
The European Commission has adopted its GDPR adequacy decision for the U.S., creating a new basis for data transfers to the U.S., like those …
The European Commission has adopted its GDPR adequacy decision for the U.S., creating a new basis for data transfers to the U.S., like those …
The relationship between the money supply, demand for money, and price levels is a dynamic force within the economic landscape. It’s important to note …
Contemporary discussions on the Eastern Neighbourhood and the future of the Union following Brexit would do well to consider the role of soft power, …
In politics and policymaking, controversies and conflicts arise often. The term denotes situations where even knowledgeable, rational, and sincere actors struggle to resolve an …
It has been a year since the first-in-a-decade increase of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) key interest rates.
Throughout the history of the Eurozone, …
Singapore’s healthcare system is the most efficient in the world, according to the latest Bloomberg health systems ranking; further, according to the Economist Intelligence …
The need for sovereignty – digital, technological, medical, energy, or food – has become a priority, at least in the discourse. It is evident …
When I visited my parents earlier this month, I stumbled across a book which I remember using as a reference for a final-year school …
In The Times’ article discussing recent polling which indicates that one in three British voters would support a ban on gambling, findings from the …
Politicians often forget that it is profit that drives firms in a society built upon the tangible benefits of capitalism, and that it is …
The elimination of the wealth tax by the Regional Government of Andalusia to attract high-income taxpayers triggered different reactions. Some autonomous communities (ACs) decided …
Concerns over the damage caused by climate change have prompted a global push for increased investments in renewable energy. This has led to a …
For a quarter of a millennium, economists have been trying to dispel the myth that exports are fruitful for a country while imports are …
Heading into the European elections next year, voters will most likely view migration as one of their top priorities. It is one of the …
The Italian minister of economic affairs, Giancarlo Giorgetti, has warned that radicalisation of environmental policies could result in a political “crisis of rejection” of …
Private supplementary health insurance is considered positively by a majority of Slovak politicians and the public. Yet, in the almost two decades after the …
Appearing on the ‘The Brussels Report Podcast’, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics, Christopher Snowdon, discussed the main conclusions from the 2023 Nanny State Index. …
The economics literature shows that advertising can increase the sale of individual brands but, in mature markets, does not increase aggregate sales of the …
This briefing summarises a recent analysis by the CEPOS, which investigates how Denmark can become one of the economically freest countries in the world …
In a Telegraph article delving into popular narratives surrounding ‘greedflation’, the 2023 Nanny State Index was referenced to dispel the belief that top-down, state-intervention …
Transparency and accountability are vital pillars of democratic governance. However, the series of scandals that rocked the European Union over the last few years …
Competition is a discovery process between rival firms and can only be explained if the information is imperfect. It is the most effective way …
In July 2023 the European Commission starts the process of designating gatekeepers on digital markets. Large digital companies deemed to have a large user …
In the Times’ ‘Ask the experts’ column, an article titled “What you can and can’t do in Europe’s most (and least) nanny-state countries’ unpacked …
The last three years have brought many old ghosts to Europe. The COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest health crisis since the Spanish flu, wars …
In his recent comments for Expresso, Adam Bartha, Director of EPICENTER, highlighted the EU’s foolishness trying to compromise with Viktor Orban’s government, despite its …
The Lithuanian news outlet ’15min’ published an article discussing the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Europe as a whole. The article …
The article by ‘Magyar Hang’ delves into the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Hungary, highlighting how its dispiriting performance aligns with …
The analysis of Romania’s performance in the 2023 Nanny State Index was recently featured in an article by ‘Adevarul‘. The article discusses the reasons …
CNN Romania published an article summarising the findings of the Nanny State Index 2023, focusing on Romania’s rank as one of ‘the least free’ countries …
The Romanian news outlet ‘DC News Romania’ published an article discussing the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Romania and Europe as …
The Polish news outlet ‘Gazeta Polska’ published an article summarising the findings of the Nanny State Index 2023, focusing on Germany and Turkey, the …
The Spanish newspaper Libre Mercado published an article discussing EPICENTER’s Nanny State Index. The article emphasizes the Spanish government’s notably low level of interventionism …
The Huffington Post Italy has published an article featuring EPICENTER’s Nanny State Index, which explores the trade-off between risk and freedom. The article discusses …
In the Times, analysis from the 2023 Nanny State Index featured as part of a review of Britain’s increasingly strict e-cigarette rules and legislations. …
In Liberal Market, the individual score of Greece and the pan-European analysis from the 2023 Nanny State Index were presented. The article provided an …
The Daily Telegraph featured the main findings of the 2023 Nanny State Index and provided a comprehensive breakdown of Britain’s extensive range of paternalistic …
In their article, Dnevik focused on the contribution of EPICENTER partner, the Institute for Market Economy, to the Nanny State Index. The article praised …
The 2023 Nanny State Index was featured in Politico’s London Playbook. The section highlighted that Britain has the strictest regulations on tobacco and the …
The editor of the 2023 Nanny State Index, Christopher Snowdon, authored an article in The Spectator discussing the United Kingdom’s ranking in the Index. …
Italy is recognized as one of the most tolerant countries in Europe when it comes to lifestyle regulations. This article elaborates on the reasons …
The Bulgarian news outlet “On Air Bulgaria” recently reported on the findings of the 2023 Nanny State Index. The article focuses on the growing …
Equality of opportunity is a key foundational principle of liberalism. The most widely accepted definition of equality of opportunity among liberals is the absence …
Charles Ponzi became famous in the 1920s for running a $20 million fraud, whereby clients would be promised succulent profit margins from a risk-free …
This paper exemines the demographic projections for Slovakia up to 2030, focusing on the potential shortages of healthcare professionals. By considering factors such as …
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the effect of lockdowns, also referred to as ‘Covid restrictions’, ‘social distancing measures’ …
In my opinion, we often overlook the benefits of the current EU. It is based on constitutional frameworks that, to a very large extent, …
After three decades of relative price stability, inflation has returned with a vengeance to the world’s advanced economies. The trend began in early 2021, …
Germany has taken the top spot as the freest country in Europe once again, with the least amount of nannying regulations like banning, taxing, …
The rest of the world is keen to adopt technological innovations, but Italy seems to be stuck in the past.
Italy’s productivity growth has …
Martin Pánek, director of EPICENTER partner think tank the Liberal Institute, was interviewed on Czechia’s Radio Zet. He discussed how interest rate hikes had …
EPICENTER member think tank KEFiM’s findings on overtaxation’s impact on citizens’ standard of living were featured in ‘CNN Greece’. The article delved into the …
Cécile Philippe, the president of the Économique Molinari Institute, an EPICENTER member think tank, was featured in Les Echoes Philippe argues that entrepreneurs and …
Martin Pánek, the director of the EPICENTER partner, the Liberal Institute, was featured in Euro, a popular Czech news site, expressing his support for …
Christian Nasulea, the director of EPICENTER member think tank IES, was featured on a popular Romanian news program called Digi24, where he discussed the …
Nicolas Marques, Senior Fellow at the EPICENTER member think tank Institut Économique Molinari, participated in a debate on demographic changes and pension reform. During …
EPICENTER member think tank TIMBRO’s report on excessive government market interventions was recently featured in Sweden’s leading daily newspaper, Dagens Industri. The report highlights …
The Warsaw Enterprise Institute, an EPICENTER partner, had the findings from their report featured in ‘Bankier’, one of Poland’s most popular news platforms. The …
The Warsaw Enterprise Institute, an EPICENTER partner, recently had the findings from their 2022 edition of the ‘Report of Clever Santa’ featured in iPolska24 …
Nicolas Marques, a member of the French EPICENTER member think tank, Institut Économique Molinari, was interviewed by Ouest France, a popular news platform. During …
The Istituto Bruno Leoni, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently had their findings featured in ‘Il Foglio’, a popular daily newspaper in Italy. The …
TIMBRO, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently had their report on the impact of excessive government market interventions on inflationary pressures featured in ‘Dagens …
The Institut Économique Molinari, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently had their findings featured in ‘Le Figaro’, one of France’s most popular newspapers. The …
Christian Nasulea, the Executive Director of IES Europe, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently made an appearance on Digi24, one of Romania’s most popular …
Dalibor Rohac, the author of the EPICENTER paper ‘Fast tracking Ukraine – Why granting membership will benefit the EU’, recently shared his insights in …
The Institute of Economic Affairs, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently had their findings featured in ‘Liberal’, a popular news platform in Greece. Dr. …
Christian Nasulea, the Executive Director of IES Europe, an EPICENTER member think tank, recently appeared on Digi24, one of Romania’s top news programs. During …
Brussels Report recently highlighted EPICENTER’s 2021 ‘Raising Barriers’ report in an article exploring how the European Union’s Free Trade Agreements with third-party countries can …
Recently, the Greek news outlet ‘Liberal’ featured the work of KEFiM, an EPICENTER member think tank. The study, which explored the cost-of-living crisis, revealed …
Harry Lime, the villain of the classic movie The Third Man, is an early example of the kind of smart movie villain who is not …
Until recently, the telecommunications market was held up as an EU success story, with Europeans emerging as the big winners. European consumers were indeed …
This paper urges EU decision makers to include transportation and buildings into the already existing Emissions Trading System (ETS). The study found that consolidating …
This paper urges EU decision makers to avoid entering a tit-for-tat subsidy battle with the Unites States in response to the US Inflation Reduction …
The EU is in an existential debt crisis. This crisis is often overlooked, and if it is not brought under control, it may lead …
Work is underway at the European Union to develop a third Tobacco Products Directive. This briefing outlines a number of simple measures that could …
Poland’s geographic potential for wind energy development is similar to that of industry leaders; yet, the interference of the Polish government continues to block …
The Inflation Reduction Act signed by the Biden administration in the autumn of 2022 could be one of the most expensive climate legislation in …
What does it mean to be a liberal?
The basic programme of liberalism has been remarkably consistent over the centuries, but the emphasis has …
This paper analyses how excessive taxation and regulations are worsening inflationary pressures in eight European countries. As a result of heavy state intervention, European …
European stock exchanges are keenly waiting on the details about the implementation of a consolidated ticker tape. A stock exchange’s ticker tape reports the …
As European economies aim to lessen their dependence on Russia, while also keeping with plans to reach carbon emission neutrality by 2050, EU member …
Since its geopolitical turn, the European Commission has time and again reiterated the need for member states to level up the EU’s autonomous security …
The energy sector is in dire need of investments. However, the new government-imposed taxes in Slovakia are instead adding to the financial burden already …
The French government has introduced a policy that makes it mandatory for parking lots with over 80 parking slots to have a roof with …
Once again, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are being claimed dead. For many observers, the bankruptcy of the Bahamas-based trading platform FTX signals the token …
The briefing reviews the newly passed directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU and investigates its potential negative impacts on traditional collective bargaining …
The EU has legislated a zero-emissions sales mandate for new cars and vans from 2035, the first of an array of green laws the …
European countries aim to lessen their dependence on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine while pursuing their goal of realising carbon emissions neutrality in …
On 4 October 2022, the European Council adopted a directive to push EU member states to streamline the rules by which they set the …
At first glance, the EU Commission’s suggestion that above-normal returns in the energy sector be taxed may seem like a reasonable and timely initiative. …
As energy prices soar this year, policymakers in the European Union and the United Kingdom have proposed various measures aimed at limiting energy inflation. …
September has not been a good month for Vladimir Putin. It opened with a Ukrainian offensive which broke Russian defences near the eastern city …
In all likelihood, the Danes will have a general election within a month. Campaigning among the Danish politicians has been ongoing for months, although …
Inflation is soaring and the Danes are currently seeing their economic prospects being eroded by events beyond their control. The enthusiastic money-printing at the …
Imagine you buy 10 cans of beer every week, at a price of €2.50 each.
Due to a shortage of hops, the price of …
In early September, Gazprom announced an indefinite shutdown of the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which normally accounts for one-third of Russian gas imports …
In response to the debt crisis, the Greek government implemented excessively high tax rates in an attempt to save the country from financial collapse. …
Across European countries, this period marks the end of another academic year for many graduating students. It serves as a reminder that there is …
Due to the severe housing crisis in Romania, the government should be putting efforts toward simplifying the property development process rather than maintaining the …
The standard of living crisis has been exacerbated by rising inflation and regulatory costs that have increased prices for the average consumer. As of …
President Macron announced in February 2022 that he wanted to ‘restart the construction of nuclear reactors’ with six new reactors after the definitive closure …
Granting candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova in June 2022 was an important and worthwhile step taken by the EU. Yet, as currently devised, …
“We can see that it works” is oftentimes the argument adopted by politicians and NGOs to justify why Danes’ choices must be governed through …
Humans are currently faced with an energy transition in response to a challenge of unprecedented magnitude. In order to combat global warming, nations have …
This paper examines the tax and regulatory policies fuelling inflation across five European countries. The detailed analysis of high price levels in Germany, Italy, …
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, questions about energy independence in the EU and the various ways this could …
The EU and its member states are increasingly adopting a mission-oriented approach to tackling today’s pressing challenges. This line of thinking has been inspired …
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced the European Union and its member states to substantially revise their energy policy in order to meet short-term …
In his speech to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos last month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that ‘protection of our values …
The Consumer Choice Center recently welcomed our Director, Adam Bartha, to discuss the sixth round of economic sanctions on Russia. The discussion revolved around …
While the US has made promises to supply more natural gas to Europe, questions have been raised regarding the US’s long-term capacity for such …
The LFMI’s recent brief entitled “Digital Market Act: Competition, Private Property, Innovation and the Interests of the Users’’ covers all of the complex issues …
Discussing Irene Montero’s recent large spending plan to accommodate inequality in Spain, Adam Bartha weighs in on solutions. Bartha affirms that empty political taglines …
Adam Bartha discusses the evolving Ukraine invasion and Russian sanctions. Bartha covers the potential effects on Russian leadership, what a Post – Putin Russia …
European legislators venture to tackle big tech with the new Digital Markets Act provision. The European Parliament’s diversion from the original text on interoperability …
Cécile Philippe, President of the IEM, was interviewed on domestic French taxation issues to discussions on what role the EU plays in the French …
The single charger proposals speak to a deeper issue with the EU’s mindset. This is superfluous intervention, built on spurious grounds, that will only …
Of the 13 agreements that have been ratified between 2012 and 2019, the Italian Parliament has ratified only 4, all during the same parliamentary …
Of the 13 agreements that have been ratified between 2012 and 2019, the Greek Parliament has ratified only 4, all during the same parliamentary …
The opposition parties in Greece, Italy and Spain tend to oppose the ratification of these agreements for environmental concerns and the protection of domestic …
Of the 13 Free Trade Agreements that have been ratified between 2012 and 2019, the Greek Parliament has ratified only four. All during the …
A new study published by the EPICENTER network in collaboration with three of its member organizations, including KEFIM, Fundacion Civismo, and Istituto Bruno Leoni, …
Of the 13 agreements that have been ratified between 2012 and 2019, the Italian Parliament has ratified only 4, all during the same parliamentary …
The European Commission is asking for feedback on its Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). The call for evidence closes on 17 June 2022 and is …
In many states across Europe, fracking is banned due to nimbyism (reluctance to be the site of fracking themselves) and pressure from green groups, …
Over the previous year we have heard constant talk of the transitory nature of inflation and the reasons why it will be transitory. In …
It is well known that high production taxes and social contributions in France have been stifling the economy for some time. Prior to the …
On May 11, Lithuania celebrates The Day of Respect for the Taxpayers. On this occasion, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) stresses that a …
The European Union is debating a directive that would place a minimum effective corporate income tax (CIT) of 15 percent on large-scale company groups. …
When big companies like Ikea and Apple leave Russia, it puts pressure on the Putin regime. Critics of globalisation are forced to realise that …
In August 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin travelled to Poland for an unplanned visit. The staff of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was …
At the end of 2021, the European Commission released a “Proposal for a council directive on ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for …
Since the war in Ukraine intensified, a strong network of civil society united to help as much on the ground as possible.
Besides donations …
The European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Council continue negotiations on the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a proposed regulation aimed at curtailing …
Many classical liberals dedicate their professional lives to making their societies freer, fairer, and more prosperous. We are battling bad ideas that would impoverish …
Market failures are not simply outcomes you do not like. They are institutional inefficiencies such as externalities (where a proportion of the cost or …
Oxfam is back to their old tricks, making pseudoscientific claims about inequality. It is once again hating on the rich while backing policies that will …
The European Commission has proposed a Directive of the European Parliament and Council on improving working conditions on platform work. The proposal lays down …
From 2023, all EU goods destined for the UK market will need to be certified with a new regulatory customs mark, recognising the regulatory independence of the …
Preventing gold-plating is once again reinstated by the EU as an important measure to reduce barriers to the single market. Gold-plating is not in …
YES – says Alexander Hammond
It is unlikely that most people will be rampant classical liberals by 2030. Still, for the remainder of …
The energy-price crisis is an economic problem.
It is not a moral problem. It is a matter of bringing supply and demand for various …
Fiscal Rules of the European Union
Olaf Scholz, the new German Chancellor, visited French President Emmanuel Macron on 14 December to discuss questions regarding …
Generations of students of international relations (IR) at British universities have learned that liberals detest war and actively seek possibilities to eradicate conflict out …
The Chinese real estate giant Evergrande has been a popular topic of conversation in recent weeks. It is not only the company’s liabilities of …
The Index of Economic Freedom, which is compiled every year by the Heritage Foundation, shows that the most capitalist countries have an average per capita …
Production taxes in France have long been a contentious issue closely linked to employment and wage growth. France currently sets one of the highest …
Agenda setting is both important and difficult. Politics tends to veer towards topical issues which are not always the most relevant. Moreover, parties tend …
While COP26 seems to have had lukewarm effects on the global approach towards more sustainable policies, a key takeaway is the promotion of market …
The Carbon Borders Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is one of the key regulations to compliment the EU’s existing ETS scheme in tackling carbon leakages. As …
EU states neighbouring Belarus have been encountering the largest migrant flows through a newly discovered Eastern …
The European Union often concludes international trade agreements, which contain shared competences with the Member States (the so-called mixed competences agreements), thus they require …
The latest International Tax Competitiveness Index, published by the Tax Foundation, illustrates the wide variation in the quality of tax systems across Europe. Many …
The voting patterns of political parties in the national parliaments of Greece, Italy and Spain, and of their members of the European Parliament, show …
The proposed EU Digital Services Act (DSA) aims to protect users of digital services, but unfortunately it also creates serious new risks for both …
A new EPICENTER Discussion Paper by trade experts from Italy, Spain, and Greece outlines the reasons for scepticism towards free trade in the South …
The pandemic has not only had a disproportionate effect on youth employment as young people were more than twice as likely to lose their …
Overall, the EU has an economic freedom score of 7.78 out of 10, which has been stable for the past decade. To put this …
Afghanistan is a textbook example of the sunk cost fallacy – where throwing additional financial and human resources at the problem will not improve …
The Italian government has recently presented the RRP (Recovery and Resilience Plan) to Parliament. On 30 April, it was sent to Brussels for initial …
Diaspora communities hold incalculable potential to support their home countries and have long been acknowledged as actors for development thanks to their unique transnational …
The world has become a much better place in recent decades when it comes to poverty and prosperity: extreme poverty has been significantly reduced …
The EU and Japan are like-minded: both support a rules-based, open global trade system and share similar values on democracy, freedom of expression and …
The GAFAM, an acronym for US tech giants Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft, are constantly – and wrongly – accused of not paying …
During the summer the EU Council published “A Globally Connected Europe”, in which it outlined its geopolitical strategy towards Asia, intending to deepen its …
In June, the European Parliament and Council of the EU reached a provisional agreement to transform the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) into a …
The military withdrawal from Afghanistan has enabled the Taliban to gain full control of the country, which severely threatens civil rights. The rights of …
The European Commission seeks to strengthen the principle of equal pay for work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and …
As the International Tax Competitiveness Index states, the structure of a country’s tax code is an important determinant of its economic performance. A well-structured …
In order to deliver a successful strategy, to avoid conflicts between EU Member States and the European Commission, the best strategy is to conceive …
The Consumer Choice Center interviewed our Director for a podcast on the Belarusian sanctions. Adam Bartha praised the EU for implementing further sanctions on …
The European Commission claims that the Digital Services Act (DSA) will deliver much-needed harmonisation and clarity of regulation. In fact, it introduces new risks …
The ECB’s accounts have become the waste-bin for the financial garbage of the entire Eurozone. In this zero-sum game, there are winners and losers. At …
A transatlantic tech partnership would spur collaborations between governments and companies to rebalance the rising Chinese tech industry. With optimal innovation policies, Chinese state-sponsored …
Since the 2018 Bitcoin crash and more recently since Facebook’s announcement of a global ‘stablecoin’ Diem, the EU has taken a greater interest in …
What was once a pipedream in academic circles, a global minimum corporate tax might soon be a reality that could change the way the …
The recent outrage sparked by the German-Franco proposal of an EU-Russia summit for Poland and the Baltic States shows how deeply the EU is …
The European Union has targeted large online platforms as potential threats to competition in the digital world. According to the Commission’s Vice President and …
The EU Commission proposed the new Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) in December 2020. Collectively, these proposals are an important …
It can be a pain when your boss rings you when you are having a TV dinner, or an important email pings on your …
Historically the EU has subsidised certain industries, especially those in the agricultural sector. EU fisheries are no exception, with the European Maritime and Fisheries …
The G7 agreement on new principles for taxing multinationals is not the ‘breakthrough’ that many are claiming. It probably will not make a lot …
The Conference on the Future of the Europe seeks to tackle the long-criticised ‘democratic deficit’ of the European Union with its emphasis on citizen …
On 15 December 2020, the EU Commission released a proposal for a Regulation on Contestable and Fair Markets in the Digital Sector – referred …
Most countries are not on track to meet their promises made under the Paris Agreement, as impactful climate action is often hindered by the …
Recent events in Turkey have created extreme tensions between Turkey and the EU. There have been serious violations in the justice system, social life, …
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics this week looked a ban on e-cigarette flavours implemented in San Francisco on 1 January 2019. The ban was supposed …
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the rate of digitisation in European healthcare systems. Europe’s ageing population projections estimate that by 2070 people aged 65 or …
Last month, civil society and regulators celebrated World Consumer Rights Day, an occasion to mark the rights of consumers. This year, the date took …
Working at home is something many of us have got used to – maybe too used to – over the last year. In a …
It yet remains to be seen if the vaccine will deliver the promise of a return to normal life, with no new waves of …
Debt mutualisation across EU Member States has recently been brought to the forefront of discussion. Firstly, because of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) balance-sheet operations, …
The 2021 edition of the Nanny State Index, which has been expanded to 30 countries in Europe, shows that Germany has taken the top spot …
The taxation of capital—at both the individual and the corporate level – is much debated and affects economic growth by lowering the incentives to …
European governments are becoming increasingly paternalistic in the way they regulate the lifestyle choices of their citizens. The Nanny State Index – which ranks …
Last month, the Berlin Rent Control Act was found to violate the German constitution. This was the right call, but the Federal Constitutional Court …
Tax shifts are widespread – often at the expense of the consumer – but governments do not always seem to be aware of the …
In February, the Bank of Spain published its statistics on the Spanish public debt, indicating that state liabilities reached 117.08% of GDP at the …
Imagine you just purchased a painting from Sotheby’s called Portrait of Edmond Belamy (“Portrait”) for $432,500. Portrait was AI-generated. Your neighbour Jim takes a …
Overall, the best way of maximising freedom and helping to restart international travel in a way that does not damage public health is through …
There is scepticism towards the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement’s effective capacity to truly level the playing field diplomatically. Critics have pointed out that while the …
The United States lacks a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU, and the failed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations during …
Protecting equal democratic rights across all sections of society, irrespective of one’s ethnicity, gender or wealth is a cornerstone of liberal democracies – and …
The EU’s travails over vaccine supply have revitalised calls in some free-market circles for the scrapping of the precautionary principle (PP). This is the …
The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying lockdowns reduced global CO2 emissions by 7 percent last year. Some environmentalists, such as the University College London …
Monetary policy could become a problem for the Eurozone as we recover from the pandemic. Given the huge increases in the volatility of money, …
Vaccine passports are all the rage right now in the EU. One of the largest consequences of the pandemic has been significant restrictions to …
Amidst a global populist attack on “Big Tech”, the European Union has not just failed to resist, but has embraced unwarranted attacks on some …
While the EU has been criticised for its lack of preparation, guidance, and strong unified response amidst the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the arrival of vaccines …
Surveys suggest that public understanding of the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes has become divorced from the scientific evidence. A Eurobarometer survey conducted in …
Milano Post presents the main points of the new Index of Liberalisation, with the UK holding the first position and Italy the sixth position. …
La Repubblica shows that Italy is among the most liberalised countries of Europe by referring to the Index of Liberalisation 2020. The article also …
The European Commission has recently launched several initiatives that will make safer nicotine products less appealing to smokers. The Commission’s Scientific Committee on Health, …
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted widespread calls for stricter regulation of price gouging across the European Union. Whilst the calls come from a good …
After almost seven years of discussions and negotiations, it was announced on December 30, 2020, that the EU and China concluded in principle the …
In December 2020, negotiations were concluded for the highly anticipated EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). Economically, the objectives and achievements of the CAI …
Europe is a continent of small and medium-sized nations, and many citizens in these nations wish to form even smaller ones. Should free-market liberals …
Last spring, my colleague Chris Snowdon compiled an amusing Twitter thread highlighting examples of commentators and activists who were using the pandemic as a new excuse …
Public debt could soar to as much as 126% of GDP should Catalonia leave the EU and Spain. Research conducted by Civismo & EPICENTER …
The article summarises the main points of EPICENTER’s analysis on the economic costs of a hypothetical independence of Catalonia. Read the article in Spanish …
The article summarises the main points of EPICENTER’s and Civismo’s analysis on the economic costs of a hypothetical independence of Catalonia. Read the full …
The new IBL report shows that existing international comparisons measuring obesity are flawed as a result of inaccurate data being compiled on a national …
The Index of Liberalisation unveils which countries rank best in economic liberalisation and provides insight on countries with the infrastructure to rebound quicker following …
On the ConsEUmer Podcast Adam Bartha discusses the rule of law situation across Europe and the European Commissions new mechanism to combat illiberal democracies. …
Poland’s Law and Justice Party vetoed a resolution supporting linking EU funding to the rule of law. This makes a lot of sense given …
As President, Donald Trump was a disruptive force shown through the withdrawal from the TPP and ending of NAFTA. Joe Biden premiership, Syed Kamall …
Adam Bartha argues that the Spanish approach to mitigate the economic consequences of the pandemic is the wrong one to follow. The emphasis should …
On Al Jazeera Adam Bartha discusses the impacts of new restrictions on European economies. He argued that poor domestic policy has made the economic …
EURACTIV features the latest International Tax Competitiveness Index. The article outlines that Estonia has the most competitive tax system globally. This is highlighted by …
The International Tax Competitiveness found that Italy has the worst tax regime in the whole of Europe. Anse Politics feature the report describing the …
Dorottya Tornai analyses the link between the rise in populism and the decline in economic freedom. She argues that this signals caution to those …
In her state of the union address there is a convenient lack of substance on the rule of law from Von der Leyen. EU …
Fears of a new cold war with China are growing day by day. A new foreign policy is needed in Europe to prevent a …
The CAP is an ineffective tool to address the true problems agriculture is facing amidst the pandemic. For Liberal, Ombeline Lemarchal argues that the …
The EU never let a good crisis go to waste, and they’re not wasting this one. However, Adam Bartha argues that they must be …
Andrzej Duda victory in the Polish elections signals a further decline of the rule of law in Poland. For Expresso, Adam Bartha argues that …
Hungary’s dissent into autocracy represents a crisis of the European Union. Members of the European Parliament should be more careful not to support the …
Adam Bartha is interviewed by Libertania on the Brexit process, the path that the EU is taking, and the pandemic. Read the full interview …
Calls for price controls to help prevent Covid related price shocks do not make sense. For Liberal, Klaus Ulrich shows that if anti price …
Adam Bartha talks to Mike Graham on TalkRadio on Hungarian populism. Listen the the whole conversation here.
Adam Bartha describes the descent into autocracy in Hungary. Under the illusion of an emergency, tyrannical powers have been passed that provide the Prime …
In EU Reporter Adam Bartha warns about a bill passed in Hungary seeking to suspend the Parliament indefinitely establishing rule by decree. He argues …
Does the lack of European Champions show that the EU merger policy is too strict? Zine-Eddine Aklil answers no. Rather, the EU should look …
Turkey has taken the brunt of the refugee crisis taking in 3.6 Million refugees. Adam Bartha argues for 1828 that the EU should do …
The rising popularity of populism across Europe should not be met with a more populist EU. It is also a common misconception that populist …
Syed Kamall shows that rent controls are not the solution to London’s housing crisis. In Sweden, this policy saw the development of a strong …
Emma Revell uses EPICENTER publication to show that rent controls have failed in Sweden. London would be mistaken to take up a policy that …
Sadiq Khan’s proposals to introduce rent controls are unfounded. Emily Carver shows through the example of Sweden that this policy creates a gameable system …
The example of Sweden shows that rent controls do not work. In Stockholm 670,000 people are currently waiting for housing out of a population …
The COVID-19 crisis has not only led to a health disaster, but has also profoundly affected our economies and lifestyles. The European economy has …
A report published by the European Commission on 3 February 2021 proposes a range of nanny state interventions intended to reduce the consumption of …
With the Clean Energy for All Europeans package, the European Union has committed to being carbon-neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, …
Since the 2017 constitutional crisis in Catalonia, the momentum to secede from Spain has grown, but the potential economic impact has not been thoroughly …
The way obesity is measured throughout the EU and OECD countries is significantly flawed. This paper shows that existing international comparisons measuring obesity are …
Under the Trump Administration, the world watched America retreat from globalism, international cooperation, and a committed partnership with Europe. The Trump presidency fostered American …
The crisis in the rule of law that Poland has witnessed since 2015 must be contained as soon as possible. Any proposal to restore …
Some countries allow you to buy a beer at any time day or night. Others have total prohibition. The enormous differences in the way …
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to serious health and economic emergencies all over the world. Moreover, it has also affected democratic institutions and the …
In September the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs held a debate on the New Pact on Asylum and Migration. …
Prior to the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Lithuanian economy had been enjoying a rapid growth. Yet, while the number of available …
In light of the recent terrorist attacks in mainland Europe, the Council of the European Union has released a draft resolution to reconsider encryption …
At the end of October, the European Commission proposed a Directive to introduce adequate minimum wages across the EU. Although the end objective is …
This year Credit Day for the European Union falls on the 17th of December. This is the day which, on average, EU member states …
The American presidential election was really about choosing the lesser of two evils. The combination of Biden as president and a Republican majority in …
The access to European Union and the status of EU membership require significant reforms in order for a country to align with the Union’s …
Everybody seems to agree that climate and energy policy is an area – possibly the area – where the difference between US President Donald …
The Trump administration has engaged in an all-out war against Chinese technology and its exports to the US, with the President recently signing off …
As a member of various international and European organisations, Poland is bound by the requirement to respect the rule of law so as to …
As we are nearing the end of the German presidency of the Council of the EU, it is time to assess the term’s projects …
As Joe Biden becomes the 46th President of the United States, international trade will be the center of attention again. Joe Biden is not …
The reunification of West Germany and East Germany took place 30 years ago, ending a period of around 45 years during which Germany had …
Coronavirus has resulted in a major economic crisis, and caused immense damage to both the economy and people’s lives. This damage is both a …
With most of the world in a deep economic crisis due to coronavirus and the government reactions to it, knowledge of effective crisis policy …
The European Commission recently published a Digital Finance Strategy which includes concrete propositions for the regulation of crypto-assets. This is the first time a …
The European Council President Charles Michel envisions a more “autonomous” (i.e. economically self-sufficient) EU. However, this pursuit of economic independence, under the guise of …
Like other issues, taxes are one of those policy areas where the differences between EU member states are greater than the commonalities. The International …
In September 2020, the EU’s Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) published a preliminary opinion (SCHEER 2020) on electronic cigarettes which …
The post-COVID world poses significant challenges for taxation policy. Our recent panel discussion with FNF was based on the recent publication of the …
As the International Tax Competitiveness Index states, the structure of a country’s tax code is an important determinant of its economic performance. A well-structured …
The International Tax Competitiveness Index (ITCI) seeks to measure the extent to which a country’s tax system adheres to two important aspects of tax …
The new Commission report on the rule of law in the EU has found that ‘there are serious challenges, cases where the resilience of …
Tax competition is often presented as a zero-sum game, instead of an important policy tool that can foster growth and create further opportunities to …
The virtual meeting between top-level EU and Chinese officials on 14 September appears to be an ironic metaphor of the increasing distance in the …
The EU Commission launched a public consultation on the adoption of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), i.e. a fee to be levied on …
The European Commission has published a study on working conditions of platform workers. The report identifies key challenges related to platform work, such as …
COVID-19 has caused huge disruptions to global trade and supply chains, both directly and indirectly (as a result of policy responses: lockdowns, social distancing …
Nearly a month ago, “Fridays for Future” speaker Luisa Neubauer met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to Neubauer, Merkel assured her that she …
The presidential elections in Poland in 2020, which were won by the incumbent Andrzej Duda, the candidate of the ruling Law and Justice party, …
A digital services taxation framework within the EU has been discussed widely over the course of the last two years, with the State of …
The European Union has long positioned itself in a unique role in the international policy sphere. The concept of the EU as a ‘normative …
The Netherlands is on the brink of introducing plain packaging for e-cigarettes. The only other country to have gone down that path is Israel. Not many …
Nationalism and populism have permeated the sphere of global politics in the 21st century, and the EU is no exception. This particular change in …
The regulation of labour and employment lies at the heart of any debate on economic freedom. State intervention into the labour market, and especially …
The Economic Freedom of the World Index measures the degree to which the policies and institutions of countries are supportive of economic freedom. The …
On the 1st of July, Germany took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. This presidency came at an important time …
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Public Health England (PHE) have been widely criticised for their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Serious questions have …
This position paper is a response to the European Commission’s second phase consultation with social partners. The EC’s initiative has a general objective of …
Socio-economic systems should be understood as ‘complex’ phenomena that cannot effectively be controlled or managed through central planning. In general, markets and other decentralised …
One of the frustrating things about being an economist is that people listen to you when they shouldn’t, and refuse to listen to you …
For the fifth consecutive year, France has been the champion of taxation, with the average French citizen paying more than half of their income …
During the first of two briefings on Covid-19 in his state, New York governor Andrew Cuomo stated: “If it is public health or the …
Covid–19 is provoking a major reorientation of the foreign policy of the US and Europe. At the heart of this is their changing relationship …
The Covid-19 pandemic has not only led to a health and economic crisis across Europe, but also a political one. Political leaders …
Global food supply chains have been disrupted by restrictions on movement, and rising food protectionism has threatened access to food and its affordability. Emerging …
Polish president, Andrzej Duda, and his close political ally, the Law and Justice Party, PiS, have not been shy of controversies during this last …
In 2018 the European Commission presented its proposed EU budget as “new,” “modern” and “focused.” However, in terms of its expenditure and revenue the …
The negotiations on the European Union’s multi-annual financial perspective for 2021-2027 are underway. The European Commission’s recently updated budget proposal with suggested measures regarding …
Incumbent President Andrzej Duda or Mayor of Warsaw Rafal Trzaskowski? That is the choice facing Polish voters on 12 June, in the second round …
In April, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) published its latest trade forecast predicting global trade in goods would fall by between 13% and 32% in 2020 …
The World Trade Organization has predicted that global trade in goods will drop by between 13 and 32 per cent in 2020 as a …
Covid–19 has done more than cause a medical and economic crisis. It is provoking a major reorientation of the foreign policy of both the United …
The Covid-19 crisis has provided many grim examples of some familiar problems in health economics and cost-benefit analysis, and of the ‘tragic choices’ that …
The policy reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic will increase budget deficits massively in all the world’s leading countries. The deficits will to a significant …
While the media, right and left-wing parties and the average newspaper reader celebrate in anticipation of “helicopter money” from Brussels, or otherwise the so-called …
If there seems to be any consensus among academics it is that the dominant Western liberal international order is coming to an end. With …
At the moment, the general sense of alarm caused by the supposed consequences of climate change is something that is shared by all Western …
We often hear that managing a crisis like coronavirus depends on societal choices. The choice would be to save lives or economies. Health and …
We almost pity American federal and state elected officials for having to deal with the situation caused by COVID-19. Overnight, social media users have …
Thus far, three recovery programs have been proposed in response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The first recovery program was …
Excessively high taxes on production, exceedingly slow authorizations for market launch, and an overbearing bureaucracy. France is ensuring that innovation, especially regarding pharmaceuticals, happens …
Given that even ‘profit’ now seems to be dirty word, it is no surprise that being accused of ‘profiteering’ during a crisis is about …
…continued from Part 1.
No discussion of globalisation would be complete without considering some of the myths that have over the recent years come to …
French inadequacies in the face of the COVID-19 crisis are giving rise to a fully fledged attack on globalisation. We are observing an increase …
The progress that free trade and globalisation have achieved are coming under severe threat from the Covid-19 pandemic. There are siren …
In February the Commission published the White Paper On Artificial Intelligence – A European approach to excellence and trust. It includes some interesting proposals …
To overcome the Covid-19 crisis, the European Central Bank is considering pooling debt issuances among the countries of the Eurozone in what has recently …
The seminal work on epidemiological models was carried out in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The models have developed substantially since then, but …
This paper argues that testing participation – and not testing capacity – is the biggest obstacle to a successful “test and isolate” strategy, as …
There are features of our way of life and some of our economic systems that make outbreaks like Covid-19 more likely. The pandemic we …
There has been a great deal of debate recently – not just in the media, but also in academia and among economic analysts – …
Much of the WHO rhetoric on COVID-19 has treated the pandemic as an unavoidable, natural disaster devoid of blame – this is …
Pandemics are a recurring feature of human history. In the modern world, since the 1770s, we have had a series of pandemics, with a …
The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious challenge for societies around the world. In response to it not only individuals are changing their behaviour, but …
I was sitting in a hot tub in Leningrad in the summer of 1990 when I realised the Soviet Union would fall.
There were …
In tandem with the stock market crash, following persisting negative news regarding the coronavirus, oil prices have drastically dropped. The current demand for oil …
The German newspaper ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ published an open letter by well-known artists about an initiative to issue Coronabonds in order to share the burden …
At the last Eurogroup meeting, Eurozone finance ministers agreed to set up a ‘Recovery Fund’ to help trigger an economic rebound once the lockdowns …
In recent weeks, the global impact of the coronavirus has brought a huge number of new questions to the fore. For the time being …
Periods of economic crisis are a breeding ground for all sorts of populist ideas, often ideas that had been discarded in the past due …
Although the COVID-19 pandemic is by no means over, in Spain we can already start to learn some lessons that will ensure the same …
This analysis is based on five scenarios for the length of the shutdown and an attempt to rate the industry’s production losses. The scenarios …
The EU has established a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions through a €1tn European Green Deal. It aims to make the entire bloc …
The outbreak of the new coronavirus COVID-19 has been described as a threat to globalisation. But spreading risk across the world is essential in …
Even if not a technical recession (two quarters of negative growth), a severe coronavirus-induced downturn looks certain across major economies.
Markets signal it. Top economists …
Following the veto of the Alstom-Siemens merger, the European Commission has been criticised for preventing the creation of “European champions” of comparable size to …
Oman started 2020 off on the right foot when it comes to economic freedom. Only a few days before Sultan Qaboos passed away on …
Britain has left the EU. Politicians in Brussels and Member States are seeking a mission for The Union that has broad public appeal in …
The idea behind education vouchers has a solid academic and research backing. This arguably began in the 1950s with Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman proposing …
Despite being a fierce supporter of pro-Europeanism and market liberalisation in the past, Emmanuel Macron’s plans for European-wide protectionism has been relatively unsuccessful. Early …
Trade has lifted billions of people out of poverty by fostering international cooperation, expanding consumer choice, and above all, by integrating developing economies into …
With increased security risks concerning Huawei’s ties with the Chinese state and the firm’s planned rollout of 5G across Europe, the European Commission appears …
Over the past month, six eurozone banks have dropped below the European Central Bank’s (ECB) capital requirements. As a result, they have been told …
To start off the year, President Donald Trump approved a co-ordinated drone strike which resulted in the death of Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani. As …
In 2019, the European Commission agreed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Vietnam, which was ratified by the European Parliament earlier this week. …
The 2020s will see the introduction of one of the most profoundly transformative technologies for decades: the driverless car. In the world we have …
Neoliberals often criticise governments for overly centralising the decision making process . They argue that this makes it difficult for individual actors to intervene, …
A ban on opening a new supermarket is evidence that people want a new supermarket, for if they did not there would be no …
The Slovak government has been providing subsidies for electric cars. However, if it had bought emission permits instead and thrown them on the fire, …
On 2nd December 2019, delegations from the United Nations convened in Madrid for COP25, the 25th annual Climate Change Conference. They gathered to discuss …
Rent controls are now being discussed in cities like Berlin, London, and New York. Sweden has had rent controls since 1942. There are at …
The argument made by many such as George Monbiot that the protection of the environment requires the destruction of capitalism has no credibility given …
A new student organized EU Citizens’ Initiative demands a streamlined process of authorising scientific innovations in the field of agriculture. They deserve to be …
The Lithuanian Free Market Institute and its partner organisations have published the third annual Employment Flexibility Index which ranks 41 EU and OECD countries …
The 2010s are over. As we embark on the 2020s, now is the perfect time to reflect on the immense technological advancements that humanity …
The idea of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is currently the subject of much interest and discussion in the UK, with support and opposition …
For the third year in a row, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute and its partner organisations present the Employment Flexibility Index, that ranks a …
European companies, especially in the construction sector, have long complained that Chinese official credit lines make them less competitive by comparison in African countries. …
Classic political theories suggest that a democratic government should have both “input” and “output” legitimacy. A political institution relies public opinion and policy preference, …
The new European Green Deal plans to make the EU carbon neutral by 2050 while opening up new possibilities for development and employment. The …
The European Commission is meant to be the non-partisan, executive branch of the EU that consists of experts rather than politicians. However, the appointment …
Facing the competition from North America and Asia, the European Union has proposed the launch of an ambitious €100 billion budget plan for funding …
It seems unfair to call it a sweet shop. In the shopping centre north of Charlottenberg in south-western Sweden, barely four miles from Norway …
EPICENTER is delighted to invite you to an event co-hosted by our Lithuanian member think tank and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
The discussion aims …
There is reason to believe that population growth, natural resource scarcity and climate change will challenge agriculture to deliver food security in the coming …
16th December marks Credit Day across Europe. This is the day that, on average, EU Member State governments have exhausted their annual tax income …
This study calculates how much UK foreign aid was spent (in 2018 prices) on lifestyle interventions targeting smoking, drinking, eating and sedentary behaviour.UK taxpayers …
The EU’s Cohesion Policy comprises almost a third of the current seven-year budget. However, there is controversy as to whether cohesion projects have been …
According to the 2019 International Tax Competitiveness Index (ITCI) rankings, Estonia holds the most-competitive position for the sixth year in a row, while France …
Albania and North Macedonia have been left disappointed after French President Emmanuel Macron blocked membership talks for the two Balkan States. However, all hope …
Libra, the new private digital money system sponsored by Facebook and a consortium of other firms, was announced on 18th June 2019, and officially …
This report compares top effective marginal tax rates on labour income in 41 OECD and EU countries.
The top effective marginal tax rate is …
The European Union’s budget for foreign aid for the 2014-2020 period is of €82 billion on. As part of a new humanitarian aid package, …
The European Commission has fined in July telecommunications multinational Qualcomm with €242 million as it condemns them for selling chipsets “below cost” and therefore …
When it comes to environmental problems in general and global warming in particular, I empathise with those who take the issue seriously. I like …
Free market liberals will have shuddered at the news that European Commission officials have drawn up far-reaching plans for a new €100 billion fund …
The Epicenter Nanny State Index is a league table of the best and worst places in the European Union to eat, drink, smoke and …
Across Europe, shadow markets constitute a significant portion of the economy. According to some estimates an average of 16 percent of GDP in EU …
School of Thought – 101 Great Liberal Thinkers profiles the lives and ideas of some of the leading thinkers on individual liberty – from ancient …
In July 2019, G7 finance ministers and central bank governors met for a two-day conference in Chantilly, in Paris’ north. Under consideration was Libra, …
The new EU-Mercosur Agreement only superficially rejects protectionism. As much as it liberalises trade, it also protects European defensive interests and extends the EU’s …
The Dutch government has recently drafted a bill in order to “charge consumers and businesses for environmentally polluting behaviors”– seeking to implement a €7 …
The Nanny State Index (NSI) is a league table of the best and worst places in the European Union to eat, drink, smoke and vape. …
As stated in the latest edition of EPICENTER’s Nanny State Index, Spain is one of the freer countries in the EU, coming 6th out …
More than three years since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, most of the EU member states are on board for the newly …
Unemployment peaked at 27.5%, more than 400,000 people emigrated in a single year, and the debt to GDP ratio reached 180%. The 2008 financial …
Media pluralism in Europe is under threat. Far from exhibiting a rich diversity of opinions, content, ownership and structures, Europe’s media sector faces considerable …
A motorist in the average European state spends 29 hours a year stuck in traffic. This is a waste, costing drivers in the EU …
The 2008 crisis exposed the grave flaws of the EU’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Most economists were not able to predict such economic …
There has been a great deal of cheering over the recent free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (the South American trade bloc …
A tale of corruption, political scandals, and even murder: the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has turned agriculture in Europe into an environmentally unsustainable, …
Education reforms that allow new educational providers to supply schooling into a state system can improve parental satisfaction and raise learning outcomes through consumer …
In the recent European elections, authoritarian populist parties, gained a great number of seats (almost 24% of the total) in the European Parliament (EP). …
Legal interventions in hiring and firing practices are often referred to as employment protection legislation that include working hours, health and safety requirements. The …
178. That is the number of days a Spanish worker has to wait until they actually begin to make any money for themselves. This …
This paper explains why additional taxes on the turnover of companies with a large digital presence would be disproportionate, discriminatory and damage the European …
For almost 20 years, EU negotiations with Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, have been a great challenge. Mercosur’s economic and political issues, French …
Timbro’s methodological distinction in the Authoritarian Populism Index between extreme and authoritarian populist parties is highly relevant in the Greek political environment, as shown …
For the past 3 years, Spain’s international media coverage has mainly centered around its most controversial dispute: Catalonian secession. National media has covered the …
The European Commission has recently begun the process of rekindling the EU’s relationship with Central Asia, located at the crossroads between the Middle East, …
MiFID II, together with MiFIR (Regulation (EU) No 600/2014), was intended to create a more transparent, competitive and integrated financial market in the EU …
In April, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the proposed £7Bn merger of supermarket chains ASDA and Sainsbury’s. This decision came shortly …
There is a current trend for corporate protectionism growing in the heart of the EU. Both the French and the German government as well …
For as long as capitalism has existed, debate has flourished between those who challenged its rise and those who sought to alter its direction …
Ahead of the European elections, the European Commission has taken the opportunity to open a debate around EU decision-making. Its specific proposals include a …
It was hard not to raise a wry smile at the story of how the European Commission’s own Code of Practice on Disinformation threatened to undermine …
Germany has overtaken the Czech Republic to become the EU’s most liberal country, according to the 2019 edition of the Nanny State Index. Finland …
This week, the European Council approved mandates for the European Commission to open negotiations with the United States on two trade agreements. First, an …
The intentions of the EU Mobility Package might be correct; to improve the conditions for long-haul truckers in the EU. As a cross-border industry, …
EPiCENTER and the German Economic Institute are delighted to invite you to our upcoming event to discuss the rise of illiberal democracies and to …
Yesterday, the European Parliament voted in favour of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, in one of the final stages before it becomes …
A consumer organisation called foodwatch recently demanded that the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU put an end to its partnership …
It has been almost two years since GDPR entered into force. Data monitoring has become a regulatory headache for several industries and could soon …
Increasing globalisation has had many effects on international trade, and Africa is no exception. In Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, economic growth increased to 3.1% …
In the field of digital rights and civil liberties, all anyone’s talking about is the Digital Copyright Directive and saving memes. However, there may …
The Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (the “Directive”) is back. The issues with the Directive were described in our September 2018 briefing …
Macron is right: Brussels cannot continue with business as usual after the European Parliament elections. In his recent open letter to the citizens of Europe, …
In 2017 the Cambridge Dictionary proclaimed “populism” the word of the year. This phrase is defined in many ways and arouses great emotions. One …
In an IEA report published in 2013, I showed that large sums of taxpayers’ money are given to political pressure groups by the European …
Following on from research published by the IEA between 2012 and 2014, this discussion paper revisits the issue of state-funded activism in the UK …
Those who voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU rightly complained about the centralised political structures in Brussels. …
A popular explanation for economic scandals, crises and suboptimal market outcomes is the lack of government regulation. This interpretation is intensively promoted by the …
Ahead of the European elections, migration remains one of the main challenges facing the EU. Populist and Eurosceptic movements have sought political capital from …
Do European companies pay their fair share of tax? Many companies headquartered in France, Germany, Italy and Spain show very low effective corporate tax …
In January the European Union announced a ‘significant’ increase of customs duties on Indica rice produced in Cambodia and Myanmar and exported to the …
Brexit has caused some turbulent political times in Westminster, but the hole left by the UK in Brussels will be felt throughout the continent.
Mass protests of the “yellow vests” have been taking place in France since 17 November 2018. The catalyst of the demonstration was a fuel …
Disputes between Russian Gas powerhouse Gazprom and Ukraine’s national gas company Naftogaz have sparked a firestorm of political and economic debate. The “biggest commercial …
The Employment Flexibility Index of LFMI quantifies a great divergence in employment regulations between EU countries. Of the 41 countries included in the index …
The Employment Flexibility Index 2019 of the member states of the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides …
The National Convention of the People’s Party (PP) which took place earlier this month may well become a turning point in the economic landscape. …
On 20th December, the European Commission launched a (relatively brief) consultation on moving from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV) in the Council on …
On the 26th April 2018, the European Commission adopted a proposal for regulating the relationships between online platforms and their business consumers. The initiative …
On 21 November, public opinion in Poland and the EU was surprised by the ruling Law and Justice’s (PiS) proposal “backtracking on controversial reforms …
The White House’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) has published a report: “The Opportunity Costs of Socialism”. It is an interesting report with many …
A lot has been written about how social media (or digital media more generally), by creating online echo chambers and filter bubbles, increases political …
The French ‘Gilets Jaunes’ started their protests a month ago and since then the global media landscape has interpreted their actions and demands in …
The practice of economic sanctions is not new. 2,400 years ago, Athens declared a trade embargo on the neighbouring city state of Megara, strangling …
The Commission’s decision to fine Google for unfair practice was based on a misunderstanding of the Android ecosystem and a mistaken definition of the …
External aviation policy in Europe was preceded by bilateral agreements between countries. At this time, aviation markets were divided up by country and dominated …
Environmental degradation is a regular by-product of agricultural practices. Greenhouse gases, mass irrigation, water quality issues, and disrupted ecosystems are all examples of side …
13 December marks Credit Day across the European Union. This is the day when, on average, European countries’ central governments exhaust their annual tax …
The shadow economy in Lithuania remains pervasive despite economic growth, and as many as one in two people would consider informal consumption and undeclared …
The aim of this publication is to present and analyse the results of representative population surveys into public perceptions of the shadow economy and …
The most obvious benefit of economic freedom is that, as a system, it is the most conducive to widespread prosperity, that is, to high …
In a world of increasing economic protectionism, the EU claims to remain committed to free and fair international trade. Yet, the Common Agricultural Policy …
Given its prominent geographical location, the Iberian Peninsula has been, for decades, one of the biggest hubs in the world for cartels smuggling cocaine …
The European Union’s approach to competition law and enforcement demonstrates an attitude in the high-tech and media sector, that – due to its anti-competitive …
The author is the former European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services.
With the Commission and Parliament both starting their last legislative year, one …
The new media economy operates differently from other industries when it comes to regulation. The marginal costs of technological giants mean that their interactions …
Over the last two years, the forces of populism have swept through Europe like a hurricane, wreaking havoc on the post-WW2 consensus, and ideals of international co-operation. …
In many ways the EU acts like a customs union when it comes to migration that leads to employment. It is very easy to …
Even though the ageing of the European population is not a new phenomenon, its potential effect on European Welfare systems is often under-estimated. According …
Free trade improves the well-being of all parties to it. The most significant way that trade achieves this outcome is by enabling and incentivising …
For too long, studies have underestimated the positive externalities of large companies by solely focusing on factors such as corporate earnings. It is about …
The Commission put forward a legislative proposal in September 2016 for a new directive on copyright in the digital single market. The aim is …
In the second voting on the subject, the European Parliament approved the Directive on copyright in the digital single market. 438 MEPs voted in …
Labour market flexibility may be characterized by the market participants’ abilities to deviate from standard labour regulations and typical forms of employment. Such possibilities …
The social and fiscal contribution from large companies in France and worldwide remains largely unrecognised. Traditional accounting and financial presentations do not provide for …
Raising mandatory minimum wage might seem to be a simple policy that serves to increase wages for low-income earners. Politicians use this policy with …
With the Italian Parliament still deep into its summer break, several important political and economic questions are gripping the minds of many voters. Leaving …
The European Commission has proposed a tax on revenues raised from certain digital activities. However, this is essentially a political gesture with only weak …
When Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the nationalist Sweden Democrats, entered the stage at the party’s summer festival in early August he exuded confidence: “Now …
In the last decade, Turkey’s economy has been experiencing high growth rates, partially due to a highly expansive monetary policy. However, in the process, …
Political classes on both sides of the Channel were waiting patiently for the end of the EU Parliament’s recess, and for Brexit negotiations to …
I ordered 200 millilitres of e-cigarette fluid from my online retailer this week. Not a large quantity – it is barely a third of …
Having recovered from the recession that was brought about by the financial crisis, Spain’s economy is improving, but vulnerable. With the advent of Pedro …
It’s time to establish a modern, fair and efficient taxation standard for the digital economy – or at least, that’s how the EU have …
Picture yourself at a friend’s house. Your Samsung phone buzzes, alerting you to low battery, but you’ve left your charger at home. You ask …
In recent years, Russia has been a prime target of economic sanctions – a longtime tactic in relations between Russia and the West. In …
French workers shoulder a far greater tax burden than the rest of their European neighbours. While the rest of the continent celebrated their Tax …
There should be no debate about whether taxes on food, alcohol, tobacco and soft drinks (‘sin taxes’) are regressive. It can be easily demonstrated …
In a landslide victory 1 July, Mexico voted in its first third-party president. According to exit poll data, Andrés Manuel López Obrador gained more …
On Tuesday of last week, the European Union and Japan signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Following over four years of negotiation, the EPA …
Is Spain due to become a more influential power within the European Union? The country is expected to become a net contributor to the …
In late June, the Lithuanian Parliament adopted a law that consolidated the employer and employee base for social security contributions and significantly cut the …
Prior to the criminalisation of cannabis, the crop represented a significant facet of the Italian economy. In fact, in the 1940s, Italy was said …
The European Commission decision in the Google Android case illustrates the difference in approach to antitrust issues between the US and EU. It also …
25 September 2018
The Better Regulation Conference aims at addressing in an open way one of the most pressing issues of our time: the …
Instead of comprehensive re-examination of the Energy Taxation Directive, the European Commission is examining whether ETD should continue the exemptions and lower tariffs for …
EPICENTER is proud to announce that KEFiM, one of the fastest growing and most respected liberal, free market think tanks of Europe joined our network today. …
Economic migrants rarely displace local labour force. Immigrants are more likely to complement existing labour force creating opportunities for growth and bringing needed skills. …
As the world is undergoing a third industrial revolution with the field of computer science rapidly expanding, one aspect of the labour …
The UK might appear to have the most to lose from Brexit if City firms find it harder to sell financial services into the …
The popular account of offshore financial centres as hotbeds of tax evasion is an outdated caricature that bears little resemblance to how OFCs operate. …
19 June 2018
The European Parliament edition of our Nanny State Index will be released alongside a great discussion with MEPs, industry representatives and …
Lithuania has implemented a far-reaching economic reform program aimed at facilitating the shift from a centrally-planned economy to a free market one. …
The EU member states have agreed that 20 million people should be lifted out of poverty by 2020. However, the measure that the European …
The potential that Brexit provides the UK to expand its traditional free market principles cannot be understated; unilateral free trade for example could …
Jamie Whyte at the First Economic Freedom Summit, addressing liberalising reforms in New Zealand
The transformation of New Zealand’s economic policy from 1972 …
This article was first published under the title “Danke, Schweiz” in the Basler Zeitung, a Swiss daily newspaper. Translation by the author.
Classical liberal …
On average, the economic costs of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) now far exceed those of tariffs, which have generally been falling as new free trade …
It is claimed that robots, algorithms and artificial intelligence are going to destroy jobs on an unprecedented scale. These developments, unlike past bouts of technical …
Today, on May 11th, Lithuania commemorates the first Respect for Taxpayers Day. On this occasion, the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) has launched The Charter …
On May 2 the European Commission released a Communication that outlined the Union’s overall budgetary plan for the 2021 – 2027 Multiannual Financial Framework …
Our new league table of nanny state regulation shows that punitive taxation and excessive regulation of safer nicotine alternatives has increased across the EU. …
The weak global GDP growth since the financial crisis in 2007-2009 has coincided with unusually weak growth in global trade.
The average global tariff …
Fans of Blade Runner – and I am one of them – have to admit that the film has a few moments that, to modern eyes, …
2 May 2018
Non-tariff barriers to trade are a significant element of countries’ trade policies and may often be more harmful than tariff trade …
One year after the triggering of Article 50 an acceptable deal on financial services between the UK and the EU now looks likely. In …
In a last-minute move, President Trump granted several key allies exemptions from the steel and aluminium tariffs that came into effect recently. Apart from …
Several local authorities in Britain have introduced ‘zoning laws’ to restrict fast food outlets within a certain distance of schools. Public Health England, the …
American economist Bryan Caplan recently published “The Case Against Education” in which he explains how the United States needs to reform its current education …
11-12 April 2018
What makes countries and citizens prosper? How can we ensure economic growth, without living at the expense of future generations? What …
‘You can’t just point at things and tax them,’ said the singer Myleene Klass to Ed Miliband in a TV debate about the ‘mansion …
Suppose the government redistributed to every adult Briton a basic, unconditional income of £10,000 from tax revenues. Would aggregate employment levels a) rise, b) …
The list of bad changes is long: lowering the retirement age, increased politicisation of the economy, a ban on Sunday trading, a ban on …
Financial firms serve many useful functions which individuals and households could scarcely undertake on their own. These functions include maturity transformation, matching lenders and …
In 2017, youth unemployment (young people between 15-24, without work or enrolled in education) in the EU as a whole was on average of …
New legislation introduced in January bans firms from charging fees for credit or debit card payments. The legislation aims to protect consumers who have …
Every euro of new debt today is a euro that is going to be paid by Italians through higher taxation, tomorrow. Until 4 March …
High prices, long waiting times, dirty money and drivers at risk of being subjected to violence. These are some of the problems that have …
A ‘free’ banking system without a central bank provides incentives for banks to act with restraint. Their lending policies are, in effect, tied to …
It is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who is to defend the Law and Justice (PiS) government against the consequences of violations of the …
How free do you think your country is? Would you believe that Estonia ranks better than the United States? Seven European countries made the …
Keeping your funds in cash is generally viewed as much safer than holding them in stocks. This is because, on any given day, the …
I recently had the opportunity to take a look into a parallel universe, because [insert clever-sounding, scientifically pseudo-literate explanation here]. It was identical to …
As the world’s leading international financial centre, London faces fascinating opportunities as well as some significant challenges in coming years. This is as a …
The reselling of tickets for events has a long history, dating back at least to Roman times.
Such secondary markets in tickets are no different …
The rise of the ‘tech giants’ is, of course, a significant commercial threat to more traditional media, but it also raises some potentially important …
The ECB seeks to increase trading in non-performing loans by reducing the pricing gap between prospective investors and banks. For this to happen, there …
Populism is on the rise, especially in Europe. Determining the causes is of crucial political importance. Some claim that “neoliberal” policies such as deregulation …
The EU’s second Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) came into force earlier this month. According to the European Securities and Markets Authority …
The decision by the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to remove so-called “net neutrality” laws in January produced a flurry of outrage.
The American …
As a general rule, local governments are exempt from VAT in the EU. Thus, VAT is not payable on the tax-financed consumption of municipalities …
According the latest IBL Super Index, Italy is the sick man of Europe. Despite relatively rosy macroeconomic projections for the whole EU, the gap …
The recent Employment Flexibility Index uses data provided by the World Bank’s Doing Business Labour Market Regulation Questionnaire to compare labour market regulations.
The …
Denmark, the UK, and Ireland are the leading countries in the 2018 edition of LFMI’s Employment Flexibility Index. Portugal, Luxembourg, and France are the …
On 24 November in many places around the world shops and their customers celebrated “Black Friday”, with promotional sales and special offers. This tradition, …
The 2017 IBL Index of Liberalisations aims to shed light on the degree of openness of the 28 Member States by examining ten different …
6 December marks Credit Day across the European Union. This is the day when, on average, European countries’ central administrations will exhaust their annual …
In the wake of the Ecofin meeting that took place in Tallinn on September 15-16, the European Commission published a communication on “A Fair …
For a number of years now, the use of the glyphosate molecule as a herbicide has been controversial to the point that the member …
28 November 2017
Does liberalisation lead to more precariousness? EPICENTER is participating in a unique debate in the European Parliament powered by two leading independent …
In the last 25 years, the Polish economy has grown faster than the economies of Western Europe and the US, which enabled a significant …
The picture that emerges from the EC surveys of consumers and business regarding platforms is not of a market in which users are routinely …
Food and soft drinks manufacturers are continually reformulating their products and bringing new products to market in response to consumer demand. In recent years, …
The ECJ ruled that Italy had been wrong to ban the cultivation of an EU-approved genetically modified maize. This was a big victory for …
Recent years have seen a reduced supply of capital to domestic businesses by banks due to increased capital requirements and compliance costs.
Market finance …
Widespread automation is often named as the greatest long-term threat to human employment. But Europe’s immediate job market problems are of a different sort: …
EU central governments use up their resources December 6 on average, 25 days before the end of the year. This is almost seven days …
The turmoil in Catalonia appears finally to be subsiding thanks to the central government’s intervention this weekend to restore constitutional order. The decision to …
Throughout history, people have lived in extreme poverty. However, it is since the industrial revolution and flowering of the Enlightenment ideas – liberal in …
21 November
INNOV8 is a conference for EU-decision makers, innovative companies, and start-ups to meet and explore ways how Europe can become the leading …
This Position Paper is a response to the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances by the European Commission. The goal of this …
The author wishes to thank Oskar Henkow, Rebecca Millar, Anna Sandberg Nilsson and Anders Ydstedt for valuable comments.
Summary
As a general rule, …
Posted workers are temporarily sent from one member state to another, usually for projects of short duration. There were 1.1. million posted workers in …
Posting of workers plays an essential role in the Internal Market and the cross-border provision of services. Simply put, posting of workers allows a …
For the second time, the Swedish think tank Timbro has presented its “Authoritarian Populism Index”. The index “aims to shed light on whether populism …
The EU budget has been a result of political negotiations and trade-offs between Member States rather than a well-grounded financing of mutually agreed pan-European …
Within the European Union, the problem of non-performing loans (NPLs) is predominantly an Italian issue. Whilst Italian authorities have successfully passed a few different …
EPICENTER is proud to announce that two well respected organisations, FOR from Poland and CEPOS from Denmark, will join our network of leading European …
In a recent joint letter to the Commission, Germany, France, Italy and Spain’s finance ministers announced plans to tax tech multinationals, such as Amazon …
The tables have turned. It used to be that Britain provided the blueprint for radical market-based reform, whilst France was Europe’s tax and regulatory …
The ongoing Basel IV discussions seek to impose additional capital requirement on banks, a move that would disproportionately affect those in Europe.
Whilst the …
On 13 September, the European Commission’s President, Jean-Claude Juncker, is set to deliver his 2017 State of the Union speech. Whilst Mr Juncker wants …
On 15 June 2017, the Directorate General for Internal Policies published a report which maps the recent history of privatisation and examines the risk …
The Sunday Times has claimed that the Prime Minister is ready to approve a financial settlement of ‘up to £50bn’ when the UK leaves …
Since the refugee crisis of 2015, the Swedish government has made strong efforts to implement a particularly ineffective policy. Through so-called “public relief jobs”, …
The Swedish labor market makes use of twelve different forms of employment subsidies involving three percent of the entire active work force.
In this …
On 15 August, Air Berlin was forced to file for bankruptcy after the withdrawal of funding from Abu-Dhabi based Etihad Airways, which holds 29 …
The European Commission sought public opinion on the importance of equipping young people with shared values and on how education and non-formal learning can …
Two reports published in the last few days have advocated the benefits of free trade. You might have expected them to be well received …
Two reports published in the last few days have advocated the benefits of free trade. You might have expected them to be well received …
The Capital Markets Union (CMU) was launched in 2014 by the European Commission to lower barriers to cross-border investment in the EU and to …
London’s overwhelming dominance over the euro clearing market yields significant importance towards the UK’s economic performance and standing. The lucrative business is a major …
7th September 2017
Senator Chris Steineger, Kansas State Senator will be hosted by Christofer Fjellner MEP to discuss US-EU relations under a Trump Presidency. …
On 28 September 2017, the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL) will vote on an initiative by Spanish MEP Javi Lopez (S&D) …
On 29 June, EPICENTER’s Swedish partner, Timbro, published a report examining alcohol laws in Sweden. Within the Swedish political arena, alcohol consumption has always …
The election of Macron is starting to cause problems to Europe and – in particular – to Italy. Until a few days ago, the …
The European sovereign debt crisis that followed the 2008 financial crisis has pushed Europe to radically reform its financial rules. While some far-reaching reforms …
In a world where the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) permeates every aspect of our daily life, the threat of cyber-attacks …
When I went to a gym for the first time, in 1998 or so, membership options were very straightforward: you were either a member, …
«Instead of conceding itself to a large sovereign decision-maker, Switzerland has preferred to remain a free international negotiator» argues Dr Carlo Lottieri, Director at …
The fear that the UK-based financial industry will not be able to fully conduct all its current post-Brexit pan-European operations has prompted several London-based …
According to the Commission, the new CCCTB initiative is the most ambitious corporate tax reform ever proposed in the EU. However, despite the most …
The French Council of State recently asked the European Court of Justice to settle a case determining whether search engines such as Google and …
Since the last financial crisis, the EU has gradually increased its financial regulation. This has now gone too far and it contributes to the …
First published in 2010, the 2017 Tax Burden study by the Institut économique Molinari measures the tax and social security burdens on individual employees …
The purpose of this study is to compare the tax and social security burdens of individual employees earning typical salaries in each of the …
The German elections are just around the corner and a new anti-fake news bill, Netwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz (NetzDG), was passed by the Bundestag on 30 June …
On 26 June, we published a blog post examining the previous efforts made by the European Union in order to manage the current migration …
The European Commission seems unable to decide the primary function of the CCCTB; is it mainly an anti-tax-avoidance scheme or is it an exercise …
On 4 July, European Court of Justice’s Advocate General Szpunar released an opinion stating that UberPop should be considered illegal, adding to the string …
The European Commission has launched a legislative initiative on cash payment restrictions aimed at exploring the rationale for the introduction of upper limits on …
Nord Stream 2, the project set to double gas pipeline capacity between Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea by 2019, has recently divided …
Originally suggested and then subsequently shelved in 2011, the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base is a policy designed to create a unified set of …
The 2017 TIMBRO Authoritarian Populism Index is the only Europe-wide comprehensive study that aims to shed light on whether populism poses a long-term threat …
Since the Brexit referendum in June 2016, the debates regarding citizens’ rights have been ubiquitous. The 3Million Movement has until now strongly emphasised the …
Auktoritär populism har övertagit liberalismens plats som den tredje ideologiska kraften i europeisk politik.
Väljarstödet för populistiska partier ligger kvar på rekordhöga nivåer men …
The European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs are currently promoting a new legislative proposal …
Theresa May’s famous catchphrase ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’ does not apply to aviation where a no deal scenario following Brexit …
Whether for personal or professional usage, the European Digital Single Market will revolutionise the economy of the European Union, but only if its citizens …
The situation on the Spanish labour market is being debated by specialists and policy makers with respect to two central questions: on the one …
After a 7 year investigation, the European Commission’s Margrethe Vestager announced on 27th June a €2.4 billion fine against search engine giant Google. Google …
In 2017, the average Spaniard will have worked 178 days in order to fulfill their tax obligations. In other words, Tax Freedom Day, calculated …
In 2015, Europeans were horrified by the chaos that unfolded in the Mediterranean Sea and shocked by how unprepared their national governments were to …
The contribution of industry to the EU’s economy has been on a decline for more than 20 years. In 1991, manufacturing was responsible for …
With the potential for an early election by the end of the year, Italy must face the realities of its democratic system: cronyism and …
On 7 may 2017, the French elected as their new President a 39-year-old former banker, someone neither left nor right, unknown to them until …
In his now-classic work The myth of the rational voter, Bryan Caplan identifies four systematic biases about economics held by the average citizen: make-work bias …
The Tories’ poor showing in the general election has revitalised those who favour some form of ‘soft Brexit’. In particular, there is growing support …
The 2005 European Consensus on Development is a policy statement that commits the EU to eradicating global poverty, tackling inequalities, and building a fairer …
Platform businesses bring together distinct but interdependent sets of users in such a way as to improve the welfare of each side of the …
Platform businesses bring together distinct but interdependent sets of users in such a way as to improve the welfare of each side of the …
Since the onset of the euro zone crisis, two schools of thought have emerged, offering different diagnoses of the single-currency area’s woes. The first …
In April of last year, the European Commission released the European eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 which lines up the goals for the EU’s progress …
During the latest plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions, ECR President Markku Markkula painted a strikingly positive picture of the EU …
According to the latest IBL Super Index, the degree of internal divergence within Eurozone countries keeps increasing. This means that the gap between Eurozone …
Three of the EU’s most salient values are freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. However, the recent increase in support of authoritarian officials …
How can we judge whether Brexit has been worth it by, say, 2020? That has been a question doing the rounds on Twitter.
On May 10, 2017, the European Commission published its reflection paper on Harnessing Globalisation. It is the second paper in a series initiated by …
As of 2017, the EU has 44 trade agreements in place with more than 60 countries across the globe. In addition, five accords have …
During his recent electoral campaign, the defeated socialist French presidential candidate, Benoît Hamon, repeatedly hinted at a potentially radical proposal: To impose a tax …
Earlier this year, the EU’s Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström spoke in Brussels about the various challenges facing EU trade policy in 2017. Talking Trump, …
By maintaining the imbalances of the decade of excess we are missing the opportunity to prepare for the future. The economic sentiment index in the Eurozone …
Today sees the publication of the 2017 edition of the Nanny State Index, a league table of the best and worst places in the …
The EPICENTER Nanny State Index is the only comprehensive league table of lifestyle regulations. The latest data suggest that the EU is becoming a …
The EPICENTER Nanny State Index is the only comprehensive league table of lifestyle regulations. The latest data suggest that the EU is becoming a …
“We don’t care about the opinions of any Hans, George or Helga…” Erdogan proclaimed to the crowds at his presidential palace in Ankara, “…all …
The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has undergone several waves of reforms over the last few decades. Yet, many market- and trade-distorting practices still …
As the Spanish economy recovers, rethinking education reform should be a top priority. Spanish workers are Europe’s most overqualified, but also suffer from the …
Since the introduction of pro-market reforms in 1978, China has emerged as a global economic powerhouse and it is today the EU’s second-largest trading …
Earlier this month, a phone-call between EU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malström, and the Australian Trade Minister, Steven Ciobo, concluded a year-long scoping exercise on …
As the debate on the modernisation and simplification of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) gathers pace, European policymakers are called – once again …
The EEA Agreement was signed in 1992, and entered into force in 1994. Until now, EEA EFTA countries have been able to enjoy the …
The economics profession has not exactly covered itself in glory in recent years. Few people forecasted the crash. Forecasts of economic recovery after the …
“As Victor Hugo once proclaimed, we have not yet done with being French”, declared Marine le Pen, launching her presidential campaign in Lyon on …
10th May 2017
The Nanny State Index (NSI) is a league table of the worst places in the European Union to eat, drink, smoke and …
The starting gun has been fired and the two year Article 50 process for exiting the European Union has begun.
Last week, both …
Last week, the European Parliament voted to extend the Schengen Information System (SIS II) to Croatia. This followed a two-stage assessment of the country’s …
Last week, EPICENTER’s Spanish partner, CIVISMO, published a report about the Spanish General State Budget.
The 2017 General State Budget, presented on April …
Current schooling systems are badly equipped to deal with rapid technological innovation and changing work patterns such as the sharing economy and the rise …
As the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union, the UK Government is expected to lay claim to a 200-nautical-mile fishing border off its …
The position of the European Union (Brussels) and some economic commentators on technology multinationals should not surprise us. However, it is totally wrong. It …
On 28 March, EPICENTER’s Italian partner, the Istituto Bruno Leoni (IBL), published its Index of Globalisation. The index covers 39 countries, including members of …
It is widely believed that healthy eating is relatively expensive whereas ‘junk food’ is relatively cheap. This has led to an assumption that poor diets …
Decisions on childcare arrangements were largely a private matter until the 1990s. A political consensus has since arisen that government action is needed to …