The dramatic diffusion of digital technologies and partial policy reforms in services is transforming East Asian economies. This column describes how the result is higher productivity and changing jobs in the services sector, as well as in the manufacturing sectors that use these services. However, a region that has thrived through openness to trade and […]
Global humanitarian needs have surged due to escalating armed conflicts, climate-induced disasters, and political instability. Anticipatory action in the humanitarian sector is regarded as a key tool to help address this surge. This column discusses the potential for AI-based forecasting systems to inform anticipatory action in the humanitarian sector as well as the barriers to […]
Euro area economic performance has been subdued since around 2018. This column outlines how this subdued performance underscores the multifaceted challenges of energy dependency, manufacturing vulnerabilities, and shifting global trade dynamics. Manufacturing has struggled amidst rising energy prices, which intensified export declines in high natural gas-intensive sectors. Shifting trade dynamics with China – characterised by […]
Industrial policy will play a key role in navigating the energy transformation, and the global automotive industry is already adapting. This column examines the impact of industrial policies on electric vehicle innovation. Using both country- and firm-level records, the authors compile a database of global industrial policies and patents for the automobile industry, highlighting the […]
At the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, goals were set to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable capacity, and double energy efficiency improvements by 2030, requiring a substantial increase in clean energy investments among emerging market and developing economies. Against the backdrop of tight fiscal space and relatively high financing costs, foreign direct investment […]
Fostering investment in clean energy and transport systems is essential if the European Union is to achieve the 2030 climate goal of a 55 percent emissions reduction relative to 1990. However, getting to the required levels of investment during 2025-2030 is likely to be exceptionally difficult. Clean electricity generation and electricity transmission systems need to […]
The European Union will need in the coming years to invest a substantial amount of resources in European public goods (EPGs), including for the digital and climate transitions, and for defence and security. Funding for this could be provided in a centralised way at EU level, via either a fund or from the EU budget, […]
Executive summary Energy prices are higher in the European Union than in most other industrialised economies, presenting a fundamental competitiveness challenge. The price disparity stems from the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, contrasting with the United States, which is a net exporter of energy. In 2024, EU gas wholesale prices were on average nearly five […]
Executive summary President-elect Trump has threatened to increase United States tariffs to 60 percent on imports from China and 10 percent to 20 percent on imports from other trading partners, including the European Union. In doing so the US would be ignoring its World Trade Organisation commitments and would also rollback the substantial liberalisation that […]
Introduction The European Forum Alpbach is an annual conference, staged since the 1940s in Austria, where the challenges faced by Europe and the European Union are discussed. At the 2024 forum (17-30 August 2024) 1 , Bruegel participated as a Track Reporting Partner covering the finance and economy track. This article summarises the discussions relating to six […]
