Freyberg-Inan, A.

English

The European Union (EU) is a singularly successful example of economic integration. To what extent it has also been a force for democracy- and how it can more clearly become one- are the key questions addressed in this article. Below, I first lay out how the values of prosperity, democracy, and equity are theoretically linked. Second, I show that the values of democracy and equity have been subordinate to aggregate prosperity in the process of both European integration and European Union enlargement. Not only do the EU's institutional structure and policy priorities reveal an imbalance in favor or the common market and in disfavor of a common fiscal and social policy as well as democratic accountability, EU strategy vis-à-vis candidate and accession countries reveals a disregard for the socio-economic implications of transition and for EU-fostered technocratic threats to democratic consolidation. While formal democracy of course remains a criterion for membership, EU conditionality on the whole conflicts with the development of democracy beyond minimal formal criteria. The institutional design and key policies of the enlarging EU thus clearly aim more at creating aggregate wealth than at ensuring social justice or popular empowerment. Greater awareness of the relevant choices among values should precede any further attempts at regional integration

International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications

UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (https://dare.uva.nl)UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository)Equity as the missing link: the values of the European UnionFreyberg-Inan, A.Publication date2010Document VersionFinal published versionPublished inRomanian Journal of European AffairsLink to publicationCitation for published version (APA):Freyberg-Inan, A. (2010). Equity as the missing link: the values of the European Union.Romanian Journal of European Affairs, 10(1), 5-21.http://www.ier.ro/documente/rjea_vol10_no1/RJEA_2010_vol_10_no_1_Equity_as_the_missing_Link_the_Values_of_the_European_Union.pdfGeneral rightsIt is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s)and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an opencontent license (like Creative Commons).Disclaimer/Complaints regulationsIf you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, pleaselet the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the materialinaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letterto: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Youwill be contacted as soon as possible.Download date:09 Mar 2023EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONAnnette Freyberg-Inan*Abstract**: The European Union (EU) is a singularly successful example of economic integration. To what extent it has also been a force for democracy- and how it can more clearly become one- are the key questions addressed in this article. been subordinate to aggregate prosperity in the process of both European integration and European Union enlargement. Not only do the EU’s institutional structure socio-economic implications of transition and for EU-fostered technocratic threats to democratic consolidation. While formal democracy of course remains a criterion democracy beyond minimal formal criteria. The institutional design and key policies of the enlarging EU thus clearly aim more at creating aggregate wealth than at Keywords: social democracy, EU enlargement, regional integration, political norms, equity, social policy1. Equity as the Missing Link*Annette Freyberg-InanANNETTE FREYBERG-INAN74EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION4Models of DemocracyrdJournal of Common Market Studies7ANNETTE FREYBERG-INANThe Great Transformation: Political and Economic Origins of Our Time799-9EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONANNETTE FREYBERG-INANEQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONANNETTE FREYBERG-INANLegitimacy and the European Union Democracy in the European UnionDemocracy in the European Union Journal of Common Market Studies Howto Democratize the European Union… and Why Bother? How to Democratize the European Union… and Why Bother?EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONANNETTE FREYBERG-INANEQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONThe Impact of International Organizations on the Central and East European States Theft of a Nation: Romania since CommunismANNETTE FREYBERG-INANInternational SecurityRomanian Journal of Society and Politics EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONPolitical Economy and the Changing Global OrderANNETTE FREYBERG-INAN3. Conclusion: The Quest for a EQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONREFERENCESLegitimacy and the European UnionJournal of Economic Democracy in the European UnionANNETTE FREYBERG-INANrdNorms and Nannies: The Impact of International Organizations on the Central and East European StatesPolitical Economy and the Changing Global Order rdRomanian Journal of Society and Politics Romania since CommunismModels of DemocracyDemocracy in the European UnionJournal of Common Market Studies The Great Transformation: Political and Economic Origins of our TimeThe Europeanization of Central and Eastern EuropeHow to Democratize the European Union… and Why Bother?International SecurityEQUITY AS THE MISSING LINK: THE VALUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Equity as the missing link: the values of the European Union

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Equity as the missing link: the values of the European Union

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