trabajadores que pueden participar, los aspectos temporales del proceso y, fundamentalmente, todo el procedimiento de selección. 3º.- Análisis in extenso de las caracteristicas del proceso de funcionarización: fundamentalmente, su respeto a los principios de la Constitución Española de 1978 de igualdad, mérito y capacidad, dado que la funcionarización es un proceso restringido y excepcional, al cual sólo pueden optar los trabajadores con contrato laboral fijo. Se estudia esta excepcionalidad a la luz de los arts.23.2 y 103.3 de la Constitución y según la jurisprudencia del Tribunal Constitucional. 4º.- Un estudio específico de la funcionarización en la Comunidad foral de Navarra, por su absoluta singularidad, así como también un análisis de la técnica legislativa empleada por el Parlamento español y los Parlamentos de las Comunidades Autónomas en torno a la legislación sobre funcionarización. 5º.- Finalmente, una aproximación a las consecuencias de la funcionarización sobre los trabajadores que asumen el nuevo estatus de funcionario y sobre aquellos otros que no participan en el proceso o no aprueban las pruebas selectivas. La tesis se divide en 2 partes, con un total de 1079 páginas, y se cierra en cuanto a las normas legales, reglametarias y bases y textos de convocatorias de funcionarización consultadas a 1 de enero de 2004.The thesis analyses extensively the process of transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage in respect of staff serving Spanish Public Administrations. More specifically, the survey is undertaken from the following perspectives: 1º.- Specify which jobs in the Spanish Public Administrations (State administration, administrations of the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities, local corporations, National Health Service and public universities) must be exercised by civil servants and which positions may be occupied by employees employed under a labour contract. Likewise, an analysis in compared law, in particular French and German law, is undertaken. 2º.- Description of legal norms, regulations, agreements and civil servancy accords as well as other provisions regulating the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage in Spain, in respect of State employees and Autonomous Communities', local, academic and National Health Service employees. 2º.- Central analysis of the entire selection process involved in the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage: workers who can take part in the process, temporary aspects of this process and, most importantly, the overall selection procedure. 3º.- Analysis in extenso of the characteristics of the process of transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage: basically, the respect of the principles of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 concerning equality, merit and capacity, as the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage is a restricted and exceptional process, to which only those workers that have a fixed labour contract can apply. This exceptional process is considered in light of articles 23.2 and 103.3 of the Constitution and according to the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court. 4º.- A specific study of the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage in the Foral Community of Navarra, due to its unique characteristics, as well as an analysis of the legislative technique used by the Spanish Parliament and the Parliaments of the Autonomous Communities regarding legislation on the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage. 5º.- Finally, an approximation of the consequences of the transformation of a labour contract into a civil servancy linkage on workers who assume the new condition of civil servants and on others who do not participate in the process or do not pass the selection tests. The thesis is divided into two parts, with a total of 1079 pages, and all legal norms, regulations, and basises and texts of convocation for the transformation of labour contracts into a civil servancy linkages are set out, as of those in force on 1 January 2004

Industrial policy in the EU: A guide to an elusive concept. Egmont Paper No. 69, September 2014

Despite renewed interest in an EU industrial policy, the concept remains particularly elusive because it has no universal definition. This paper relies on a broad and inclusive definition of industrial policy proposed by Warwick (in an OECD working paper) to provide a clearer picture of what the concept encompasses when applied to the EU. It therefore includes an original visual taxonomy of the EU policies that constitute industrial policy. It can serve as a guiding framework for reflecting on industrial policy in the EU. The proposed framework holds a key lesson: coherence of action across different policy fields and across different levels of governance is essential at EU, national and regional levels. The framework provided in this paper constitutes a high-level reminder of the range of policies and associated instruments that should ideally be streamlined throughout the EU for maximum impact when any industrial sector, technology or task is promoted by the EU

The Belgian parliaments and EU affairs: the reasons behind their limited involvement. European Policy Brief No. 28, March 2014

Given their limited involvement in EU affairs, the Belgian parliaments at the different levels of the Belgian federation barely contribute to the legitimation process of the EU’s actions. In order to strengthen their role, not only should governmental communication towards parliaments be improved but parliamentary activities should also adapt to the confederal features of Belgium. The latter poses a unique challenge in Europe

La vente de BNPP Fortis : l’Europe ou le symbolisme les chiffres? = The sale of BNPP Fortis: Europe and the symbolism of figures? Egmont Commentary, 20 November 2013

Suite à la vente par l’Etat belge de sa participation dans BNP Paribas Fortis, des questions se sont posées sur les motivations de l’opération. Au-delà des considérations portant sur la vocation de l’Etat à être actionnaire d’une banque, l’objectif affiché était clairement d’ordre budgétaire. Il était question de dégager des surplus de trésorerie immédiats permettant de réduire le niveau d’endettement public. En particulier, la Belgique s’était fixé l’été dernier l’objectif de refaire passer la dette sous la barre des 100% du PIB cette année. Selon de nombreux commentaires, cette dernière motivation s’expliquerait par la pression exercée par l’Europe par l’entremise de la Commission européenne

Is the EMU ready for future shocks? An overview of available backstops. European Policy Brief No. 20, March 2014

In recent years much has been accomplished to make the EMU more resilient to banking crises, sovereign-debt crises or balance-of-payment crises. Several ‘backstops’ or financial safety nets were progressively put in place to absorb the shocks that could have otherwise broken the EMU as a system. These substantial advances reflected a gradual, trial-and-error approach rather than a grand design that would have completely overhauled the EMU architecture. While flexibility and realism have advantages, complacency is a clear risk. With no roadmap to follow, efforts to complete the architecture of the EMU may fade with time. Maintaining a sense of direction is crucial while potential vulnerabilities remain

Restricciones de energía eléctrica en los primeros años del Franquismo. La Delegación Técnica Especial para la regulación y distribución de energía eléctrica (DTE) 1944-1958

La carencia de energía eléctrica, de carburantes líquidos y de materias primas, en general, supuso un freno para la reconstrucción industrial durante los años de posguerra. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar y estudiar el organismo regulador del consumo de energía eléctrica creado durante los primeros años del franquismo. Las delegaciones técnicas especiales para la regulación y distribución de energía eléctrica (DTE) se crearon en todo el territorio del Estado español y fueron los organismos encargados de ordenar, distribuir y regular el consumo eléctrico durante estos años.The lack of electric power, of liquid fuels and of raw materials in general, supposed a brake for the industrial reconstruction, during the post-war period. The aim of this work is to analyze and study the regulatory organisation for the consumption of electric power created during the first years of the Franco’s regime. The special technical delegations for the regulation and distribution of the electric power were created in all Spain, and they were the organisations entrusted to arrange the distribution and regulation of electricity during those years

Revoir la trajectoire budgétaire ne signifie pas relâcher l’effort = Revisiting the budget path does not mean relaxing the effort. Egmont Commentary, 21 February 2013

Pour mieux tenir compte des faibles perspectives de croissance et assurer la crédibilité de la trajectoire budgétaire, la Belgique devrait reformuler l’objectif d’équilibre en termes structurels et non plus nominaux