1st Edition

Privatization in the European Union Theory and Policy Perspectives

Edited By David Parker Copyright 1998

    The book identifies different national characteristics in terms of the motivation to privatise, the scale of privatization and its consequences.
    In the opening chapters there is a detailed overview of the theoretical economic issues involved in privatisation and an assessment of privatization across the EU. The remaining ten chapters contain national case studies of EU countries which review the history of state ownership and privatization in each of these countries and evaluate the extent of privatisation. The role of European Commission directives in deregulating markets and stimulating privatisation is also examined.

    Preface 1 Introduction 2 Privatisation in the European Union: an overview 3 Theoretical perspectives on privatisation: some outstanding issues 4 The privatisation experiment in Austria 5 Privatisation in an industrial policy perspective: the case of France 6 Privatisation in Germany: symbolism in the social market economy? 7 Privatisation in Greece 8 The importance of state enterprises in the Irish economy and the future for privatisation 9 Privatisation in Italy: a tale of ‘capture’ 10 Privatisation in Finland, Sweden and Denmark: fashion or necessity? 11 The privatisation of state enterprises in the Spanish economy 12 Privatisation in the UK: policy and performance 13 Privatisation and deregulation in the Netherlands

    Biography

    David Parker is Professor of Business Economics and Strategy at Aston University, UK. He is a consultant on privatisation and regulation to companies and governments in the UK and overseas. His most recently published works include The Impact of Privatisation: Ownership and Corporate Performance in the UK (Routledge, 1997).