Blog

November 3, 2020

Crypto-assets in European Markets – a Strategy for the Future

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 comprehensive legal framework for distributed ledger technology (DLT) and crypto-assets has been announced by the EU.
October 28, 2020

Towards a More Autonomous EU

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 ‘strategic autonomy’, is not only unnecessary but also comes with costs: the impediment of global free trade and increased costs for consumers.
October 22, 2020

Lessons from Estonia

Like other issues, taxes are one of those policy areas where the differences between EU member states are greater than the commonalities. The International Tax Competitiveness Index (ITCI) from the Tax Foundation is a measure of the competitiveness of OECD countries’ tax systems.
October 16, 2020

Reforming Tax Policy in Europe After COVID

The post-COVID world poses significant challenges for taxation policy. Our recent panel discussion with FNF was based on the recent publication of the International Tax Competitive Index which explored changes in corporate, individual income, consumption, and property taxes as well as the treatment of overseas profits.
October 10, 2020

Presidential Elections in Poland – Concentrated or Separated Power?

Incumbent President Andrzej Duda or Mayor of Warsaw Rafal Trzaskowski? That is the choice facing Polish voters on 12 June, in the second round of the presidential elections. In the first round Duda, a candidate of the ruling Law and Justice party, received 43,5% while Trzaskowski, from the main opposition party Civic Platform, attracted 30,5% of the vote.
October 8, 2020

Finding the Right Balance EU-China Relations After COVID-19

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 relationship. The online meeting replaced the much-anticipated Leipzig Summit, which aimed to further integrate two key economies in the world.
September 28, 2020

Global Supply Chains In A Post-Covid World

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 measures etc). While some supply chains have recovered or adapted, others are yet to find ways of overcoming the pandemic.
September 25, 2020

Rejecting Mercosur Would Be a Lose-Lose

Nearly a month ago, “Fridays for Future” speaker Luisa Neubauer met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to Neubauer, Merkel assured her that she would “definitely not sign” the free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur states – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.