liberalism

March 1, 2015

The Energy Union: Why Liberalisation Matters

The Energy Union can further the process of opening up and integrating energy markets within the European Union. However, there is a risk that behind the proposal a new wave of regulation looms, both at national and EU levels.
December 1, 2014

Ibl Index of Liberalizations 2014

The new edition of Istituto Bruno Leoni’s Index of Liberalizations ranks the UK as the most liberalized country in the EU-15, followed by the Netherlands and Sweden. The Index surveys a range of sectors, from energy and telecommunications to transport and insurance, ranking each of the EU-15 Member States relative to the one which scores highest.
October 1, 2014

Promoting Competition and Energy Security in Europe

The success of the internal market for products can and should be repeated for energy. Natural barriers to market entry in terms of infrastructure can be overcome by private and/ or public investment if proper returns on investment are allowed.
October 1, 2014

The TTIP and the Future of EU Free Trade Agreements

The free-trade deal between Canada and the European Union has often been described as a template for the potentially much larger Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership currently being negotiated with the United States. As such it provides a good case study in the pitfalls that might plague, not just the TTIP, but other future trade agreements that the EU embarks upon.
October 1, 2014

Taxation and the Digital Economy

It is widely acknowledged that Europe lags behind when it comes to digital entrepreneurship. The largest players in the digital economy are based elsewhere, primarily in the US, Japan, Israel, and even China.
October 1, 2014

Free Movement of Labour and the Future of the Welfare State

The free movement of workers across Member States is one the main historic achievements of the European integration process. Not only is such freedom important from the individual worker’s perspective, dramatically increasing the scope of potential employment opportunities. In a situation of uneven economic development, such mobility has also proven to be an important mechanism as a free-market regulator.
September 1, 2014

The New Equality: Global Development From Robin Hood to Botswana

In the mid-1700s Europe and North America broke with thousands of years of economic stagnation. When power was spread around in society, countries began to experience sustained growth. It was also the birth of global income inequality, which continued to grow for about two centuries.
September 1, 2014

Towards a Robust Financial Sector – How Should Tax and Regulation Evolve?

The economic and financial crisis has affected the ability of the EU financial sector to channel funds towards the real economy. Heavy dependence on bank intermediation, combined with bank deleveraging and reduced investor confidence, has reduced funding to the economy.
May 1, 2014

Economic Freedom in the Eu: Mediocre Today – World Leader Tomorrow?

Five years since the outbreak of the most severe economic crisis of our time, there is widespread consensus that today’s levels of unemployment, exclusion, deficit, and debt are unsustainable and need to be addressed. Yet the ongoing debate on “austerity vs. growth” is misleading and false.