"Open Method of Co-ordination: The EU's impact upon Spanish pension reform"

Dudek, Carolyn M. (2003) "Open Method of Co-ordination: The EU's impact upon Spanish pension reform". In: UNSPECIFIED, Nashville, TN. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The following suggests that demographic changes and the creation of a single currency in Europe have compelled greater EU influence in Spanish pension reform. Although pension reform has remained the domain of the domestic realm, increased European integration has necessitated lifting the issue of pension reform to the EU level. The economic dependence among members of EMU and the unique institutional structure o£ the EU has facilitated increased attention at the EU level regarding pension reform. Particularly, the creation of the "open method of coordination" introduced at the Lisbon Summit has created an institutionalized way for the EU to play an oversight function in pension reform as well as provide a formalized avenue for countries to share policy ideas. As a result, greater EU activity in pension policy has directly influenced pension reform agenda setting with Spain. Politically, the EU presents a unique condition. For instance, accountability is quite distinct from democratic configurations within member states whereby constituencies can place greater political pressure to inhibit change. In addition, national governments are able to use the EU as a scapegoat to implement needed yet unpopular or highly contested policies such as pension reform. Economically, the almost complete economic integration after the introduction of the Euro, means that countries are ever more dependent on policy choices in other member states. This study concludes that the uniqueness of the EU and its political and economic importance have facilitated Brussels taking an important role in the context of pension reform.

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