Single market, competition & trade
What to expect from the Digital Markets Act
05 March 2024
Thanks to the Digital Markets Act, large tech firms must now give Europeans more choices about how online services work. But competition authorities will see few reasons to relax.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The UK needs a chips strategy
01 December 2022
London wants chip-makers in Britain to support innovation. But using national security laws to engineer that outcome is counterproductive. Instead, the UK needs a more sober post-Brexit tech policy.
The EU should abandon chip nationalism
20 October 2022
With the US aggressively throttling China’s chip capabilities, the EU wants to protect itself by subsidising its own domestic chip manufacturing industry. But Europe has better and more realistic alternatives.
How to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol
08 September 2022
Hilary Benn MP considers the stalemate between London and Brussels over the Northern Ireland Protocol and highlights key areas where both sides can achieve a compromise.
The EU needs a bigger playing field – not a level playing field
01 September 2022
Despite appearing to be legalistic and bureaucratic, the EU’s level playing field instruments are more flexible – and can be used more strategically – than they first appear.
Will the Digital Services Act save Europe from disinformation?
21 April 2022
In negotiating the Digital Services Act, EU law-makers balanced tackling disinformation with protecting free speech. The Commission’s last-minute proposal for stricter regulation of tech platforms during crises undermines this balance.
Why big business may learn to love EU competition policy
01 February 2022
Big multinationals sometimes criticise the EU’s competition policy, which is more aggressive than America’s. But in the long term, Brussels’ approach could prove more balanced and predictable than Washington’s.
No pain, no gain? The Digital Markets Act
10 January 2022
The EU's upcoming rules for big tech will degrade some digital services to improve long-term competition and innovation. The trade-off is justified – but law-makers must keep consumers on-side.
Opening Pandora's Box: What the EU-UK trade deal means for trade and conditionality
13 October 2021
The EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement includes world-leading sustainability commitments.
Leave your phone at home: Why EU roaming charges will only increase for UK consumers
20 September 2021
Will the end of free EU roaming make the UK mobile market fairer, as some economists claim? Don’t bet on it.
Driving uncertainty: Labour rights in the gig economy
10 August 2021
The European Commission should treat competition policy as a tool to improve the rights of ‘gig economy’ workers – not a hindrance to that goal.
Can the EU set a global rulebook for Big Tech?
01 June 2021
The EU is angling to set a rulebook for digital markets which could be adopted around the world. To achieve this, its draft regulations need improvement.