Boosting innovation in Europe
by Mathias Dewatripont , Bruno van Pottelsberghe , André Sapir, Reinhilde Veugelers on 28 June 2010
Download: English
Category: POLICY CONTRIBUTIONS
Topics: Competition and single market, Research, innovation and growth
Innovation is key to the future of Europe. This Policy Contribution, written together by Mathias Dewatripont, Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management; Bruno van Pottelsberghe and Andre Sapir, Senior Fellows at Bruegel and professors at ULB; and Reinhilde Veugelers, senior fellow at Bruegel and professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, makes suggestions based on three principles: to give primacy to merit-based selection of projects at the European level, to strengthen the single market to make it conducive for research and innovation and to remove barriers that hinder dynamic restructuring. This paper is addressed to the July 2010 informal Competitiveness Council (Research) under the Belgian Presidency.
Power to the people of Europe
by Georg Zachmann on 07 June 2010
Download: English
Category: POLICY BRIEFS
Topics: Climate change and energy, Competition and single market, Research, innovation and growth
Bruegel Research Fellow Georg Zachmann explains the challenges that arise in creating an efficient single electricity market in Europe. This Policy Brief proposes that the European Commission continues to push for binding European network planning based on technical and cost-benefit analyses, while member states should move away from the artificial setting of single national prices.
Europe should stop taxing innovation
by Bruno van Pottelsberghe on 30 March 2010
Download: English
Category: POLICY BRIEFS
Topics: Competition and single market, European and global governance
In this Policy Brief, Bruegel Senior Fellow Bruno van Pottelsberghe makes the argument in favour of a single EU patent system. The author explains that the absence of a one-stop-shop for EU-wide patents hampers innovation and will pose serious challenges to small and medium-sized companies in the face of global competition. This paper analyses how a uniform patent system can sustain long-term competitiveness and boost growth and thereby achieve EU2020 targets. It makes policy recommendations in four key areas of a single patent system - language, complexity, affordability and governance.
Two crises, two responses
by Benedicta Marzinotto, Jean Pisani-Ferry, André Sapir on 22 March 2010
Download: English
Category: POLICY BRIEFS
Topics: Budgetary and monetary policies, Competition and single market
The crisis in Greece presents an extraordinary test for the euro, but also an opportunity to strengthen, and apply more diligently, existing procedures governing the economic and monetary Union. This Policy Brief authored by Bruegel Director Jean Pisani-Ferry, Senior Fellow Andre Sapir and Resident Fellow Benedicta Marzinotto emphasises the need for a more nuanced understanding of the different kinds of crises affecting euro members.
Using Spain and Greece as examples, this paper makes policy recommendations for both scenarios. It explains how budgetary surveillance can be strengthened to prevent crises. It says the scope of Article 143 of the Lisbon Treaty should be extended and a clear and predictable conditional assistance regime put in place for effective crises management in the euro area.
Memos to the new Commission- Europe's economic priorities 2010-2015
by Zsolt Darvas, Jürgen von Hagen, Jean Pisani-Ferry, Bruno van Pottelsberghe , Lars-Hendrik Röller, Indhira Santos, André Sapir, Reinhilde Veugelers, Nicolas Véron, Jakob von Weizsäcker on 27 August 2009
Download: English French Polish German Spanish
Category: BOOKS
Topics: Budgetary and monetary policies, Climate change and energy, Competition and single market, Currencies and International finance, Emerging economies and development, Financial markets and regulation, European and global governance, Labour, migration and ageing, Research, innovation and growth, Trade, investment and competitiveness, New Member States, Enlargement and Neighbourhood
These Memos, addressed to the next Commission President and to the new European commissioners, are written by Bruegel Scholars and edited by Senior Research Fellow André Sapir and focus on key economic aspects of EU policy-making.
The new Commission will enter office at a challenging time for Europe, the EU and the Commission itself. The crisis has clearly exposed weaknesses in EU governance which need to be addressed and the memos make a number of concrete recommendations of relevance for major economic fields, as well as for the EU and Commission as a whole.
Addressing the next Commission President, André Sapir and Jean Pisani-Ferry propose that effective leadership will be necessary to give strategic direction to the Commission, ’you [the president] should therefore be ready to fight for ideas and take risks" (JPF-AS). The Memos suggest that the EU will need to assert a position on commonly agreed rules, propose new solutions and, importantly, has an opportunity now to redefine the European narrative in the global arena.
Focusing on the most important economic questions at EU level, the Bruegel memos are intended to be strategic, outlining the state of affairs that will be met by the new Commission and the key challenges and priorities they will need to consider over the next five years.