First Glances
Lively short-form insights
First Glances provide quick, column-length reactions to new policy developments and announcements. In some cases, they distil the essence of a research paper published in parallel.
Recent First Glances
Can the Dutch tail wag the EU budgetary dog?
A new pro-European government in the Netherlands could set a beneficial example by departing from traditional Dutch stinginess on the EU budget
A first step in coalition building to reform the global trading system
Two of the world’s major trading blocs have signalled their willingness to work to repair a system undermined by the US and China
The European Commission’s Digital Omnibus could increase risks, not growth
Changes floated to the EU AI and data protection framework jeopardise fundamental protection rights without enhancing European digital competitiveness
EU enlargement momentum risks falling victim to veto power
The path to European Union enlargement seems to be narrowing, with only a couple of countries currently able to squeeze through the gap
The real obstacle to EU capital market integration is unreformed pension systems
Private pension savings in EU countries are limited by pension system design, meaning far less money than there could be for capital market investment
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First glance items
First Glance
04 December 2025
Can the Dutch tail wag the EU budgetary dog?
A new pro-European government in the Netherlands could set a beneficial example by departing from traditional Dutch stinginess on the EU budget
First Glance
21 November 2025
A first step in coalition building to reform the global trading system
Two of the world’s major trading blocs have signalled their willingness to work to repair a system undermined by the US and China
First Glance
13 November 2025
The European Commission’s Digital Omnibus could increase risks, not growth
Changes floated to the EU AI and data protection framework jeopardise fundamental protection rights without enhancing European digital competitiveness
First Glance
10 November 2025
EU enlargement momentum risks falling victim to veto power
The path to European Union enlargement seems to be narrowing, with only a couple of countries currently able to squeeze through the gap
First Glance
05 November 2025
The real obstacle to EU capital market integration is unreformed pension systems
Private pension savings in EU countries are limited by pension system design, meaning far less money than there could be for capital market investment
First Glance
03 November 2025
The European Parliament gets it wrong on the European Commission’s 2028-2034 budget
Rather than protecting outdated programmes, MEPs should push for a larger EU budget and safeguards to match strategic goals
First Glance
30 October 2025
The Trump–Xi summit: less a deal, more an uneasy truce
The meeting of the US and Chinese presidents in South Korea resulted in a pragmatic but precarious agreement
First Glance
23 October 2025
Economic impact must dictate immigration policies in an ageing Europe
Faced with rapid population change, EU countries must evaluate the weighting they give to different migration channels in their immigration policies
First Glance
16 October 2025
The Nobel Prize committee’s message for European innovation
The award of the Nobel Prize to economists working on creative destruction contains a lesson that policymakers should be ready to let some firms go
First Glance
15 October 2025
Escalating US-China rare earth tensions signal determination to decouple
The future may be parallel refining and supply systems for rare earths and associated technologies, as the US and China drift further apart
First Glance
14 October 2025
An EU reparations loan is the right way to help Ukraine
European Union countries should agree to back a clever workaround that would leave Russia’s assets untouched but leverage them to support Ukraine
First Glance
09 October 2025
The EU should moderate its steel protection plan
A European Commission proposal for a tight quota and high steel tariffs risks undermining perceptions of the EU as a reliable trading partner
First Glance
02 October 2025
Peace through strength: why Europe needs a missile deterrent
Europe should acknowledge the limitations of air defence and build up its capacity to hit back at Russia as a deterrent
First Glance
30 September 2025
It is time for an independent European Digital Authority
The European Commission cannot simultaneously be both a political body and a credible regulatory watchdog
First Glance
29 September 2025
Europe’s Clean Industrial Deal: four priorities to fulfil its promise
The Clean Industrial Deal presents an opportunity for Europe, but quick action is needed on four priorities to deliver its goals
First Glance
25 September 2025
Coffee and chocolate lovers should want EU deforestation rules in force without delay
A new pause in implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation is regrettable and should not lead to weakening of the law