The Sound of Economics
The Sound of Economics is Bruegel's podcast series that explores Europe’s big economic policy debates. Each episode gathers prominent experts and Bruegel researchers to discuss the importance of issues covered, and explores some of the work that Bruegel researchers have done in the area.
Featured work
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 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
China's latest stimulus package: is it enough to save the economy?
A closer look into China’s recently announced stimulus measures
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
Do the European Institutions really need language diversity?
This episode sheds light on how languages shape the European Union's unique identity and democracy
Europe’s green global reach
How should the EU’s global green agenda evolve to balance decarbonisation, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy?
How should the new European Commission engage with China?
The EU is at a moment of rethinking its policy toward China
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
Through crises and their solutions – A farewell to Maria Demertzis
A fireside chat with Bruegel veteran Maria Demertzis on the past and future challenges in EU policymaking
Making buildings greener: EU decarbonisation plans
How can the EU bridge the investment gap for energy renovations to meet climate targets?
Narratives and reality: China’s economic engagements in Africa
Do the facts match the vision that Beijing is offering to the African continent?
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?
Macron's snap election gamble
Dissecting the political turmoil in France following President Macron's surprising call for snap parliamentary elections
Electrified tensions: EU's proposed tariffs on Chinese EVs
Electric vehicle tariffs are not the first trade tariff the EU has imposed on China, and they likely will not be the last
EU-UK relations: Brexit, Scotland, Ireland
What will a UK Labour victory mean for Brussels?
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.
Should foreign companies still do business in China?
In which we discuss the uncertainties for foreign firms operating and wishing to invest in China
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?
Do EU tech rules add up?
Mapping out the EU’s digital agenda
Zooming in on the US-China tech rivalry
A comparative exploration of US-China innovation frontiers
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
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?
Key takeaways from China’s Two Sessions
Unpacking China’s biggest annual political event
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?
South Korea's semiconductor strategy and what it means for China
Economic ties are being reshaped by the semiconductor industry's evolution
What to do with frozen Russian assets
How could the EU help further fund Ukraine two years into the war?
Strengthening EU competitivenss
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?
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.
Expectations and outcomes of the 24th EU-China summit
Was the Summit another ‘dialogue of the deaf’?
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?
The evolution of EU-China relations
A glimpse into the evolving landscape of Europe's engagement with China.
Can/Should robots look after the young and the old?
Exploring the potential, ethics and the willingness of people to automatise unpaid domestic work.
EU financial stability in times of war
Delving into the EU economic and financial outlook amid geopolitical conflicts.
Charting Poland’s post-election path
What Poland’s election means for the country and for Europe.
Understanding local government debt in China
How can China navigate the country towards a more sustainable and balanced economic future?
Skills podcast series
Special podcast series celebrating European year of skills
Skills-based hiring: tackling the labour shortages
What is skills-based hiring and how can it improve labour or skill shortages?
Read with Bruegel: Ways of being
The search for more-than-human intelligence.
The state of play in EU-LATAM trade
Are we seeing a fatigue of ‘The Brussels Effect’?
Evaluating the European Commission’s fiscal governance proposal
Focusing on the fiscal adjustment that the first regulation would require of countries with debt above the treaty benchmarks.
Assessing the State of the Union 2023
In this episode, we look at the 2023 State of the Union address delivered by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Assessing the risks and prospects of European banking system
Giuseppe Porcaro and Nicolas Véron speak with Sharon Donnery about European banking supervision.
What to expect from the BRICS expansion
The evolution of the grouping alongside the changing dynamics of political economy.
The story of China’s electric vehicle industry
China's EV industry is not just about rapid growth and success; it involves intricate geopolitical dynamics that could put its success at risk.
Artificial Intelligence in defence, diplomacy, and decision-making
Exploring the complex intersection of geopolitics and Artificial Intelligence in defence, diplomacy, and decision-making.
Why do employers want employees back in the office?
Leaders maintain a belief that employee collaboration is negatively impacted by remote work, but the evidence to support this assumption is mixed.
Read with Bruegel: Central Banking before 1800: A Rehabilitation
A deep dive into the history of central banking over the four centuries before 1800.
Read with Bruegel: The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations
Examining the past, present and future of the global energy system.
Read with Bruegel: Backfire: How Sanctions Reshape the World Against U.S. Interests
Exploring the unintended consequences of the use of sanctions as a diplomatic weapon.
Assessing China’s quest for innovation
What potential bottlenecks might be hindering the transformation of China’s innovation efforts into productivity growth?
Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminium
The ongoing steel and aluminium negotiations between the EU and the US and their initial negotiation proposals are examined.
The triple purpose of EU industrial policy
How can the European Union’s industrial policy advance decarbonisation while fostering strategic autonomy and economic efficiency?
Read with Bruegel: The Palgrave Handbook of Global Politics in the 22nd Century
How do scholars write the future of global politics?
Read with Bruegel
The Sound of Economics is bringing you a book review series for summer 2023
Read with Bruegel: The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism
Jeromin Zettelmeyer sits down with Martin Wolf to discuss his latest book, ‘The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism’.
China's growing economic ties with the Gulf States
How China and the Gulf States are building bilateral economic relations.
Debt dynamics: Exploring EU borrowing in changing times
As interest costs rise, the EU should review how they are accounted for in its budget and financial framework.
China’s growth: what is to come?
Decelerated economic growth has and will continue to determine China’s position in global, regional and national spheres.
Skills-shift: navigating the future of work
How can we equip people with the skills they need to adapt to a rapidly changing labour market?
How should the European Union’s industry respond to the energy crisis?
Having weathered the 2022 energy crisis, it is time to consider its longer-term repercussions on the European Union’s industry.
US-China tech bifurcation
Compared to instant decoupling, bifurcation offers a more gradual process that requires clear understanding of the direction and speed of divergence.
The EU’s long-term fiscal challenges
The EU faces a fiscal dilemma in the long-term: fiscal space has likely declined, but public investment needs have gone up.
Europe's takeaway from recent banking turmoil
A deep dive into EU regulation of the banking sector and how European banks were affected by the recent bank collapses.
The economic value of decentralised finance
Will decentralised finance become established and normalised?
China’s influence in African media narratives and digital space
What role does China play in the African media landscape?
Why are remote jobs only happening in the cities?
How flexible are remote jobs?
Quantitative tightening in the euro area
Why has the ECB decided to implement this policy?
Assessing Europe’s strategy on critical raw materials
What role do critical raw materials play in the EU’s industrial policy?
The Belt and Road Initiative 2.0 is all about security
How the Belt and Road Initiative has transformed into a geopolitical tool for China.
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
A timely conversation on the Silicon Valley Bank crisis.
Why do patriarchal systems survive?
In this podcast episode, we explore how the patriarchy intersects with economy, society and polity.
Europe’s gas outlook for 2023
Is Europe’s energy crisis over?
How useful have the EU’s financial sanctions on Russia been?
A reflection on the impact of sanctions against Russia, one year since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
How should Europe react to the Inflation Reduction Act?
A deep dive into the IRA and its expected impact on the world trade system.
Is deglobalisation already happening?
Is the world witnessing a shift away from Hyper-globalisation to Deglobalisation?
The boom, bust and future of China's real estate sector
Is China’s real estate market sustainable?
Economic policy wrapped up 2022
As 2022 closes, we look back at some of the most important and interesting economic policy developments from Europe and the world.
China-India relations and their impact on Europe
India’s bi-lateral relations with China could forge the way for multipolar international system across the world.
The charm of central bank digital currencies in a polarised world
How will CBDCs impact the international financial system?
Reflections on COP27
A special episode of the Sound of Economics Live where we explore the key takeaways from COP27.
Is the EU fiscal rules reform going in the right direction?
Reviewing the European Commission’s proposal for reforming the Stability and Growth Pact.
Lessons from China’s semiconductor technology push
China’s semiconductors push already has lessons for the rest of the world.
Changing labour markets, changing social protection
How can Europe and the United States adapt social protection system to meet the vastly developing labour market?
Is the world economy headed for recession?
A macroeconomic outlook for the global economy.
Decoding China’s 20th Party Congress
What does this meeting entail?
China's rise in the Western Balkans
Mapping China’s strategic interests in the Western Balkans.
What should the European Political Community look like?
Discussion of a European Political Community ahead of the summit in Prague on 6 October.
Will Ukraine’s refugees return?
Will many that have fled Ukraine return, or will families eventually be reunited abroad?
Assessing the State of the Union 2022
In this episode, we look at the State of the Union address delivered by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Can China get its economy back on track?
An insight of China’s economy in the first half of 2022 and what to expect next.
Re-revisiting The European Union’s energy crisis
Where did it all go wrong?
Autumn 2022 economic outlook: a new chapter
Bruegel’s new Director Jeromin Zettelmeyer and Maria Demertzis discuss the European economic outlook.
Lessons from the rise in self-employment
What does the future look like for the self-employed and what does it mean for traditional workers?
China’s tales of the future
How science fiction is shaping China’s economics, politics and society.
Artificial intelligence and job quality
A timely discussion about the role AI plays in job quality
Securing the supply of semiconductors to Europe
An assessment of the EU Chips Act.
Revisiting Europe’s energy independence
Challenges of an energy independent Europe.
How has the pandemic affected the BRI?
How has the COVID-19 Pandemic reshaped the scope and ambition of China's Belt and Road Initiative?
A decade of economic policy
Guntram Wolff looks back at the past decade of Bruegel contribution to economic policy in Europe.
Understanding Sri Lanka's current crisis
What needs to be done to address the Sri Lankan crisis and how does it relates to China?
Growth for good?
Can economic growth be a force for good and help in the fight against climate change?
Ukraine’s place in the EU
Should Ukraine's accession to the EU be facilitated?
Is China bailing Russia out?
The mystery of China-Russia economic relations in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and what it means for Europe.
An embargo on (most) Russian oil
A timely reflection on the EU’s latest round of sanctions banning Russian oil imports.
Taming inflation?
What are the implications of prolonged inflation?
Job quality is about more than working conditions
What is job quality and why does it matter?
The cost of China's dynamic zero-COVID policy
What does zero-COVID mean for both China and the global economy?
Global trade Down Under
A conversation on the global trading landscape.
War in Ukraine: What is the effect on Central and Eastern Europe?
How is the war in Ukraine affecting the countries in the central and eastern parts of Europe, the countries that are closest to the ongoing conflict?
Sanctions on Russia two months in
A further look into sanctions on Russia and the implications for the global financial system.
Making remote work, work
How do we address the challenges of remote work? Lessons from both sides of the Atlantic.
War in Ukraine: The EU’s ban on Russian coal
A live podcast on energy sanctions on Russia following the EU ban on Russian coal.
What to expect from China's innovation drive?
How much has China progressed technologically?
War in Ukraine: How to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels?
Can REPowerEU make sure that Europe has affordable and secure energy supplies in both the near and long term?
Online labour: Can we all just move to Tahiti?
How is online labour different from remote work?
War in Ukraine: reflections on the economic consequences for Russia
Sergei Guriev joins us to discuss how the Russian invasion of Ukraine will affect the economies of Russia and the world.
War in Ukraine: A conversation with Oleg Ustenko
Oleg Ustenko, Economic Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joins us to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
War in Ukraine: China-Russia relations
A special episode of the Sound of Economics Live on China-Russia relations in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
War in Ukraine: implications for the global financial system and central banks
A special episode of the Sound of Economics Live on the global financial system and central banks in the wake of sanctions imposed on Russia.
War in Ukraine: Macroeconomic implications for the EU
A special episode of the Sound of Economics Live where we analyse the macroeconomic implications of the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin's gas wars
How can Europe protect itself from Russian blackmail?
Europe's recovery budget
A conversation with Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committee on Budgets Johan Van Overtveldt.
Europe’s energy crisis
Is Europe’s energy price surge here to stay?
China's human capital problem
How are industrialisation and automation affecting Chinese workers?
Maastricht at 30
How has this founding treaty changed European integration?
Turkey’s economic struggles
Will inflation continue to surge?
Make AI boring again
How can AI education improve workers' experience?
Understanding Japan’s economic relations with China
What can Europe learn?
The European economy in 2022
What are the economic priorities for the new year?
Last but not the least
An overview of economic policy and beyond in 2021.
The Age of Unpeace: How connectivity causes conflict
How has globalisation and connectivity caused fragmentation and conflict on a global scale?
What to watch in 2022: China's economic outlook
Our end of 2021 recap of China’s economic activities.
A new consensus for economic resilience
Is there a need for systemic reform of global economic governance?
COP26: global stocktake and what’s next
What happened and what didn’t happen at COP26?
Technology: a product of unequal power?
The effects of digital technology on work and wages.
Pandemonium
How did Europe respond to the pandemic?
Why is China cracking down on big tech?
A look at China’s recent regulatory efforts in the digital space.
The state of trade: the EU's trade policy
A conversation with Member of the European Parliament Bernd Lange on the European Union’s trade policy.
Can COP26 save the planet?
Italian Minister for Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani discusses priorities and expectations ahead of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow.
Rethinking fiscal policy
A look at the past, present and future of fiscal policy in the European Union with Chief economist of the European Stability Mechanism, Rolf Strauch.
Will ‘common prosperity’ address China’s inequality?
Why is China reviving this old mantra?
Is tech redefining the workplace for women?
Exploring the relationship between artificial intelligence and job transformation and whether the impact differs by gender.
A green fiscal pact
How can the European Union increase green public investment while consolidating budget deficits?
Exploding energy prices
Why the sudden spike in European electricity and gas prices?
Unboxing the State of the Union 2021
In this Sound of Economics Live episode, Bruegel experts look at the State of the Union address delivered by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Eu
A Late Bloomer: where is China’s climate plan?
The world awaits China's concrete plan on carbon reduction, but the country is following its own pace.
The EU recovery fund - state of play and outlook
Live from the Annual Meetings: Bruegel Director Guntram Wolff discusses the EU recovery fund, its state of play and outlook with Nadia Calviño, First
Environmental, societal and governance criteria: hit or miss?
Is sustainable investing contributing to society’s climate and social goals, or preventing systemic change?
Are robots taking our jobs?
What will be the impact of automation on the economy? Bruegel's own Giuseppe Porcaro discusses with Aaron Benanav, Laura Nurski, and Alexis Moraitis.
A fitting plan for the European Green Deal?
How does the world's first roadmap for meeting climate goals stack up?
What should public spending look like?
What should we do about the increase in public spending due to COVID-19? Bruegel Director Guntram Wolff and Former Deputy Secretary-General of OECD Lu
CCP's 100th Anniversary: Reflecting and looking forward
As the Chinese Communist Party celebrates its 100th anniversary, we looked into the past, future and present of the country's economic development.
Restarting the economy?
While the end of the pandemic is still far, the economy will have to restart.
The skills of the future
What challenges and opportunities does technology bring to the labour market?
Avoiding a requiem for the WTO
The WTO has been 'missing in action': how can we restore the organisation's role as a global forum for cooperation on trade?
A transatlantic climate alliance
When Joe Biden visits Europe for the first time as US president, he should begin forging a transatlantic green deal.
Challenges and growth of China's private sector
Is the dynamic role of the private sector in China under threat by its economic model and the United States?
Belarus: a test for Europe’s foreign policy?
The forced landing of an internal EU flight is just the latest development in the President of Belarus’ efforts to cling to power.
Towards a global corporate tax?
How will a global corporate tax affect the modern economy?
A stronger euro comes with more responsibility
What does strategic sovereignty mean to and for Europe?
New kid in the playground: China's antitrust push
How is China’s antitrust push being weaponised to counter western sanctions?
The Sound of Gita Gopinath
IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath joins Bruegel Director Guntram Wolff to discuss the uneven recovery from the pandemic with a live clubhouse audience
Money, money, money!
The nature of money is under scrutiny as central banks begin pondering issuing digital currencies
Africa's battle with COVID-19
How can we ensure a worldwide balanced and inclusive recovery from the Covid pandemic?
The idea of Europe: more than a feeling?
What can 70 years of news(paper articles) and how we talk about 'Europe' tell us about pan-European identity? Is there even such a thing as a European
A digital yuan?
China is moving towards a digital currency but there is a long way to go.
The future of CAI
Untangling the politics behind the EU – China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment
To infinity and beyond: the European space sector and industrial policy
Where does Europe stand in the global race for space?
Gender gap in financial literacy: a lack of knowledge or confidence?
“If women and girls are fearless, they will benefit by becoming more financially independent, more financially secure, more in control of their future
Keeping momentum on good governance
Transparency, human rights and good governance: a conversation with Katalin Cseh MEP
Low interest rates: a transatlantic phenomenon
Structural factors are putting downward pressure on rates: is it time for macroeconomic policy to play second fiddle in managing demand?
Macroeconomic outlook: are we back on track?
Summary of the macro outlook based on Commission forecasts and analysis of the global picture.
Will China fall into the middle/high income trap?
The middle to high-income trap in East Asia and its China dilemma.
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. “
So long, credit support?
How effective have COVID-19 credit support programmes been?
From support to recovery: national fiscal policy in the wake of COVID-19
The EU has set ambitious goals for economic recovery: how these recovery funds are spent by member states will be critical to its success. A look into
The geopolitical repercussions of the European Green Deal
EU policymakers need to wake up to the consequences abroad of domestic decisions.
A rushed deal or a rush to judgement?
The Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) is supposed to improve market access for European companies operating in China and to ensure a level p
Where did the vaccine strategy go wrong?
“We have to open our mind, we have to look internationally. Because if we don’t, COVID-19 is going to stay with us.”
Green transformation: a Polish perspective
A conversation on green recovery with the Polish Minister of Climate and Environment, Michał Kurtyka
The year that tested us all
An overview of economic policy and beyond in 2020
The new EU digital regulations: Explained
Bruegel's experts walk you through all the details of the EU's Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act.
The geopolitics of money
The current debate on currencies is driven by politics rather than economics.
The political economy of climate transition
Is the green deal a strategy for growth or simply a reallocation mechanism?
Steering the boat towards an unknown destination
Shocks pass, but change remains a constant. We need to start focusing on permanent changes in the economy and how to adapt to them.
Sizing up the world's largest trade deal
What should be Europe's strategy towards the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)?
The big brother is back?
With the Biden administration, there might be a difference in style, rather than a difference in trends.
A European common tax space
'One of the obvious measures Europe could do in order to fill public coffers is to make sure that everybody pays fairly what they are supposed to pay,
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
Demography and globalisation: reversing trends
A conversation on ageing societies, waning inequality, as well as an inflation revival.
The future of EU-UK relations (again!)
At the eleventh hour of negotiations, what will the future of the EU-UK relationship look like?
Without good governance EU recovery could fail
Guntram Wolff and Luis Garicano discuss how to ensure that the EU borrowing mechanism would successfully boost economic recovery.
The Future of Globalisation
Dani Rodrik explains the globalisation paradox.
Global Energy Fundamentals
Bruegel research fellow Simone Tagliapietra discusses his new book, Global Energy Fundamentals.
The State of the Union going forward
In the first Sound of Economics Live episode after summer we look at the State of the Union address delivered by Ursula von der Leyen.
For a better, more sovereign Europe
Keynote address by the German Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz at Bruegel Annual Meetings, 3 September 2020
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Future?
Imagining a society, an economy and politics cohabiting with the virus and eventually overcoming it.
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Common Good?
What should be the ground rules to support more sustainable business in a post-pandemic world?
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Tourism?
In this episode we unpack some reflections about tourism we have collected during the Reopening Europe journey.
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Borders?
In June 2020, as Europe reopened after lockdown, we crossed ten national borders. We listened to diverse citizens, from passers-by to politicians, bus
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Governance?
This is a summer feature of the Sound of Economics in cooperation with the Reopening Europe project.
The benefits of the single market - the case of last enlargement
Apps without borders? How COVID-19 apps show the limits of the EU digital single market
In their toolkit against a pandemic that knows no borders, several EU countries have bet on new technology from our era of globalisation: digital cont
Financial fragility after #COVID19
Before the pandemic hit, a substantial share of households reported that they would be unable to handle a financial emergency. In some EU countries, m
One rule to ring them all? Europe's financial markets after Brexit
What effect will brexit have on Europe's financial markets?
Redefining Europe’s role after the Covid-19 Pandemic
How will the Covid 19 crisis change the role of the EU in Europe and the world?
Reopening: Europe
This episode provides a background overview of the impact of the reopening of borders on European value chains, future of work, and innovation.
Will COVID-19 boost the euro as a global currency?
The euro is, by definition an international currency. However, since being established in the late 90s the single currency has always been somewhat le
COVID-19’s shock for emerging economies
COVID-19 is by far the biggest challenge policymakers in emerging economies have had to deal with in recent history.
China’s financial system: opening up and system risk
China is opening up its financial sector- What does that mean for China and the world?
Singapore's experience in dealing with COVID-19
A conversation with Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, on how this city-state has tackled the coronavirus.
Rebooting Europe: a framework for post COVID-19 economic recovery
COVID-19 has triggered a severe recession and policymakers in European Union countries are providing generous, largely indiscriminate, support to comp
China’s economy after COVID-19
The first country to be hit by the current pandemic, China has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. What have been its impacts on the
An analysis of the German Constitutional Court's ruling on the ECB QE programme
The German Constitutional called today on the ECB to justify its bond-buying program. What does today's ruling of the German Constitutional Court mean
The impact of Covid-19 on emerging markets with Barry Eichengreen
Without a robust healthcare system and lack of medical equipment, emerging market economies are vulnerable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. How can d
Post-Council commentary
On April 23, EU leaders met virtually to try to come to an agreement for a common European response to the COVID-19 pandemic. What were the measures t
Exiting the great lockdown?
Are we going to exit from the containment measures for the COVID-19 pandemic in the European Union? When? How? In this episode of The Sound of Economi
Did the Eurogroup save the day?
After its longest meeting ever, the Eurogroup reached an agreement yesterday evening. What does the agreement say? What does it mean?
Mythbusters: debunking economic myths
Economics seems to be full of myths that are hard to debunk. Will robots take our jobs? Are trade deficits bad? Is China such a big economy simply bec
The macroeconomic policy response to the COVID-19 crisis
From the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to "coronabonds", the EU seems to be struggling to find an appropriate mechanism to tackle the economic cr
Banks and loan losses in the pandemic turmoil
The current pandemic is shaking the financial system. How can banks react ? Is a consolidation of the financial system in Europe needed in order to re
How can the EU prevent our economies from shutting down?
From flights cancelled and restaurants closed to companies either slowing or stopping their production, COVID-19 is shutting our economies down. How c
Coronavirus: the economic prognosis
The coronavirus is going to hit the global economy hard, but how hard? What can policymakers plan for the months ahead? Nicholas Barrett asks Guntram
The European Green Deal rules
When it comes to global carbon emission is a tax the best form of defence? To make the European Green Deal work, the EU is considering a levy on carbo
Where are the women in economics?
The field of economics, like many others, seems to be biased towards men. How are women disadvantaged? Makfire Alija and Katja Knezevic join Nicholas
Is the EU a superpower?
As China and the US battle for global supremacy, the EU seems to remain in the shadows. But what if the EU had been shaping the world economy all alon
Will globalisation survive the Coronavirus?
Can the European Green Deal kill the single market?
The European Green Deal is one of the landmarks of Ursula von der Leyen's Commission. But, without an ambitious investment behind it, what could be it
From Brussels with love? Russia's economic dependence on the EU
Despite the political antagonism, the EU and Russia are not only geographically, but also economically, reliant on each other: European houses are hea
Can hybrid threats disrupt the financial system?
From cashless payments to digital banking, finance has become intangible and global. But, while speed and convenience have made our international tran
The EU's plan to catch up on artificial intelligence
While the US and China have been setting the pace when it comes to Artificial Intelligence, the European Union seems to be lagging behind. What are th
Industrial revolutions might not be as fun as they look
AI promises a new industrial revolution but history warns us that industrial revolutions aren't always that fun for people in the eye of the storm. Th
The science of Brexit
On Saturday morning, the United Kingdom will wake up outside the European Union. After 37 years of collaboration, how will Brexit affect research and
AI in Europe: a conversation with Google's CEO
It seems almost inevitable that Google will be big part of Europe's future. And Europe will be a huge part of Google's too. This week, Alphabet, Googl
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
Paying for the European Green Deal
The European Commission has presented its Just Transition Fund to help regions still dependent on fossil fuel as they move towards green energy. But w
Will Iran disrupt the global economy?
Last Friday, Qassem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ QUDS force, was killed by an American airstrike outside Baghdad airport. The
A decade to remember (or possibly to forget) for economists
2019 is coming to an end and so is the decade. How did economics change the world over the last ten years? And did the world change economics? Which e
The Sound of Margrethe Vestager
Will AI exacerbate the gap between big companies and small ones? Do ordinary Europeans gain anything from having European tech giants? This week, Nich
Capture the nodes
How do states exercise power through global economic networks? The multilateral world order is supposed to be harmonious, but by seizing the nodes of
Appellate Body Politic
This week, the WTO's Appellate Body, the dispute settlement body, became inoperational: it no longer has the necessary number of judges to render verd
What's inside the European Green Deal?
President Ursula Von der Leyen has presented her European Green Deal before the European Parliament. How will it work? What are its implications? And
Getting post-Brexit trade deals done
The UK goes to the polls on Thursday to decide who (and if) they want to "get Brexit done". But, as soon as Britain leaves, it will have 11 months to
The Belt and Road anxiety
Is the Belt and Road initiative a global development plan or is it just a trade project? How concerned should the international community be with what
The EU-Russia-China energy triangle
Russia wants to export more gas to China, should the EU be concerned? This week, Nicholas Barrett is joined by Georg Zachmann to discuss the EU-Russia
Ethics and Algorithms
Will the EU's regulations undermine its power of innovation? How can the EU protect its values while harnessing technology? These are some of the ques
How to make the European Green Deal work (Part Two)
Nicholas Barrett and Guntram Wolff discuss industrial policy and the social consequences of the green deal with Grégory Claeys and Simone Tagliapietra
Cars, steel and national security: The EU-US trade spat
Guntram Wolff is joined by Alan Beattie, the author of the FT's new Trade Secrets newsletter, and by Andre Sapir, Bruegel's very own trade expert to d
How to make the European Green Deal work (Part One)
The European Green Deal will be a defining feature of Ursula Von der Leyen's incoming Commission. But will carbon border taxes and single carbon price
How not to spend it
Buying a car, a house or a cryptocurrency has never been easier: with a simple click, digital banking has made financial operations accessible to ever
How to Spend it
Can governments make their fiscal policy go further? And are they trusted enough to try? This week The Sound of Economics asks if the quality of publi
The Art of the Brexit Deal
An emergency Brexit podcast to dissect today's tentative deal between the EU27 and the British Government, featuring Maria Demertzis, Guntram Wolff an
Brexit: a European Odyssey
Nicholas Barrett and Guntram Wolff talk to Kalypso Nicolaïdis, author of Exodus, Reckoning, Sacrifice: Three Meanings of Brexit. Together they discuss
Deep Focus: What's slowing the Mercosur agreement?
The EU-Mercosur has been 20 years in the making, but a hostile trading environment, unpredictable government and growing environmental concerns are pu
Deep Focus: What is a hybrid attack?
Hybrid attacks are fast, dynamic and ever-evolving. They can cross borders and span industries. They are best dealt with at the national level, but wi
Director's Cut: The Green New Deal
In this Director's Cut of 'The Sound of Economics', Guntram Wolff and Simone Tagliapietra discuss the division of tasks for the new EU commissioners,
Backstage at BAM19: Priorities for Europe's monetary union
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Nicholas Barrett talks with Zsolt Darvas on Europe's monetary union.
Backstage at BAM19: Enhancing Europe's economic sovereignty
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Nicholas Barrett talks with Jean Pisani-Ferry on Europe's monetary union.
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: How can Europe's economy thrive in the digital age?
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Giuseppe Porcaro talks with session chair Reinhilde Veugelers on Europe's economy in the digital age.
Backstage at BAM19: Europe's trade policy
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Giuseppe Porcaro talks with André Sapir on European trade 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
Backstage at BAM19: AI, robots and platform workers
Backstage at the Bruegel Annual Meetings, Giuseppe Porcaro talks with J. Scott Marcus on AI, robots and platform workers.
Deep Focus: Energy transition in the next EU institutional cycle
Bruegel fellow Simone Tagliapietra speaks to Sean Gibson in this instalment of 'The Sound of Economics', on the matter of the European energy transiti
Director's Cut: Priorities for the new ECB president
In this Director's Cut of 'The Sound of Economics', Guntram Wolff talks to two of the authors of Bruegel's memo to the new ECB president, Maria Demert
Director's Cut: ECB monetary policy decisions deconstructed
In this Director’s Cut, Bruegel’s Grégory Claeys and Maria Demertzis take a deeper look at whether the monetary policy decisions made by the ECB over
Deep Focus: Making a success of EU cohesion policy
Bruegel senior fellow Zsolt Darvas talks to Sean Gibson in this Deep Focus podcast about how the EU can improve its cohesion policy, citing the best e
Director’s Cut: A strategic agenda for the incoming EU presidents
In this Director’s Cut of ‘The Sound of Economics’, Bruegel’s Guntram Wolff and Maria Demertzis talk through their memo to the new presidents of the E
Backstage: Making the most of climate modelling
Bruegel senior fellow Georg Zachmann interviews Massimo Tavoni, professor at the Politecnico di Milano and director of EIEE, on the purpose of climate
Deep Focus: Striving for research excellence with Horizon Europe
In this episode of 'The Sound of Economics', Reinhilde Veugelers speaks about her recent Bruegel paper, requested by the European Parliament, on using
Backstage: Ukraine's economic and political outlook
In this episode of ‘The Sound of Economics’, Giuseppe Porcaro hosts Hlib Vyshlinsky, executive director of the Centre for Economic Strategy, and Brueg
Director's Cut: Reflections on the European elections
Bruegel director Guntram Wolff hosts Ferdinando Giugliano, columnist for Bloomberg and La Repubblica, and Krzysztof Blusz, political analyst and senio