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Despite decades of European social dialogue, little is known about the social policy preferences of EU employers' organizations (EEOs). Building on the literature on industrial relations and the role of business in welfare state development, this article explores the preferences of key EEOs (BusinessEurope, SGI Europe and SMEunited) in vocational education and training (VET), active and passive labour market policies, pensions and work–family reconciliation. Software-based qualitative content analysis of 75 position papers and 19 joint declarations, triangulated with four elite semi-structured interviews, is employed to assess employers' preferences along four national and two European dimensions. Largely in line with the power resources theory, EEOs favour cost containment and social investment, by strengthening labour market flexicurity and reducing skills mismatches through VET. Conflicting logics of membership and influence guide the actions of EEOs: members are wary of legislation impinging on national social policy traditions; yet, greater European assertiveness makes lobbying efforts unavoidable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity markets are increasingly influenced by variable renewable energy such as wind and solar power, characterized by a pronounced weather-induced variability and imperfect predictability. As a result, the evaluation of the capacity value of variable renewable energy, i.e., its contribution to security of supply, gains importance. This paper develops a new methodology to endogenously determine the capacity value in large-scale investment and dispatch models for electricity markets. The framework allows balancing effects to be accounted for that arise due to the spatial distribution of generation capacities and interconnectors. The practical applicability of the methodology is shown with an application for wind power in Europe. We find that wind power can substantially contribute to security of supply in a decarbonized European electricity system in 2050, with regional capacity values ranging from 1-40%. Analyses that do not account for the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of the contribution of wind power to security of supply therefore lead to inefficient levels of dispatchable back-up capacity. Applying a wind power capacity value of 5% results in an overestimation of firm capacity requirements in Europe by 66 GW in 2050. This translates to additional firm capacity provision costs of 3.8 bn EUR per year in 2050, which represents an increase of 7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy marker liberalisation process in Europe is increasingly focused on electricity market integration and related cross border issues. This signals that the liberalisation of national electricity markets is now closer to the long-term objective of a single European energy market. The interface between the national electricity markets requires physical interconnections and technical arrangements. However, further progress towards this objective also raises important issues regarding the framework within which the integrated market is implemented. This paper reviews the progress towards a single European electricity market. We then discuss the emerging issues of market concentration, investments, and security of supply as well as some aspects of market design and regulation that are crucial for dynamic performance of a single European market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study effects of energy market uncertainty shocks on energy transition on the 28 European Union countries from 1990 to 2015 using annual frequency data. We assess the effects of oil price as well as the energy market supply, demand, and residual price shocks using a time-varying parameter panel data stochastic volatility model. We show the importance of reducing energy market uncertainty for the success of a clean energy transition in Europe as uncertainties have strong time-varying effects on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The oil price and residual energy price uncertainties are the key factors encouraging renewable energy transition that reduces the vulnerability of economies to energy shocks. Energy supply shocks affect the transition negatively while the demand shocks work similarly to residual energy prices shocks, requiring a robust energy base that is less volatile. The paper also discusses policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

faces a growing import dependency over the next decades. Europe's neighbouring regions are endowed with substantial reserves and resources which can cover the increasing European import requirements in the medium to long term. With the development of its different uses, especially for power generation, gas is increasingly gaining importance for European energy security of supply. A substantial captive demand has indeed developed during the past decade, which explains the essential role the EU gives to natural gas in its energy policy. Securing and increasing gas supply will, however, require huge investments on all the segments of the gas chain, namely exploration and development, international transit and downstream infrastructures (gas lines and storage). These investments will be realised by energy companies and will, therefore, require an appropriate investment climate, which not only involves economic considerations but also a stable environment, a clear regulation and the possibility for operators to develop necessary strategic partnerships. This paper assesses the future long term (2010-2020-2030) gas import requirements and external supply potential for Europe, and identifies future gas corridor infrastructure needs taking into account a reserve/resource analysis, production and demand outlooks, export infrastructure and projects, supply costs as well as institutional, strategy and geopolitical issues, etc. Finally, the paper identifies investment barriers for different types of gas corridor infrastructure projects and proposes issues to be addressed by policymakers in order to put in place a favourable environment regarding investment promotion and to create a sustainable gas market for the long term. The paper is based on the work carried out by OME in the framework of the ENCOURAGED (Energy Corridor Optimization for the European Markets for Gas, Electricity and Hydrogen) project financed by the European Commission DG-Research 6th Research and Development Framework Programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how power generation in the European Union (EU) can be modernised along the lines of a sustainable solution pursuant to WEC principles. This means a re-design with the goal of implementing the EU's internal market and far-reaching decarbonisation.The example of Germany's energy U-turn shows one possible route, one that is marked by a massive expansion of renewable energies coupled with a phase-out of nuclear energy. Other European countries are pursuing different strategies. Current developments show that solutions chosen in any one country have direct implications for its neighbours. This is because electricity markets are continuing to grow together. In a spirit of solidarity between the member states, the closest possible review and coordination and/or harmonisation of policies are needed. This will allow the conversion process, which is associated with macro- economic costs, to be shaped on a cost-efficient basis.For utilities, the energy turnaround brings with it a multitude of challenges. Utilities must convert their generation portfolio and, in particular, perceptibly increase their share of low- carbon energies. Conventional power plants must be designed flexibly, so that - besides volatility in consumption - fluctuations in the feed-in of renewable energies, too, can be offset. In addition to this technical requirement, energy suppliers are facing a situation in which the utilisation period of conventional power stations is falling as a result of the growing feed-in of renewables. On top of this comes the fact that wholesale electricity prices on sunny days are pushed down despite high demand owing to the growing feed-in of electricity from photovoltaic systems. Both factors limit the options for obtaining the necessary contributions to cover fixed costs on the market. This raises the issue of the market design of the future. The launch of capacity mechanisms, ie remuneration for the product 'firm capacity' supplementing the income obtained from the sale of electricity, could help. At the same time, capacity mechanisms could be a suitable instrument for coping with power failures.This brings politics into the game. With electricity markets growing together, the central requirement to be met by a capacity-market mechanism is that harmonised regulations, a discrimination-free design and technology neutrality are ensured throughout Europe. This is regarded as indispensable for creating a level playing field.Also as regards reaching the goal of Europe's climate policy, viz. a lowering of greenhouse- gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 compared with 1990, the rule must be to prioritise European solutions over any national regulation. In addition, a procedure in climate policy that is more stringently reviewed at international level is considered unavoidable. Cost efficiency in reaching climate goals means backing market instruments. CO2 emissions trading should be accorded the role of leading instrument in climate protection. The instrument can be used to achieve agreed quantity targets for CO2 emissions reliably and at the least possible costs.One argument in favour of anchoring the trade in emissions as leading instrument to shape a sustainable energy supply is that the costs of transforming the energy system can be kept within bounds. Renewable energies enter the system with rising CO2 prices on a market- driven basis. The various technologies compete with one another and with other CO2- avoidance technologies, like increases in efficiency, utilisation of nuclear energy and CO2 capture and storage (CCS).One current study says that the expected growth in electricity consumption in the EU by some 1,000 TWh by 2050 will be covered by adding renewable energies if the focus is on trade in emissions as leading instrument. This doubles the share of renewables in power generation by 2050 to about 50%. After 2030, with rising CO2 prices, CCS, too, becomes profitable. If we were to rule out this technology for lowering CO2, much higher costs for the aimed-at decarbonisation of power generation would have to be accepted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy supply is one of the most significant security issues of the modern times. Especially in recent years it has become to dominate the European Union in terms of securing supplies through diversification of oil and gas fields. In this respect the Caspian area is likely to become a major energy source, in which Turkey's position as an energy corridor becomes prominent. This paper looks at the European Union policy to meet its energy needs in terms of tapping into the oil and gas fields of the Caspian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Europe is liberalising electricity in accordance with the European Commission's Electricity Directives. Different countries have responded differently, notably in the extent of restructuring, treatment of mergers, market power, and vertical unbundling. While Britain and Norway have achieved effective competition, others like Germany, Spain and France are still struggling to deal with dominant and sometimes vertically integrated companies. The Netherlands offers an interesting intermediate case, where good economic analysis has sometimes been thwarted by legalistic interpretations. Investment under the new Emissions Trading system could further transform the electricity industry but may be hampered by slow progress in liberalising European gas markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite engagement with the construct of power relations, research on the political economy of health has largely overlooked organized labor as a determinant of well-being. Grounded in the theory of power resources, our study aims to fill this gap by investigating the link between country-level union density and mental health while accounting for the compositional effects of individual-level union membership. We use three waves of the European Social Survey (N = 52,737) and a variation on traditional random-effects models to estimate both the contextual and change effects of labor unions on depressive symptoms. We find that country-level union density is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and that this is true irrespective of union membership. We discuss our findings vis-à-vis the literatures on the political economy of health, power resources, and fundamental causes of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present comparative research on precarious work and trade union strategies in three sectors (construction, industrial cleaning, temporary agency work) across seven European countries. Specific sectors have a profile of precarious work that is remarkably similar across countries, originating from similar employer strategies and work organizations. This results in unions facing comparable challenges concerning precarious work at sectoral level and developing comparable sectoral strategies to combat precarious work. The success of these strategies depends to a large extent on the available power resources. Between sectors within single countries, we observe some similarities but also very substantial differences in their institutional configuration and in actors' constellations, power resources and repertoires of action. National institutional contexts seem much less significant than often assumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformations of European labour markets and welfare systems have deepened the problem of precarious work, leading trade unions to develop strategies to represent and organize the workers affected. We focus on Italy and Spain, two of the countries with the most precarious labour markets in Europe, and address the specificity and variety of union responses. We relate these responses to the different institutional contexts, including employment and welfare regulation, and the power resources unions can draw upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the potential of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies in the European electricity markets, assessing whether CCS technologies will reduce carbon emissions substantially in the absence of investment subsidies, and how the availability of CCS technologies may affect electricity prices and the amount of renewable electricity. To this end we augment a multi-market equilibrium model of the European energy markets with CCS electricity technologies. The CCS technologies are characterized by costs and technical efficiencies synthesized from a number of recent CCS reviews. Our simulations indicate that with realistic values for carbon prices, new CCS coal power plants become profitable, totally replacing non-CCS coal power investments and to a large extent replacing new wind power. New CCS gas power also becomes profitable, but does not replace non-CCS gas power investment fully. Substantially lower costs, through subsidies on technological development or deployment, would be necessary to make CCS modification of existing coal and gas power plants profitable for private investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issues on the need for an energy regulator by the European Commission (EC) in Europe. The energy regulator advocates the creation of a pan-European energy regulator to ensure its competence over cross-border energy issues and responsibility for evolving common standards and a common tariff policy. However, the Member States opposed to the idea and claimed that it would add to the unnecessary euro-bureaucracy. Among the factors in favor of the energy regulator are the strengthening of energy firms with the political elite in many of the EC member states, and the harmonizing effect would contribute to eliminate the existence of different interpretations of provisions and permit conditions in various parts of European Union.