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Europe 2019

How to make the European Green Deal work Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a European Green Deal to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. Grégory Claeys, Simone Tagliapietra and Georg Zachmann consider how this initiative could be made to work A call for Europe Critics of the European idea are gaining ground. Sabine Lautenschläger considers the successes of the European project and says future challenges can only be met by working together Demystifying carbon border adjustment for Europe’s green deal The European Green Deal has many critics. Guntram Wolff says some adjustments to the deal could make domestic manufacturers more carbon efficient and foreign producers more friendly to the environment We share a responsibility to protect our democracy The European Union and its values need to be safeguarded. Omri Preiss outlines the steps needed to engage citizens and build up a culture of civic responsibility An easier consumer journey when buying online Helping consumers to make informed choices benefits consumers, companies and markets. Pedro Oliveira charts how European business organisations have developed a tool to better inform consumers The EU-Mercosur FTA: prospects and risks The deal is worth fighting for, according to Michael Baltensperger and Uri Dadush, and the agreement could be as significant for the globe’s climate as it is for the global economy The EU’s competition and antitrust tightrope Economic sovereignty remains one of Europe’s biggest challenges. Rebecca Christie and Mathew Heim review the Bruegel meeting that addressed the EU’s global challenges locally The EU is in the US trade war crosshairs The incoming European Commission faces a dilemma. Anabel González and Nicolas Véron believe it should further raise its game to forge effective policies toward the US and China Truths about trade Cecilia Malmström says the best that we can do is hold on to our values – what we believe to be good and right – but always be ready to challenge received ideas through rigorous research and understanding Dousing the sovereignty wildfire Rows between collective and national interests are sure to erupt. Jean Pisani-Ferry writes that the world needs to find a way to manage them Border carbon tariffs: giving up on trade to save the climate? Ursula von der Leyen plans to introduce a border carbon tax to avoid forcing EU companies to move their activities abroad. Henrik Horn and André Sapir ask if trade and climate preservation can coexist? Perspectives on the soft power of EU trade policy The EU has to reposition its trade policies. San Bilal and Bernard Hoekman ask whether the EU has been effective in its pursuit of non-trade policy objectives European champions Mathew Heim and Catarina Midoes investigate industrial champions and competition policy and ask whether the EU has hindered the formation of European champions China’s investment in Africa Alicia García-Herrero and Jianwei Xu examine what the data really says, and the implications for Europe Most progressive countries on maternity leave around the world There now is a focus on better gender-balance in the workplace. Instant Offices have examined countries different approaches to maternity leave around the world, and find that Europe has some of the most progressive benefits A stronger legal framework is not enough to foster national compliance Konstantinos Efstathiou and Guntram Wolff recommend that the EU reconsider its approach to policy coordination, particularly with regards to communication How should competition and industrial policies interact? Georgios Petropoulos examines the relationship between competition policy and industrial policy in the EU, and argues that these two policy instruments should be implemented as complements rather than as substitutes Tackling demographic challenges in CESEE Tao Zhang considers the challenges facing the CESEE and focuses on the critical role that new technologies might play The European Union energy transition Simone Tagliapietra, Georg Zachmann, Ottmar Edenhofer, Jean-Michel Glachant, Pedro Linares and Andreas Loeschel believe that the EU could benefit from deep decarbonisation irrespective of what other economies around the world do Redefining Europe’s economic sovereignty Mark Leonard, Jean Pisani-Ferry, Elina Ribakova, Jeremy Shapiro and Guntram Wolff make recommendations on how to adapt the EU and national policy systems to better integrate economic and geopolitical considerations European Parliament election results: the long view Following the latest European elections, Nicolas Véron updates his previous analysis of trends in the share of European Parliament seats among ‘mainstream’ and ‘non-mainstream’ parties The cost of the Brexit vote The latest OECD data suggests that the cost of Brexit has been £350 million a week since the referendum. Benjamin Born, Gernot Müller, Moritz Schularick and Petr Sedláček examine the future consequences Elections must put Europe on a path to a green future 90% of Europeans consider the environment to be a key issue for the quality of their life. Simone Tagliapietra says the time to act is now Upward steps on the income ladder Since their accession to the EU 15 years ago, the incomes of most central Europeans have increased faster than the incomes of longer-standing members. Zsolt Darvas finds the very poorest people have not progressed in some countries Does attaching green issues to trade agreements boost trade liberalisation? Boram Lee analyses MEPs environmental positions and finds that FTAs may have difficulty in being ratified Fostering human capital investment in the EU An EU tax credit to preserve incentives for investment in human capital is needed, Debora Revoltella, Philipp-Bastian Brutscher and Patricia Wruuck advocate Italy joins China’s Belt and Road Initiative Italy is projected to join the BRI, causing discontent within the EU and US. Winnie King discusses the cracks that are being exposed in Europe and the G7 Low funding jeopardises Europe’s innovation missions Semih Akcomak and Bastiaan Overvest consider the European Commission plans for research and innovation spending, and find that the spending is relatively small Dancing with the dragon: can the EU and China rescue the WTO? Comprehensive WTO reform has never been more urgent. Bart Broer argues that the Sino-European relationship could safeguard the world's trading regime No deal is the best deal for Britain Patrick Minford considers the options for the UK as they reach the endgame in their negotiations with the EU, and finds that a No Deal Brexit is a recipe for economic success EU membership has many benefits, but economic growth is not one of them In new research Thomas Barnebeck Andersen and Pieter Vanhuysse looked at whether joining the EU has actually increased economic growth for EU member states. In a nutshell, most probably it has not The Alstom-Siemens merger and the need for European champions The European Commission blocked the merger between Alstom and Siemens. Konstantinos Efstathiou examines the lively debate on the need for European champions A commitment to shared prosperity If the European Union draws on its roots and finds a way forward through shared prosperity, Christine Lagarde believes the next chapter of unity in Europe will begin

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