“A new authority that nobody needs” By Verena Parzer-Epp, Samuel Rutz, and Marco Salvi, courtesy of Avenir Suisse Around the globe, the instrument of investment control is currently experiencing a revival. Proponent argue investment controls are necessary to safeguard national security and economic interests, for example as protection against takeovers by emerging state-owned […]
Tag: Trade
WEEKLY UPDATE: Can economic freedom survive populism?
The future prosperity of the world hangs in the balance The wave of populism that has swept the world in recent years had its origins in a number of converging trends, including large-scale migration, globalization, and the financial crisis of 2008, all of which fueled a sense that legacy elites are self-interested and […]
Canada passed a free trade deal with itself – and it’s still not enough
“Interprovincial trade: Alberta in first place, Quebec in last” Courtesy of MEI While Canada continues to negotiate free trade agreements with numerous countries, the provinces maintain obstacles to trade within our own borders. The MEI and the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) have listed them from best to worst in a ranking of Canadian […]
Brexit uncertainty cost UK new Tesla gigafactory
“Brexit uncertainty means Tesla choses Germany for European for new factory” By Professor David Bailey, courtesy of UK In a Changing Europe Last week Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that Brexit uncertainty was a factor in the firm’s decision to build its first major European factory near Berlin in Germany rather than the […]
Why does Switzerland have sugar subsidies? Why does anyone?
“Sweet temptation” By Dr. Patrick Dümmler, courtesy of Avenir Suisse Something consumed by lots of people every day should never be in short supply, even in a crisis — or so the thinking goes. The Swiss Confederation therefore requires selected sectors to engage in stockpiling, in order to be able to ensure continued […]
“This is a mess”: QE isn’t working – and neither is government
By Erik Sass, TES Editor-in-Chief Collectively and individually the countries of Europe face economic problems that they are either unwilling or unable to confront due to a lack of political courage, despite the availability of effective remedies. That was the bleak takeaway from a panel discussion of economic and political experts at the […]
China Loses, Mexico Wins? Not So Fast!
“China Loses, Mexico Wins?” By Manuel J. Molano, courtesy of IMCO and El Sol de México Last September, Shannon O’Neil published an article in Bloomberg that said Mexico should benefit from the US trade war with China. O’Neil mentioned the openness of the Mexican economy, which is higher as a percentage of GDP than […]
EU and India’s strategic partnership: hot topic or hot air?
“EU-India: a renewed strategic partnership, or business as usual?” By Stefania Bengalia, courtesy of CEPS In 2004, India and the European Union signed a strategic partnership, based on the shared values and principles of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the promotion of peace and stability. Today, though, free trade negotiations […]
China elbowing Europe aside in Russian market
“China’s growing presence on the Russian market and what it means for the European Union” By Alicia García-Herrero and Jianwei Xu, courtesy of the Bruegel Institute Russia doesn’t just look West, it looks East – and increasingly so. China’s economy has developed very rapidly over the past two decades, becoming the world’s […]
High tariffs benefit a few high flyers – and that’s it
“Higher Tariffs Benefit Certain CEOs, But Almost Nobody Else” By Daniel Griswold, courtesy of the Mercatus Center A big reason why tariffs are so tempting to politicians is that the costs they impose on the economy are diffused. These costs are spread across millions of households and thousands of businesses, forcing them to […]