Commentary
Lively short-form insights
Recent commentary
The Letta report: an assessment of the energy proposals
The report has the potential to substantially impact the European Union's strategic agenda from 2024-29
Use the financial system to enforce export controls on Russia
Industrial policy for economic security
Use the financial system to enforce export controls on Russia
Prohibition of Western tech exports to Russia is not working; rapid measures are needed to tighten up
Commentary items
Republishing and referencing policy
Bruegel considers itself a public good and takes no institutional standpoint. Anyone is free to republish and/or quote any of our posts without prior consent. Please provide a full reference, clearly stating Bruegel and the relevant author as the source and include a prominent hyperlink to the original post.
Opinion piece
09 May 2018
China’s financial opening: Will it be different this time?
It is hard to judge whether China will indeed carry out a substantial opening of its financial sector, despite the significant external pressure it fa
Alicia García-Herrero and Gary Ng
Opinion piece
02 May 2018
A new strategy to clean up European cars, and the air we breathe
Transport is the only sector in which Europe's CO2 emissions are now higher than in 1990 and is becoming a key obstacle to the EU meeting its decarbon
Simone Tagliapietra
Opinion piece
30 April 2018
The upheaval Italy needs
While Italy remains without a new government, it would be foolish to believe that a country where anti-system parties won 55% of the popular vote will
Jean Pisani-Ferry
Opinion piece
30 April 2018
Germany’s export-oriented economic model is caught in a US-Chinese squeeze
The new Merkel government has to reduce the dependencies on exports by stimulating domestic growth forces in Germany and Europe. At the same time, Ber
Guntram B. Wolff and Sebastian Heilmann
Opinion piece
24 April 2018
Why this round of U.S. protectionism is different
Although it is not the first time that the world has been caught in the China-U.S. crossfire, this round of U.S. protectionist moves against China is
Alicia García-Herrero and Jianwei Xu
Opinion piece
19 April 2018
Building a stable european deposit insurance scheme
Deposit insurance, like any insurance scheme, raises moral hazard concerns.
Dirk Schoenmaker
Opinion piece
10 April 2018
US Tariffs Aim to Contain China’s Technological Rise
While tension increases with each of the imports listed under the new tariffs, it now seems clear that the US are trying to slow down China's technolo
Alicia García-Herrero
Opinion piece
10 April 2018
What Are the Targets in the US–China Trade War?
Following the US announcement of new, high tariffs on imports, China is answering the Trump administration by applying its own series of tariffs. In t
Alicia García-Herrero
Opinion piece
05 April 2018
How Should the EU Position Itself in a Global Trade War?
It is high time for the EU to work on more than just wishful thinking in response to the US challenge to global trade. With the first cracks appearing
Guntram B. Wolff
Opinion piece
04 April 2018
The Lesser Evil for the Eurozone
For three decades, the consensus within the European Commission and the European Central Bank on the need for market reforms and sound public finances
Jean Pisani-Ferry
Opinion piece
26 March 2018
Greece must capitalise on its growth momentum
Better-than-expected growth performance reflects the underlying positive changes in the Greek economy – but net investment is in fact negative, while
Zsolt Darvas
Opinion piece
26 March 2018
Will U.S. tax reform lure U.S. companies away from China?
What will be the results of the changes to the U.S. tax system in China? Will the new U.S. corporate tax rate cause Chinese firms to shift their opera
Alicia García-Herrero
Opinion piece
20 March 2018
Europe needs a strong Italy
Europe needs to have its Italian voice. A stable government is required not only to pursue domestic policies and remain fiscally prudent but also to n
Guntram B. Wolff
Opinion piece
12 March 2018
Reading The Tea Leaves on China’s Constitutional Amendments
The recent amendments of the Chinese Constitution have stimulated much attention, focusing on the power consolidation of President Xi. Though the four
Alicia García-Herrero
Opinion piece
08 March 2018
China's “matryoshka” approach for debt-to-equity swaps could be good for banks, but bad for investors
The Chinese banking sector has enhanced its clean-up mechanism by introducing debt-to-equity swaps for the resolution of problem loans. While this all
Alicia García-Herrero and Gary Ng
Opinion piece
01 March 2018
The EU’s Seven-Year Budget Itch
On February 23, EU members began negotiations on the bloc's multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. But, with all countries focusing on net bal
Jean Pisani-Ferry