Many antitrust theories of harm relate to price effects. Governments regulate retail prices, for example, to protect smaller shops from more cost-efficient rivals. But for online shopping, shipping costs must also be taken into account. Looking at Amazon, this column quantifies the role of shipping costs in the effective prices for consumers when shopping online. […]
A recent European Court of Justice ruling will force FIFA to rewrite its rules on the transfer of football players between clubs. In particular, it may have to eliminate the Article that makes any football club that hires a player in breach of his or her contract jointly and severally liable for any fines levied […]
Governments in advanced economies face growing pressure to increase public spending. This column finds that debt issuance in euro area countries whose bonds are considered relatively safe drives up interest rates in both the issuing country and in other ‘safe’ countries. This new type of spillover, which differs from contagion effects and default risk spillovers, […]
The question of whether the burden of distress in the banking sector is shared equally among households or distributed unevenly has been on top of policymakers’ minds since the global financial crisis. This column analyses how temporary banking sector losses affect households of different income levels and reveals that low-income households are disproportionally affected. While […]
Calls for a ‘joined-up approach’ linking competition, trade and industrial policy have finally been heard in Europe. This second in a two-column series looks at what such an approach might mean in practice and identifies a number of major problems with competition policy practice and enforcement that remain to be addressed. The first column in […]
In his report on European competitiveness, Mario Draghi argued that “industrial, competition and trade policies interact closely, and must be aligned as part of an overall strategy”, a position that is reflected in the design of the new European Commission. This first in a two-column series sets out some foundational principles for a joined-up approach […]
Persistent differences in per capita incomes are usually attributed to productivity differentials. But countries also converge to widely different employment-to-population ratios. This column shows that in fact higher productivity growth in emerging market and developing economies tends to be associated with declines in the employment-to-population ratio (‘jobless development’). Convergence towards low steady-state employment ratios appears […]
Services can be supplied through cross-border trade, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and the presence of a natural person. The choice of delivery mode and the extent to which service traders can switch between modes (‘substitution elasticity’) can significantly affect how firms respond to trade barriers. This column analyses UK services trade following the Brexit referendum. […]
The event organizers shared some topics to discuss at the WOW Summit — and they are truly impressive. The WOW Summit is a global gathering for Web3 enthusiasts, offering a platform to explore, learn, and connect within the blockchain and Digital Assets ecosystem. The event showcases cutting-edge innovations, fosters collaboration, and provides opportunities for networking […]
Recent tensions between the US and China have raised the spectre of technological decoupling. This column explores the impact of US Entity List restrictions on Chinese firms’ innovation. It shows that US sanctions reduce the quantity and quality of patenting of the targeted Chinese firms, driven by reduced collaboration with US inventors. Sanctions in specific […]
