MARICA FRANGAKIS is an economist, with a special interest in European affairs. She is a member of the Board of the 'Nicos Poulantzas Institute', a non-profit making institution, promoting public debate in a variety of areas. She is also involved with the ATTAC network, while she is an active member of the European Economists for an Alternative Economic Policy in Europe (EuroMemorandum Group). CHRISTOPH HERMANN is Senior researcher at the Working Life Research Centre (FORBA) in Vienna and co-coordinator of the EC funded research project 'Privatization of Public Services and the Impact on Quality, Employment and Producitvity'.JÖRG HUFFSCHMID was professor for Political Economy and Economic Policy at the University of Bremen in Germany. His research interests and publication areas were amongst others European integration and financial markets. He was the scientific coordinator of various EU-wide projects and one of the founders of the EuroMemorandum Group.KAROLY LORANT spent most of his professional life in the Hungarian National Planning Office, where he dealt with long range forecasts. After the systemic change in Hungary he became a senior economist of the economic research institute named ECOSTAT. Over the past years he has been working as an expert for the European Parliament.