The Path Towards European Integration: the Challenge of Globalization
The Path Towards European Integration: the Challenge of Globalization

Summary/Abstract: Following the responses to other challenges, the process of European integration has in the 21st century one main challenge with globalisation: with competition increasingly coming from previously less developed countries. The Strategy Europe 2020 is into a great extent purposed to correspond to this challenge, as well as to two other “longterm challenges”: “pressure on resources” and “ageing population”. To correspond to these and other challenges, the Strategy establishes three priorities which “are mutually reinforcing”: “smart growth”, sustainable growth” and “inclusive growth”. In the first case, there is the purpose of “developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation”; in the second case, the purpose of “promoting a more efficient, greener and more competitive economy”; and in the third case the purpose of “fostering a high-employment economy delivering economic, social and territorial cohesion”. In a realistic way, differently from the Lisbon Strategy, there is concentration in a small number of feasable targets; and a higher commitment of the institutions, in particular of the Council, in the EU, and of all levels of intervention in each country. Finally, it is a Strategy strongly based on the markets. It is specially stressed that “a stronger, deeper, extended single market is vital for growth and job creation”. And a protectionist strategy is excluded, being recognized that “global growth will open up new opportunities for Europe’s exports and competitive access to vital markets”. Having of course in mind also other countries, we have a difficult challenge: in a world which Europe can not ignore or avoid, with a protectionist attitude, “closing” the borders; on the contrary, in a world in which it is possible to see new and enlarged opportunities.

• Details
• Contents