Versenyképesség és szociális kohézió az Európai Unióban
Competitiveness and Social Cohesion in the European Union

Summary/Abstract: In the fi rst chapter of the study I deal with global competitiveness index of the World Economic Forum, serving the measuring of the nations’ competitiveness. The current study strives to present how the European Union changed its economic policy due to the economic and fi nancial crises and the fi erce global competition. The main emphasis is laid upon competitiveness on contrary of cohesion and social and economic close up of the newly joined Middle- and Eastern European countries. In the study I present the Europe 2020 strategy of the EU, that is a crucial paradigm change in the European strategy-making. While the Lisbon strategy focused on the social cohesion, the Europe 2020 strategy strives the fostering of the European competitiveness. Development strategy, formerly based on bureaucratic co-ordination turns to market co-ordination. Funds serving the target of competitiveness for growth and employment are increased by 6-7% annually during the budget period 2007–2013 while agricultural spending decreases by 3% annually. In the fi rst chapter I demonstrate the funds division of the convergence and regional competitiveness targets in the fi nancial perspective between 2007–2013. The change of paradigm projects the two speed Europe concept and causes severe tensions between the coreregions and the peripheries. According to the study the main focus on competitiveness in the Europe 2020 strategy is a well-established decision even if social cohesion is hurt at the beginning because the knowledge economy can secure Europe’s longterm future. When executing the strategy, utmost attention has to be paid to the absorption capabilities of the Eastern-European countries concerning their innovation take-over and generation.

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