From six to ten and beyond: The European Community at the crossroads
The purpose of this paper is to assess the main factors causing the impasse which the EC has reached. The next section examines the lack of consensus of the member states on the aims of the EC and on the means to achieve them. Subsequently, this is related to the EC enlargement. Finally, recommendations will be made on major policy issues in order to provide a new stimulus to the integration process in Western Europe.
Discriminatory European Union Membership and the Redistribution of Enlargement Gains
Conflicts between European Union (EU) members about enlargement result from its redistributive effects. EU members are more likely to suffer from enlargement if they profit from EU transfers and if they are relatively close to applicant countries in which unemployment is significantly higher than in member countries. Phasing in membership rights serves to compensate the relative losers of enlargement to accomplish EU widening. Using data from all previous enlargement rounds until 2004, we demonstrate that EU members are more likely to demand a discrimination of new members if distributional conflicts arise. The existence of these distributional conflicts in turn increases the odds of EU members and the accession candidates actually agreeing on a phase-in period.
International EMS systems: New South Wales, Australia.
Australia has an area of 7,692,024 km 2 and a population of 19,169,083. The state of New South Wales (NSW) has an area of 801,428 square kilometres and a population of 6,663,700 (June 2002). It contributes 10% of the land area of Australia and 34% of the population. The length of the coastline is 2007 km with an east-west distance of 1450 km (Fig. 1). Approximately 90% of the NSW population resides within 100 km of the coast. The population density is greatest in the Greater Metropolitan Region around Sydney, an area of 1580 square km, population of 4,154,722. Only 0.6% live in regions classified as remote or very remote (based upon distance to regional townships). The climate is generally mild, although temperature extremes range from � /20 8C (Charlotte’s Pass) to 50 8C (far Western NSW). The highest point is 2228 m at Mt. Kosciuszko. However, most of NSW is below 500 m in altitude.