The enlargement process, the creation of the Monetary Union and the need to promote further the political and economic integration of Europe have ignited an intense debate at the European level among researchers and policy-makers. Examining the effects that political, legal, and regulatory institutions have on economic development, this book provides new contributions on the political economy of the European constitution. It covers many issues including social protection, fiscal reform and regional policies that are on the table of European policy makers. Furthermore, it provides ideas and analysis of such issues as the problem of voting reform, the centralization and decentralization of the policy process and the allocation of new policy prerogatives at the EU level which are crucial for the design of a new European constitution.

Contents: Part 1: The European economic eonstitution, Luigi Paganetto; Towards a European constitution: fiscal federalism and the allocation of economic competences, Jürgen Stehn; Maastricht's fiscal rules at 10: an assessment, Marco Buti and Gabriele Guidice; Productive efficiency and corporatist institutions, Ernesto Felli and Fabio Padovano; Growth,effects of European integration: implications for EU enlargement, Jesús Crespo-Cuaresma, Marie Antoinette Dimitz and Doris Ritzberger-Grünwald; Towards a European economic constitution, Renato Brunetta. Part II: Fiscal discipline and policy coordination in the eurozone: assessment and proposal, Jean Pisani-Ferry; EU institutions: the challenges of the enlargement process, Vieri Ceriani; Let social Europe(s) compete!, Tito Boeri; Are cross-border mergers paving the way to European firms and institutions? Evidence from Franc-German case studies, Gilles Le Blanc and Delphine Corteel; The Europe Central Bank and the 'economic government of Europe', Jean Paul Fitoussi and J me Creel. Part III: Economic policy co-ordination and policy regimes in the European Union, Stefano Micossi; The Lisbon strategy to the new economy. Some economic and institutional aspects, Pierluigi Morelli, Pier Carlo Padoan and Lisa Rodano; Index.