Upcoming events

• Italy's challenges in the midst of the euro-crisis

  Bruegel organised a workshop in Rome that discussed Italy’s challenges in the midst of the euro-crisis.

  The event was divided into three sessions dealing with short/midterm issues, long-run issues and finally the European Banking Union initiative in relation to Italy.

  Event materials

  • Agenda here
  • Zsolt Darvas, Bruegel - "Balancing fiscal adjustment and internal devaluation in Italy" here
  • Francesco Daveri, Università di Parma - "Italy’s decline and the most urgent reforms to fight it", presentation here
  • Paolo Manasse, University of Bologna - "Fiscal Adjustment and Internal Devaluation", presentation here
  • Marcello Messori, LUISS - "European banking union and Italy: Design issues, financial fragmentation, impact on the Italian banking sector", presentation here
  • Fabiano Schivardi, LUISS & EIEF - "The role of equity finance for firms’ growth", presentation here
  • Guntram Wolff, Bruegel - "Next steps on the road to a European Banking Union", presentation here

  This event was co-organised with the Italian Treasury

  Practical details

  • Venue: Italian Treasury on Via XX Settembre, 97, 00187 Rome
  • Time: 8 May 2013, 9:00 - 15:25
  • Contact: matilda.sevon[at]bruegel.org

  Read more…

• The bankers’ new clothes

  What is wrong with today’s banking system? The past few years have shown that risks in banking can impose significant costs on the economy. Many claim, however, that a safer banking system would require sacrificing lending and economic growth. The bankers’ new clothes examines this claim and the narratives used by bankers, politicians, and regulators to rationalize the lack of reform, exposing them as invalid. The book argues that we can have a safer and healthier banking system without sacrificing any of the benefits of the system, and at essentially no cost to society. Banks are as fragile as they are not because they must be, but because they want to be–and they get away with it. Whereas this situation benefits bankers, it distorts the economy and exposes the public to unnecessary risks.
  
  Weak regulation and ineffective enforcement allowed the buildup of risks that ushered in the financial crisis of 2007-2009. Much can be done to create a better system and prevent crises. Yet the lessons from the recent crisis have not been learned.

  Speakers

  • Anat Admati, George G.C. Parker Professor of Finance and Economics at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. She serves on the FDIC Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee and has contributed to the Financial Times, Bloomberg News, and the New York Times.
  • Martin Hellwig, Director, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. He was the first chair of the Advisory Scientific Committee of the European Systemic Risk Board and the cowinner of the 2012 Max Planck Research Award for his work on financial regulation.
  • Discussant - Nadia Calviño, Deputy Director General for Financial services policy, DG MARKT, European Commission
  • Discussant - Thomas Leysen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, KBC Group
  • Chair - André Sapir, Senior Fellow, Bruegel and Professor at ULB

  Event materials

  • Authors' presentation here

  Practical details

  • Venue: Bruegel, Rue de la Charité 33, 1210 Bruxelles
  • Time: 15 May 2013, 12:45 - 14:30 (A light lunch will be served before the event starts at 13:00)
  • Contact: matilda.sevon[at]bruegel.org

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• Emission Trading beyond backloading

  After the European Parliament decided to - for the time being - stay away from backloading, the discussion on reforming the Emission Trading System (ETS) continues. A number of short-term fixes and long-term measures to reestablish the ETS as the centerpiece for synchronizing decarbonisation in the EU (and beyond) are on the table. In this panel-discussion we would like to discuss the merits of several approaches. Herman Vollebergh (PBL) will introduce an evaluation of the structural measures proposed by the European Commission [click here to download the paper], Georg Zachmann will present a possible approach to reestablish confidence in the ETS in the short-term [click here to download the paper] and Raphael Trotignon (Dauphine) will discuss the possibility of an independent institution for managing the scarcity in the ETS [click here to download the paper]. Finally Peter Zapfel (DG CLIMA) will give the view of the European Commission. The event will be held under the Chatham House rule.

  Speakers

  • Raphael Trotignon, Researcher in Energy and Climate Economics, Paris Dauphine
  • Herman Vollebergh, Senior Research Fellow, PBL
  • Georg Zachmann, Research Fellow on Energy and Climate, Bruegel
  • Peter Zapfel, Head of Policy Coordination, DG Climate Action

  Practical details

  • Venue: Bruegel, Rue de la Charité 33, 1210 Bruxelles
  • Time: 23 May 2013, 12:00 - 13:45 (Lunch will be served after the event)
  • Contact: matilda.sevon[at]bruegel.org

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• Sovereign debt and its restructuring framework in the eurozone

  Since the main burden of public debt reduction has fallen on fiscal austerity, public debt ratios in the eurozone remain high. Private debt burdens have also remained high since deleveraging has been slow. To regain growth momentum, public and private debt will need to be lowered. History suggests--and the current experience confirms--that predictable and orderly debt restructuring help the resumption of growth as the debt overhang and associated uncertainty are lowered. Looking ahead, sovereign debt should be regarded as equity (a residual claim on the sovereign), operationalised by mechanisms for automatic maturity extensions upon breaching contractually-specified thresholds.

  Speaker

  • Ashoka Mody, Visiting Fellow, Bruegel
  • Chair: Guntram Wolff, Acting Director, Bruegel

  Read more…

• Toward Revitalization of the Japanese Economy: The Role of Policy in the Global Economy

  A policy package that has come to be known as “Abenomics” is being set forth. The package consists of a three-pronged approach: bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy, and a growth strategy that encourages private-sector investment. The policy is a complete departure from the past. ESRI is convening an international conference in Tokyo to discuss the role these economic policies will play in terms of revitalization of the Japanese economy as well as development of the world economy under the present global economic environment. ESRI is inviting eminent economists and specialists at home and abroad to discuss this theme. Invited speakers (alphabetical order)：

  • Richard Cooper, Professor, Harvard University
  • Koichi Hamada, Special Advisor to the Cabinet
  • Motoshige Ito, Member, Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy
  • Takatoshi Ito, Professor, University of Tokyo
  • Kazumasa Iwata, President, Japan Center for Economic Research
  • Sahoko Kaji, Professor, Keio University
  • Hiroshi Nakaso, Deputy Governor, Bank of Japan
  • Masahiro Kawai, Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute
  • Adam Posen, President, Peterson Institute for International Economics
  • Jeffrey Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University
  • Andre Sapir, Senior Fellow, Bruegel and Professor, Free University of Brussels
  • Joseph Stiglitz, Professor, Columbia University
  • Chalongphob Sussangkarn, Special Advisor, Thailand Development Research Institute
  • Heizo Takenaka, Professor, Keio University
  • Masazumi Wakatabe, Professor, Waseda University
  • Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Professor, University of Tokyo
  (About 300 economists and specialists are expected to join the conference.)

  Practical details

  Venue: Mita Conference Hall (2-1-8 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
  Time: Thursday, May 30th 14:30-18:10 and Friday, May 31st 9:30-17:30
  Contact: Economic and Social Research Institute Japan

  Read more…