EU Trade Growth examines the complex economic impacts of European Union trade agreements, moving beyond simple assessments of overall growth to explore the distributional effects across sectors and regions. Using Eurostat data, the book investigates how trade liberalization affects employment patterns, productivity growth, and regional disparities within the EU. A key insight is that while trade agreements generally boost economic activity, the benefits and costs are not evenly distributed, leading to winners and losers.
The book provides context by tracing the evolution of EU trade policy and its theoretical underpinnings, acknowledging that real-world outcomes are often more complex than theoretical models suggest. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these nuanced effects to craft effective policies that mitigate potential negative consequences and ensure that the gains from trade are more broadly shared.
The structure of the book progresses from introducing the theoretical framework and methodology, to focusing on specific case studies of EU trade agreements, and finally synthesizing the findings with policy recommendations.
