Single market, competition & trade
Should the UK pursue dynamic alignment with the EU?
04 July 2024
The EU’s neighbours follow various models of dynamic alignment with its rules. Which model, if any, could suit the UK?
Why cities must drive growth in the EU's single market
20 June 2024
By integrating European services markets and investing in cities with high potential, the EU can raise its anemic growth rate and spread economic activity beyond successful metropolises.
Big tech rivalry could be the key to competition in AI
30 May 2024
Competition authorities might need to accept that today’s large technology firms will play a key role in artificial intelligence. They need to focus on ensuring they compete fiercely – rather than peacefully co-exist.
Delivering the goods: An EU trade agenda for the next UK government
28 May 2024
The Labour Party’s red lines will restrict its ambitions for changing the EU-UK relationship, but if it forms a government it should push Brussels for concessions, particularly on trade in goods.
Can the EU hold back the great tech decoupling?
03 May 2024
The US wants Europe to adopt stronger limits on high-tech goods trade with China. In response, the EU should insist the US stick with de-risking, not decoupling, and demand greater transatlantic economic co-operation.
Living next door to an elephant: Lessons for the UK from EFTA
29 April 2024
After Brexit, the UK finds itself next door to a regional trade hegemon. Britain can draw useful lessons from the experience of the EFTA countries.
Enrico Letta's report: More than a market, but less than an agenda
23 April 2024
Enrico Letta’s report on the single market offers largely sensible ideas to strengthen the EU’s economy. But he leaves member-states the job of prioritising and tackling the trade-offs.
Dilemmas and challenges around the EU budget
08 April 2024
The EU budget needs extensive reform both to resolve longstanding shortcomings and in anticipation of a further enlargement of the Union.
Weighed down by gravity: UK trade policy after Brexit
The post-Brexit vision of 'Global Britain' is slowly replaced by the reality that free trade agreements deliver marginal benefits, particularly for the UK’s service-oriented economy.
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.