Bruegel is a European think tank devoted to international economics. It was created in Brussels in early 2005 with the intention of bringing a new voice into Europe’s economic policy discussions.
On Thursday 2 February Chinese premier Wen Jiabao signalled intention to move towards helping the euro area extricate from its trouble and declared that China was “investigating and evaluating concrete ways in which it can, via the IMF, get more deeply involved in the European debt problem”. Why (...)
This event, jointly organised by Bruegel and the European Economic Advisory Group (EEAG) at CESifo, marks the the launch of the eleventh yearly EEAG Report on the European Economy. Throughout the decade, the EEAG Report has provided a comprehensive forecast for the European economy for the (...)
A drastic change in the way we produce and consume energy is necessary to contain the risk of global environmental catastrophe. For its part, the EU has set agreed to a greenhouse gas reduction target of 80-95 percent by 2050, compared to 1990. However, with the current fuel mix, even the most (...)
The euro-area crisis dominates the economic news. Yet, the world and Europe may face even more important challenges that will shape our lives and the lives of our children.World population is projected to increase to 9 billion or more by 2050. At the same time, current trends indicate an (...)
For the third year in a row, the eurozone is the weakest link in the world economy. In 2010, attention was focused on responses to the crisis on the eurozone periphery – Greece, Portugal, and Ireland. In 2011, the crisis moved to the core, with Italy and Spain feeling the heat, and concerns (...)
The strategy for addressing the euro debt crisis evolved last summer, as European leaders put economic growth right in the policy agenda. It was an important commitment. Yet, at this juncture, action is required, and for at least two reasons. The first is that the Marshall Plan for Greece (...)
The euro area faces a double challenge: debt overhang and the need for price adjustment. This paper reviews the debt challenges in the household and corporate sectors and maps out some policy options. In particular, we document the increase in private debt prior to the crisis and consider how (...)
With countries struggling to build their post-crisis knowledge based growth strategies, there is an increased interest in understanding science to as engine of growth. Society's grand challenges like climate change, ageing, security require science to effectively tackle them. The US science (...)
Growth in Europe is projected to be weak in 2012 and 2013. This is true for the aggregate but the outlook is much worse for many of the countries in the South. The south of the eurozone is struggling with a twin challenge: high (external) debt and weak competitiveness. Efforts to reduce (...)
Having been an early supporter of the euro, Hans-Olaf Henkel now considers his engagement to be the biggest professional mistake he ever made. In this lunch time talk, he will present his views on the euro. Other speakers TBCRead (...)
Débat : La fin de la dictature des marchés ? Jeudi 16 Février 2012 à 18h30 Université Paris-Dauphine Inscriptions et informations sur www.debat16fev.com - 010. Le grand débat avec NYSE Euronext / Actualité
À quelques mois de l'élection présidentielle, un débat démocratique exigeant sur les différentes politiques économiques est indispensable. La crise bouleverse les idées reçues et modifie les frontières traditionnelles. Le Cercle des économistes décrypte ici ce que cachent tant de mots qui nous obsèdent : (...)
L'économie américaine peut-elle relancer la machine économique mondiale ? Le Fonds Monétaire International a publié ses nouvelles prévisions de croissance pour la planète le 24 janvier dernier, soit quelques heures avant le discours sur l'état de l'Union de Barack Obama. Le FMI prévoit une croissance (...)
Séparation des activités bancaires : le retour du Glass-Steagall Act ?
A l'aune de la crise financière internationale et de la dette en Europe, le sujet revient sur le devant de la scène : la séparation des activités bancaires de dépôt et de marché. Initiée aux Etats-Unis en 1933 après la grande crise (...)
Présidentielle 2012 , la campagne économique est lancée
Moins de cent jours nous séparent du premier tour de l'élection présidentielle et la campagne électorale a réellement démarré dimanche 22 janvier, avec le premier grand discours de François Hollande au Bourget. Tonalité très mitterrandienne qui (...)
Les agences de notation ont-elle un avenir ?
Le vendredi 13 janvier 2012 sonnera-t-il le glas des agences de notation ? La question est posée tant leur crédibilité est remise en question. La récente dégradation des notes AAA de neuf des dix-sept pays membres de la zone euro n'aura en rien changé la (...)
Emprunt français : après la perte du AAA, le stress test en direct
L'Agence France Trésor qui gère la dette de la France est parvenue à emprunter neuf milliards et demi d'euros à des taux défiant toute concurrence : 1,07% sur 10 ans contre 2,3% lors du dernier emprunt. Et ce, six jours après la (...)
Taxe Tobin à la française : un bien mauvais timing
Depuis sa naissance dans l'esprit du prix Nobel d'économie James Tobin au début des années 70, la taxe éponyme est un véritable serpent de mer. Le fait que Nicolas Sarkozy ressorte le projet des cartons pour l'appliquer à la dimension européenne est (...)
Présidentielle 2012 : l'Europe est-elle en bonne place dans la campagne ? Jamais l'actualité européenne n'aura été aussi forte pendant une campagne électorale. Cette fois, il s'agit de la Présidentielle, ce qui renforce la dimension du sujet. L'Europe sera-t-elle pour autant au cœur du débat dans (...)
Pourquoi la facture énergétique de la France flambe-t-elle ?
Entre 2002 et 2010, notre facture énergétique est passée de 22 milliards d'euros à 48 milliards, participant pour près de moitié au creusement du déficit commercial. Ce constat sans appel émane d'un rapport que vient de publier la Direction (...)
The new mortgage refinancing program buys into the idea that the government must intervene in the foreclosure crisis.
President Obama’s recently announced housing plan contains a number of excellent proposals that should help Americans struggling to make ends meet. Simplifying lending (...)
In an excerpt from his new book, Fighting for Our Health, Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow Richard Kirsch notes that like Occupy Wall Street, the health care reform movement looked beyond politicians and targeted the corporate interests that were opposing progress.
When Occupy Wall Street (...)
TNR Link to site: http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/100352/romney-gaffe-social-safety-net Mark Schmitt
Let’s give Mitt Romney the benefit of the doubt: He didn’t really mean it when he said, “I’m not concerned about the very poor.” Or, let’s just say he cares about them no less than he cares about (...)
T.STAR Link to site: http://www.thestar.com/article/1118382 David Woolner
It was a moment when reality met reality TV.
On stage in Tampa, Fla., a slate of Republican presidential candidates, including physician Ron Paul. Facing them, an audience scenting blood.
CNN host Wolf Blitzer’s (...)
What you need to know to navigate today’s most critical debates.
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It’s Not the Very Poor That Romney Doesn’t Care About, It’s the Working Poor (TNR)
Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow Mark Schmitt writes that while Romney may have misspoke, his (...)
To change the wage gap, we have to change systemic problems like unionization, work-family policies, and gender segregation.
The first piece of legislation that President Obama signed into law after being elected was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The Act expanded the statute of limitations (...)
In an excerpt from his new book, Fighting for Our Health, Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow Richard Kirsch notices that FDR’s message to his supporters was “I agree with you; now make me do it.” In the health care fight, Obama’s was, “I’ve got it covered; now leave me alone.”
Since the collapse into (...)
Why the secrecy? Why the haste? Rushing into an ill-advised settlement with the banks may undo one of our last chances to avert another economic catastrophe.
Tomorrow is the deadline for state attorneys general to sign on to a joint federal and multi-state $25 billion settlement of the (...)
What you need to know to navigate today’s most critical debates.
Click here to receive the Daily Digest via e-mail.
Obama’s Plan To Help Homeowners and Boost the Economy (The Nation)
The president rolled out details of his plan to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages — unless (...)
Finland’s educational success proves that a focus on social justice produces solid outcomes.
Education was rightly big on Obama’s agenda in his State of the Union address last week. As he noted, “[T]o prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earl[y].” (...)