Abstract
In attempting to assess a European Community-wide approach to the recession in the mid-1970s, it is first necessary to identify the nature and background of this recession. This involves abrief summary of the economic and social situation of the Community in the mid- 1970s; dealing particularly with the impact of the international monetary and energy crises on basic economic variables. We shall then examine perceptions and reactions of the main EC political actors to the crises.1
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes And References
See Warner Feld, The European Community in World Affairs (Port Washington, N. Y.: Alfred Publishing Co., 1976) p. 4.
See European Communities Commission, Background Report, ISEC/B56/78 (17 August 1978).
See Emil Kirchner, ‘Interest Group Behaviour at Community Level’ in Leon Hurwitz (ed.), Contemporary Perspectives on European Integration (Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1980) pp. 192–239.
These agreements intend to foster participation by Community firms in programmes for exploration, production and processing of energy resources, and to ensure that long-term contracts for the delivery of petroleum products are properly performed. See Georges Brondel and Noel Morton, ‘Energy Policy’ in Peter Coffey (ed.), Economic Policies of the Common Market (London: Macmillan, 1979) p. 195.
Douglas Evans, Western Energy Policy: The Case for Competition (London: Macmillan, 1978) pp. 39–40.
The overall Community budget is only 0.7 per cent of the GNP. Agricultural expenditures (guarantee section) take up the overwhelming proportion of Community expenditures (70 per cent). See Helen Wallace, Budgetary Politics: the Finances of the European Communities (London: Allen & Unwin, 1980).
For example, Martin and Ross in a recent survey of trade-union leaders’ perceptions of the crisis in five western European countries conclude ‘all the labour movements see the solutions to whatever problems result in essentially national terms.. . very little is proposed and less is done to alter the international economic environment particularly insofar as union action across national borders is concerned’ (Andrew Martin and George Ross, ‘European Trade Unions and the Economic Crisis’, in Jack Hayward (ed.), Trade Unions and Politics in Western Europe (London: Frank Cass, 1980) p. 66). For a more detailed account on trade union structures and activities at European level,
see Emil Kirchner, Trade Unions as a Pressure Group in the European Communities (Farnborough: Saxon House, 1977) especially chapter 8.
Two agreements have been concluded between the Committee of Professional Agricultural organisations (COPA) and the European Federation of Agricultural Workers’ Union in the Community (EFA) concerning the hours of work per week and number of annual holidays in agriculture. For further details see Emil Kirchner, ‘International Trade Union Collaboration and the Prospects for European Industrial Relations’, in Jack Hayward (ed.), Trade Unions and Politics in Western Europe (London: Frank Cass, 1980) pp. 132–5.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1982 Andrew Cox
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kirchner, E. (1982). The European Community and the Economic Recession: 1973–9. In: Cox, A. (eds) Politics, Policy and the European Recession. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-05764-1_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-05764-1_9
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-05766-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-05764-1
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)