Europos Sąjungos ekonominė ir socialinė sanglauda: tyrimų metodologija

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the conceptual framework on economic and social cohesion and create the methodology to analyse and evaluate the impact of the EU enlargement on the economic and social cohesion, to prove the necessity of undertaking a new research project targeted at solving new problems in the process of European integration. However, there are many official documents and independent research. In spite of the fact that there is a set of official documents and independent investigations into economic cohesion, many questions have not yet been properly answered. This study will compile an economic analysis highlighting key problems in reference to the European enlargement, a definition of economic and social cohesion, a methodology of investigating economic and social cohesion and an information model. By analysing economic and social cohesion and its measurement as mentioned in the official EU documents and current literature, a new research agenda will be described that can be involved in any implementation of the EU cohesion policy. Future research needs to include data collected from Eurostat, the World Bank, the IMF, OECD, Eurobarometer and the outcomes of various European projects that have already addressed these issues. Additional sources could include national statistical data and its justification in an information model. This article argues that the concept of economic and social cohesion needs to be extended and that it is necessary to consider new levels of analysis and indicators of an evaluation of the integration process in the EU. JEL classification: F59. Keywords: conceptual framework on economic and social cohesion, architecture of cohesion policy, methodology of investigation of economic and social cohesion, information model.