Rebecca Christie
Rebecca Christie is a Senior fellow at Bruegel and hosts Bruegel's podcast, The Sound of Economics. She writes about the crossroads of markets, policy and politics, particularly where it comes to the European Union and how it interacts with the world. She was lead author on the European Stability Mechanism’s official history book, "Safeguarding the Euro in Times of Crisis: the Inside Story of the ESM", and writes the Brussels Briefing column for International Politik Quarterly. In 2024, she spent five months in-house as a senior economist at the European Central Bank, in the division of European Institutions and Fora.
Over more than two decades in journalism, Rebecca has reported from Brussels, Washington and around the world for Bloomberg News, Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal, Reuters Breakingviews and the Financial Times. She joined Bruegel as a visiting fellow in 2019.
She has also served as an expert adviser to a European Economic and Social Committee panel on taxation, is a regular conference speaker and moderator, and has provided editing and policy analysis to the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, and the African Development Bank. A US-Belgian dual citizen, she holds degrees from Duke University and from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.
Disclosure of interests
Declaration of interests 2020 - 2021
Featured work
The ECB’s Digital Euro and new operational framework: is there an overlap?
What happens when the digital euro meets the ECB’s new monetary policy tools?
A single market for capital: five priorities for the EU
Talent grab: can the EU attract US scientists and innovators?
Ways for Europe to seize the moment and win over top-tier researchers
Germany’s budget vs the EU: clash coming?
Germany has amended its constitutional debt brake to free up room for much needed defence investments. How does this align with EU law?
[UPDATED] Wired for the future: building Europe’s next-gen electricity grid
New reflections on Europe's electricity grid system after the outage in Spain and Portugal
Make finance part of the EU-UK post-Brexit reset
The EU and UK should address issues with the clearing and settlement industry and letterbox firms
EU Tech Rules: What to make of the first DMA fines?
How Brussels can regulate big tech in a time of trade wars
The Western Balkans: a region in waiting
Stalled integration but a new growth plan for six countries bound to the EU by culture and geography
Greece's debt crisis: a decade of resilience
Ten years after: economic growth, political change and the path forward for Greece
Sound of Economics Live: Trump’s tariffs and the EU
A special live episode of The Sound of Economics podcast on tariffs
Trump’s tariffs and the EU
How should the EU respond to the US tariffs?
With the US Economy in Disarray, Is This the Euro’s Hour?
The global economic turmoil and the Trump administration’s isolationism means that the euro could step into the limelight
Ireland’s journey from crisis to confidence
A conversation on Ireland’s economic recovery, housing crisis and international role
Where are Europe's animal spirits?
A conversation with Peter Praet and Jeromin Zettelmeyer about the global economy
Capital markets union: a deep dive
Five measures to foster a single market for capital
The choices Europe must make to secure its future
Europe at a crossroads: security, strategy, and the future of Ukraine
How to fix a staggering Germany
Federal elections expose Germany’s economic struggle
No Power Struggle at the EU’s Security Table for Two
The price of a liveable future: Financing climate action
How the global economy must adapt to the costs of climate change
Satellites and Space Races: The role of Europe in the space economy
Stakeholders, demands, and funding of Europe’s space sector
20 years of improving economic policy: story of Bruegel, story of Europe
Bruegel’s founders recount the think tank’s creation and its journey to becoming a key player in Europe’s economic policy landscape
The EU vs. Big Tech: Regulating for innovation and sovereignty
How should the EU regulate Big Tech and Artificial Intelligence?
30 Years of the World Trade Organisation: Challenges, reforms, and the path ahead
Does multilateralism have a future?
The EU’s Quest to Run Faster
Vote, protect, prepare: 2024 in review
Europe’s tumultuous year of leadership change, climate challenge and the rise of industrial policy
Nature on the balance sheet: a financial perspective
How can businesses, governments and financial institutions work together to tackle the global biodiversity crisis?
How Europe can save for success
The EU’s new top finance official, Maria Luis Albuquerque, should lead member states and their citizens towards better retail savings
Geopolitics, trade blocs, and the fragmentation of world commerce
What does the future hold for international trade in an era of growing rivalries?
The evolution of European public goods
How Europe has tackled the challenge of a common budget
Closing the loop: the case for a circular EU economy
Why moving to a circular economy is essential in the fight against climate change
From division to unity: 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall
What was daily life like in Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall? And how did reunification change everything?
The Sound of Economics Live: The US voted - what now?
A special live episode of the Sound of Economics podcast about the US elections
The US voted - what now?
A special live episode of the Sound of Economics podcast on the outcome of the US elections and where to go from here
Counting sunshine: solar energy data and public policy
How better information can fuel the green transition
What can Europe learn from Japanification?
Japan’s experience in dealing with an ageing population and deflation could provide important lessons for Europe and beyond
Europe’s green global reach
How should the EU’s global green agenda evolve to balance decarbonisation, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy?
To Save the Economy, Men Should Clean the House
Population ageing is straining public debt
How shrinking working-age population and labour shortages will hit debt sustainability in European Union countries and globally
In conversation with Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe: Strengthening EU public finances, defence and security
How can the EU harness public finances for new priorities like defence and security?
Unite, defend, grow: EU policy for the next five years
Bruegel fellows' recommendations to the EU institutions for the 2024-2029 cycle
Making buildings greener: EU decarbonisation plans
How can the EU bridge the investment gap for energy renovations to meet climate targets?
How hydrogen can reach its green potential
Hydrogen has the potential to be a renewable energy source under the right conditions
Tariffs are not the cure to world trade problems
How do Brussels, Beijing and Washington navigate global trade-offs?
EU securitisation push needs markets, not housing guarantees
Scale and liquidity are two challenges that remain in the pursuit of EU securitisation
Macron's snap election gamble
Dissecting the political turmoil in France following President Macron's surprising call for snap parliamentary elections
France and Germany: Missing in Action
EU insurance union should follow the Fed
The EU could benefit from more centralised supervision of insurance companies, with the right financial stability safeguards
Europe’s banking union at 10: unfinished yet transformative
The event launched Nicolas Véron's book, Europe’s Banking Union at 10: Unfinished Yet Transformative!
EU-UK relations: Brexit, Scotland, Ireland
What will a UK Labour victory mean for Brussels?
What can we learn from the 2023 banking turmoil?
What were the root causes of the banking failures in March 2023, and what lessons can be learned to prevent future crises?
How the financial sector can speed up the green transition
Is corporate finance really an obstacle to a more sustainable world?
Europe's economic future
Discussing June’s EU elections and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s campaign for a new term.
Scotland can show the way to mitigate the worst of Brexit
Managing the What Ifs: Europe, China and world trade
How should the EU de-risk its external economic relationships without foregoing the benefits of trade?
NATO and the EU - who does what for European defence?
As the war in Ukraine stretches on, how do the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation work together?
The macroeconomics of decarbonisation
At this event we launched the book "The Macroeconomics of Decarbonisation: Implications and Policies"
Do EU tech rules add up?
Mapping out the EU’s digital agenda
EU savers need a single-market place to invest
Proposals to leverage the single market to boost retail investment could lead to a product citizens will trust
What visions for Europe? Unpacking EU parties’ economic strategies
The EU elections are around the corner. What economic plans are the parties advocating for?
Climate change, the next big financial threat
A warming planet poses new risks to European sovereign debt. How can the continent protect itself?
1982: the debt crisis that could have destroyed Western banking
What we can learn from four decades of financial turmoil and recovery
Inclusive digital economy: a round-up of project research
The rise of automation, remote employment and a diversifying workforce will necessitate a shift in how we interact with new technology
One grid to rule them all? The future of a European single electricity market
Envisioning a better-integrated European electricity market
Capital markets union - why now?
What is hindering the EU from achieving a Capital markets union?
A Connected Europe in the Digital World
The EU's digital policy will serve the bloc better if it stays open and consciously linked to the rest of the world.
How war in Ukraine brought Europe together
EU countries have resisted splintering factions since Russia’s 2022 invasion
The complexities of AI regulation
How to balance legal certainty with evolving technology and international competition?
What to do with frozen Russian assets
How could the EU help further fund Ukraine two years into the war?
Strengthening EU competitiveness
Views and policy solutions on EU competitiveness.
Skills anticipation for the green transition
How do we build a workforce that has the skills needed for the future and how do we ensure the process works for everybody?
Ten years of Europe’s banking union
How far along is Europe’s banking union, and what is next?
Industrial strategies for Europe’s green transition
Industrial policies are not necessarily incompatible with competition and should be designed to not slow down structural change and business dynamics.
Taking stock of EU economic security
When we discuss economic security, what are we actually talking about?
Visible Democracy
The EU’s consensus-driven stumble toward choosing institutional leaders is more democratic than the alternatives.
What will the EU face in 2024?
A year in review
As 2023 closes, we look back at some of the most important and interesting economic policy developments from Europe and the world.
Ukraine’s future with the EU
What happens after the start of Ukraine's official accession talk?
The state of play on global tax
Discussing the latest developments in international tax cooperation.
The role of civil society in skills development
How can civil society help close the skills gap?
Greening EU fiscal rules
How to achieve debt sustainability and environmental sustainability in the bloc?
Government bonds in the ECB collateral framework: What role for credit ratings in the new normal?
How does the ECB's reliance on external credit assessments affect bond yields, government vulnerability, and potential sovereign debt crises?
EU financial stability in times of war
Delving into the EU economic and financial outlook amid geopolitical conflicts.
Productivity parity is the road to gender equality
Women can reach a higher potential in the workforce if men begin to play their part.
Charting Poland’s post-election path
What Poland’s election means for the country and for Europe.
Rivals, Not Enemies
The UK must learn that concessions cut both ways
Brexit may have come and gone, but the UK still wants to make decisions like it is part of the gang.
Better Backstops, Safer Banks
The EU’s banking union needs to keep growing for Europe’s economy to thrive.
Testimony to the European Parliament Budget Committee on EU borrowing costs
Holdings limit will prove central to the digital euro’s future
The European Central Bank says its digital currency will not be a store of value, in contrast to global counterparts.
Open banking's financial revolution: are we falling short?
At this event we discussed the potential issues and benefits of open banking
Why should the EU take up the question of minimum income in its fight against poverty?
Will investors ever view EU bonds as sovereign bonds?
At this invitation only event we welcome Siegfried Ruhl to discuss EU bonds.
EU’s fight against (in-work) poverty: case for minimum living income
This event brought together perspectives from different states to share best practices on the EU's legislative role in social policies.
Taking up space
Being a woman in the financial sector can still be challenging, but change is (slowly) coming.
What's the story? Narratives of EU reforms in parliaments and the media
This event was organised in the frame of the EU3D project and featured two sessions analysing discourse about the EU.
The unbecoming rivalry at the heart of the EU
A battle of egos between Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel is putting the EU’s post-pandemic solidarity at risk.
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
A timely conversation on the Silicon Valley Bank crisis.
Digital Euro blurs the lines between money and politics
A central bank-backed digital currency would put the EU in the global vanguard when it comes to taking cash payments online.
If it doesn’t trade, is it really marketable debt?
Europe’s bond markets are essential infrastructure, just like the power grid.
Conditionality in the global financial architecture
Should the European Union turn to financial markets to finance its programs?
The Energy President
Since taking office, von der Leyen has frequently brought the continent together in the face of unprecedented challenges.
Bruegel Annual Meetings, 6-7 September 2022
The Annual Meetings are Bruegel's flagship event which gathers high-level speakers to discuss the economic topics that affect Europe and the world.
If Robots Are Coming for Your Job, Should They Also Pay Your Taxes?
In a changing global framework, is it time for a robot tax and how would it need to be structured and effectively implemented?
The European Renewal: Making the most of pandemic recovery
COVID-19 remains dangerous, but if Europe can continue its unprecedented fiscal co-operation the crisis could give way to a new era of prosperity.
Closing the gender gap for self-employed women in the European Union
Self-employed women are at a wealth disadvantage, according to ECB household finance data, and thus have more to gain from policies that spur saving.
Better pensions for the European Union’s self-employed
What is the current state of pensions policy in Europe and how are independent workers treated compared with their traditionally employed counterparts
Nonperforming Loans in Asia and Europe—Causes, Impacts, and Resolution Strategies
What can we learn from the experiences of Asia and Europe with regard to NPLs during the financial crisis to help us weather future ones?
EU borrowing—time to think of the generation after next
Financing post-pandemic recovery via EU borrowing has proved remarkably straightforward. So why keep it temporary?
Next Generation EU borrowing: a first assessment
What is new about NGEU is not just the increase in the EU’s borrowing power, but also the nature of the expenditure.
Don't let up - The EU needs to maintain high standards for its banking sector as the European economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic
In-depth analysis prepared for the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON).
Do robots dream of paying taxes?
The digital transition should be managed – and taxed – alongside other societal transitions, but any tax on companies that replace employees with aut
Setting up the EU as a new benchmark borrower
At this closed-door event Siegfried Ruhl, Counselor to the Director-General for Budget at the European Commission discussed the EU's borrowing program
EU climate plan should involve taxing pollution, not borders
Climate change and taxes may be some of the only true certainties in life. To protect ourselves better, we should make careful choices on how they int
Environmental, societal and governance criteria: hit or miss?
Is sustainable investing contributing to society’s climate and social goals, or preventing systemic change?
Small investors punch above their weight when it comes to improving corporate governance
Far from being irresponsible know-nothings, retail investors provide a vital counterpoint to institutional investors.
SPACs in the gap
Special-purpose acquisition vehicles could fill a gap in European equity markets and lure risk-averse investors off the sidelines.
Inflation, inequality and immigration: Spelling the digital recovery with three “I”s
The digital transition offers us a new opportunity to reach out across the global economy - hopefully we will find the strength to use it.
International tax debate moves from digital focus to global minimum
International corporate tax reform is coming closer if countries can set aside their differences and work for progress rather than the perfect deal.
Towards a global corporate tax?
How will a global corporate tax affect the modern economy?
Central banks don’t have to pick winners and losers to fight climate change
Disclosures and financial regulation don’t get enough respect as tools to reduce emissions.
Can central banks save the planet?
“We are not going to lead our society to a low-carbon economy by continuing to finance the status quo. “
US separates climate concerns from financial oversight in contrast to EU activism
Different EU and US supervisory approaches to climate risk may hamper efforts to work together and risk fragmenting global markets.
Thinking big: debt management considerations for the EU’s pandemic borrowing plan
If not handled correctly, the European Union’s transition to take on a new role as an issuer of public debt risks crowding out existing markets. Manag
How to minimise the impact of the coronavirus on the economy
COVID-19 is a global killer. Austerity needs to succumb.
A tale of two presidencies
With the US presidential elections around the corner we asked ourselves: what would a Biden administration look like? And what would a(nother) Trump a
The EU’s Opportunity to Turn Its Markets Toward the Future
Meeting the fiscal demands of COVID-19 will require the European Union to borrow on capital markets more than ever, and for European pension funds and
One rule to ring them all? Europe's financial markets after Brexit
What effect will brexit have on Europe's financial markets?
How will COVID-19 impact Brexit? The collision of two giant policy imperatives
The United Kingdom left the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020. Now, the U.K. must decide whether and how to extend the transition period, currently set
The European Union’s post-Brexit reckoning with financial markets
In the negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom over their future relationship, we see a high probability of a weak contractual
The European coronavirus response must be a solution, not more stigma
Lagarde needs a different bazooka in responding to a natural disaster like COVID-19.
Megatrends: Key Forces Forging Our Future
A vision for Europe to prosper and best serve its citizens
European capital markets union, by rule and by choice
While the euro is now a leading global currency and the European Central Bank has become a comprehensive banking supervisor, Europe’s markets have bee
Banking after Brexit
Will Brexit damage Britain's financial services industry? Or is talk of its diminished status just a storm in a teacup? The City of London could move
Scholz's improved plan to complete the banking union
The head of German Finance has written in the Financial Times defending the need to deepen the banking union, now London is about to leave
Politics, not policy will help Lagarde save the eurozone
Her success at helm of Europe’s central bank will depend on her ability to mend fences with hawkish policymakers.
Bank resolution: consistency and predictability
Closed-door workshop on various aspects of bank resolution.
Banking disrupted by FinTech and Big Tech
Today banks are facing competition from non-bank firms whose core strategy is based on technological innovation - Big Tech and Fin Tech. What is in st
Addressing the EU’s Global Challenges Locally: the EU’s Competition and Antitrust Tightrope
This blog is part of a series following the 2019 Bruegel annual meetings, which brought together nearly 1,000 participants for two days of policy deba
Competing Globally: Europe’s Debate Over Trade and Sovereignty
This blog is part of a series following the 2019 Bruegel annual meetings, which brought together nearly 1,000 participants for two days of policy deba
Backstage at BAM19: How much further reform is needed for the new financial sector?
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Rebecca Christie talks with Nicolas Véron on the new financial sector.
Backstage at BAM19: Designing a competition policy fit for Europe's needs.
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Rebecca Christie talks with Mathew Heim on competition policy.
Backstage at BAM19: Which priorities for the new EU leadership?
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Rebecca Christie talks with Guntram Wolff on priorities for the new EU leadership, the Annual Meetings and C
Brexit banking exodus creates a dilemma for Dublin
Irish consumers’ interests may not coincide with the needs of banks relocating here.
Where Brexit goes, the law shall follow
How the financial industry and the law firms that support it are preparing for what comes next
Tech-enabled payment processes: policy implications of new developments
What challenges does a shift towards new payment processes imply for EU financial services policy?
Sound at last? Assessing a decade of financial regulation
What has changed since the financial crisis of 2008 that makes the financial system sound at last? Is regulatory reform going in the right direction?
Backstage: Key policy positions of the Spitzenkandidaten
Giuseppe Porcaro hosts Bruegel director Guntram Wolff and visiting fellow Rebecca Christie to reflect on the key policy positions taken by the candida
Principles of sustainable finance
How can finance help save the planet?
Backstage: The EU financial services landscape after Brexit
Bruegel fellows Rebecca Christie and Nicolas Véron discuss how the map of the EU's financial services industry has begun to change, and how it might e
The emerging new geography of financial centers in Europe
What shape is the new financial continent of Europe?