Single market, competition & trade
A new equilibrium in Northern Ireland: Can it last?
01 March 2024
The agreement between the British government and the Democratic Unionist Party addresses immediate challenges but falls short of resolving Northern Ireland’s Brexit conundrum.
Europe and the superpowers: Responding to economic nationalism
26 February 2024
Superpower competition poses a significant challenge for Europe's trade-intensive economy. The EU must evolve its toolkit and economic model to respond.
Helping Europe's digital economy take off: An agenda for the next Commission
20 February 2024
The EU must simplify its digital rulebook, support more privacy-friendly data-driven innovation, and boost investment in digital infrastructure.
How should Europe handle China?: Annual report 2023
09 February 2024
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how should Europe handle China. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2023.
Delors, Schäuble and Europe's misdiagnosed competitiveness problem
30 January 2024
European Commission President Jacques Delors and German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble left their mark on the European project. Their thinking can still help Europe out of its current geo-economic predicament.
Brexit, four years on: Answers to two trade paradoxes
25 January 2024
Since the UK left the EU in 2020, its goods exports to the EU have not performed any worse than to the rest of the world, and its services exports have grown strongly. How come?
In tech, the death of the Brussels effect is greatly exaggerated
08 December 2023
The US and post-Brexit Britain want to carve out their own paths to regulating technologies like artificial intelligence. The EU, however, will continue to enjoy the most influence on global technology regulations.
Does Europe's payments strategy add up?
03 October 2023
The EU institutions are pushing multiple European payments champions to compete with Visa and Mastercard. But focusing on 'sovereignty' at all costs is no strategy for success.
State of the Union: From Putin's war to a trade war?
26 September 2023
If she wants the EU to be greener, fairer, and more resilient, Ursula von der Leyen, or whoever comes next, should stay away from trade spats and support a more ambitious industrial policy instead.
How Europe can make the most of AI
14 September 2023
AI may raise productivity – potentially substantially. European policy-makers should do more to ensure businesses use it, by regulating to clarify liability and ensuring vigorous competition between AI companies.
On digital competition, Britain could learn from its regulatory mistakes
20 July 2023
The traditional British model of economic regulation has not always supported investment and innovation. The UK’s digital competition bill could learn from these mistakes.
Europe can withstand American and Chinese subsidies for green tech
12 June 2023
European policy-makers are fretting about subsidised green tech imports from the US and China. But shipping costs are increasingly discouraging imports of these goods from faraway countries.
Why the EU can be tougher on China
30 May 2023
EU policy-makers have dithered over their approach to China and Taiwan. They must persuade Beijing that the economic consequences of an invasion would hurt China, but be bearable for the EU.
The UK's competition authority is ready to regulate big tech
26 May 2023
The UK competition authority has decided Microsoft cannot acquire games company Activision. This should reassure politicians that the authority wants dynamic and competitive markets.
CER bulletin: Issue 149 - April/May 2023
03 April 2023
- A British strategy for Europe?, Charles Grant
- Where is Britain's growth plan?, John Springford
- The best national security that (no) money can buy?, Ian Bond
Where is Britain's growth plan?
03 April 2023
The government will have to confront vested interests and raise investment to boost growth. A strategy founded on trade deals with far-off countries and deregulation won’t work.
Can the EU afford to drive out American cloud services?
02 March 2023
Some EU countries want to stifle foreign cloud computing services. These countries’ concerns are not irrational. But disadvantaging America’s cloud giants will do Europe more harm than good.
Ditchley conference report: Macroeconomics in a time of pandemic and war
24 February 2023
In November, the CER held its annual economics conference on the macroeconomic consequences of the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
A year of war in Europe: The balance sheet
22 February 2023
Since Russia attacked Ukraine, the CER has tracked the war’s effect on the protagonists, the EU, NATO and other powers. What conclusions can be drawn from the past year?
The impact of the war in Ukraine: Annual report 2022
10 February 2023
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how the war in Ukraine is changing Europe. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2022.