Non-trade objectives in trade agreements and sustainability goals
Trade agreements increasingly include a focus on sustainability goals. This column examines the impact of environmental, labour, and civil rights provisions in trade agreements on
Gender bias in access to finance and implications for capital misallocation
Access to finance is essential for firm growth, but women-led businesses often face significant demand-side and supply-side barriers to access. This column presents an analysis
Addressing European competitiveness: Investment, integration, and simplification
In an increasingly volatile global landscape, there is an urgent need to enhance Europe’s competitiveness and address its security needs. This column, drawing on the
The COVID pandemic and public support for the euro
The COVID pandemic had disastrous effects on health and economic activity worldwide. In the euro area, mandatory lockdowns contributed to a sharp fall in production
Leading schools, raising scores: The role of management in education
There is clear consensus on the importance of teachers for student outcomes. This column focuses on a less studied factor: management quality. Exploting a quasi-natural
Corporate sector vulnerabilities in a high-rate world: Growing risks to financial stability
Elevated corporate debt and high interest rates amid heightened uncertainty will test global economic resilience. Moreover, the increasing role of nonbank financial institutions in credit
The work from home divide: Insights from six US surveys
Understanding the varied impact of work from home across society is important for businesses, workers, and policymakers alike. This column examines patterns in the US
Critical input disruptions: Mapping out the road to EU resilience
Global disruptions have highlighted the euro area’s reliance on foreign input sourcing. Using firm-level data for five EU member states, this column studies how disruptions
The international transmission of Chinese monetary policy and the commodity channel
Chinese monetary policy significantly affects global economic activity and inflation through a real transmission channel that crucially propagates via commodity prices. This column shows that
Understanding the decline of income inequality in the EU
Between 2007 and 2019, inequality within many EU countries increased, while inequality between countries declined. This column examines these seemingly contradictory trends, as well as
