Energy policy is a key area in each of the world's economies. The oil shocks of the 1970's emphasised how important energy had become. In recent years a growing awareness of environmental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship between energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. All of this has created a demand for more, and better, models of energy use.

The focus of this volume is on the European context of public budget policy and a variety of different approaches are used - theoretical modelling, econometrics and applied general equilibrium modelling. Empirical evidence and case studies of European countries are contained in all the papers.The papers cover the four general themes of public budget policy:* economic stabilization, in view of the Economic and Monetary Union in the European Community* reinforcing structural change, involved in market liberalization and harmonization of economic structures* its distributional effects and implications for social equity* endogenous economic growth.

The papers in this much-needed collection employ Applied General Equilibrium methodology to address a wide variety of concerns within the European Union. Contributors examine five main policy areas:* international market integration* policy simulations with alternative treatments of factor markets* policies for carbon dioxide abatement* competitiveness and convergence* VAT and income tax reform.

Energy policy is a key area in each of the world's economies. The oil shocks of the 1970's emphasised how important energy had become. In recent years a growing awareness of environmental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship between energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. All of this has created a demand for more, and better, models of energy use.

Energy policy is a key area in each of the world's economies. The oil shocks of the 1970's emphasised how important energy had become. In recent years a growing awareness of environmental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship between energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. All of this has created a demand for more, and better, models of energy use.

The focus of this volume is on the European context of public budget policy and a variety of different approaches are used - theoretical modelling, econometrics and applied general equilibrium modelling. Empirical evidence and case studies of European countries are contained in all the papers.The papers cover the four general themes of public budget policy:* economic stabilization, in view of the Economic and Monetary Union in the European Community* reinforcing structural change, involved in market liberalization and harmonization of economic structures* its distributional effects and implications for social equity* endogenous economic growth.

The papers in this much-needed collection employ Applied General Equilibrium methodology to address a wide variety of concerns within the European Union. Contributors examine five main policy areas:* international market integration* policy simulations with alternative treatments of factor markets* policies for carbon dioxide abatement* competitiveness and convergence* VAT and income tax reform.

Energy policy is a key area in each of the world's economies. The oil shocks of the 1970's emphasised how important energy had become. In recent years a growing awareness of environmental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship between energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. All of this has created a demand for more, and better, models of energy use.