barriers

March 1, 2017

A Freer Energy Market Can Power Europe’s Security

Recent EC proposals fail to explain how alternative energy technologies such as fracking, a deeper energy trade relationship with Europe’s biggest trading partner – the United States – and a freer internal energy market can boost the Union’s energy security strategy.
February 1, 2017

High-powered Reforms to EU Energy Policy

The achievement of efficient and secure energy supply and a clean environment do not have to be conflicting objectives. However, meeting both goals will require meaningful market-oriented reform of energy policy at the EU level.
February 1, 2017

The Taxation of High-income Earners: an International Comparison

The effective marginal tax rate is the total tax on the last euro earned, taking into account income tax as well as social contributions and consumption taxes. Considering only income taxes does not provide the whole picture of the distortionary effects of the tax system.
February 1, 2017

The Economics of Industry 4.0

Viewed over the sweep of history, concerns about technological unemployment have always proved overblown. Over the last two-hundred years, technology has created more jobs than it has destroyed and it has substantially increased labour productivity and living standards.
January 1, 2017

The Past and Future of European Federalism: Spinelli VS. Hayek

The year 2017 will mark the sixty-year anniversary of the Treaties of Rome. On this occasion, the European project will receive a thorough check-up, and important decisions will be made that will decide whether and in what form it survives.
November 1, 2016

Google Shopping: the Arguments Revisited

The arguments on which the various competition cases against Google are being fought involve core features of economic interaction in multi-sided digital markets. As such, the final outcome will have a long-standing impact on platform innovation in the EU.
November 1, 2016

Last Call for TTIP

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is currently in a negotiatory limbo. Even though the European Commission has estimated such an agreement would increase the size of the EU economy by at least €120 billion (or 0.5% of EU GDP) and the U.S economy by €95 billion (roughly 0.4% of U.S GDP), the deal looks more uncertain than ever before.
November 1, 2016

Living on Credit

November 30 marks Credit Day across the European Union. Credit Day is the day when member states’ central administrations exhaust their annual tax revenues and have to begin borrowing in order to meet their spending commitments for the rest of the year.
October 1, 2016

Innovation in Regulatory Approaches

An important part of the digital platform revolution is the sharing economy, which is based on reductions in transaction costs which enable exchanges that were previously not possible. Sharing economy firms facilitate a more efficient use of assets, to the benefit of both asset owners and prospective users.