The Sound of Economics

Zsolt Darvas, a senior fellow at Bruegel specializing in public debt, and Jennifer D. Sciubba, President of the Population Reference Bureau, tackle the pressing issue of demographic changes and their impact on public finances. They discuss how an aging population is straining pension and healthcare budgets, requiring urgent policy adjustments. The conversation includes challenges in standardizing retirement ages across Europe and strategies from countries like Japan and South Korea to adapt to an older workforce, highlighting the need for innovative solutions.

In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie sits down with Eurogroup president Paschal Donohoe and Bruegel Senior fellow Guntram Wolff to discuss the EU's dire defence and security challenges and the role of public finances. They also discuss Wolff's latest report on Europe's and Germany's slow rearmament, particularly compared to Russian arms production. Listen to Donohoe's speech at Bruegel Annual Meetings about the Eurogroup's immediate priorities here.

The Memos to the European Union leadership have been a Bruegel tradition since 2009. Every five years – after the European elections but before a new European Commission takes office – we take stock of EU economic policies, reflect on the EU's main challenges, make recommendations on how the new leadership should address them. In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie invites the book's editors, Maria Demertzis, André Sapir and Jeromin Zettelmeyer, to unpack the crown memo to the Presidents of the European Commission, Council and Parliament. Their key takeaways are: support Ukraine; work toward the 2040 climate goals; and defend competition, openness and multilateralism. Bruegel holds its flagship event, the Bruegel Annual Meetings in Brussels on 4-5 September 2024. It serves as the moment to launch the Memos and discuss the issues with policy makers and experts. Join us for the conversation!

Maria Demertzis sits down in the studio of The Sound of Economics for one last time in her capacity as Senior fellow and Bruegel’s former Deputy director. In this episode, she reflects on the eight years of her work. What have been the major challenges for the EU and how has Bruegel responded to them? Why does she feel strongly about financial vulnerability and what she sees as the next great challenges for the EU leadership? From inflation to the Fearless girl statue, Maria shares her wide-reaching insights in an interview with Bruegel’s Head of Communications, Katja Knežević. Research mentioned: Memos to the European Union leadership 2024-2029 and Bruegel Annual Meetings 2024 https://www.bruegel.org/anthology/memos-new-eu-leadership-2024 https://www.bruegel.org/BAM2024 Assets purchase programme https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/effectiveness-european-central-banks-asset-purchase-programme Productivity https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/productivity-paradox-policy-lessons-microprod Financial literacy https://www.bruegel.org/opinion-piece/financial-literacy-and-fearless-woman https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/state-financial-knowledge-european-union Rubles payment https://www.bruegel.org/blog-post/sanctions-counter-measure-gas-payments-russia-rubles Digital euro https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/value-added-central-bank-digital-currencies-view-euro-area

By 2030, the European Union must reduce emissions from the heating and cooling of buildings – responsible for 13 percent of EU emissions – by the equivalent of the annual emissions of Slovakia. In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie sits down with Michael Pahle, Marion Santini and Giovanni Sgaravatti to discuss how greener buildings can play contribute to Europe’s decarbonisation efforts. They discuss new EU rules, expanding the emissions trading scheme, and the need to find financing for energy-friendly renovations, as well as how to shield households and small companies from the impact of higher carbon prices. Relevant publication and event:  Keliauskaitė, U.,B. McWilliams, G. Sgaravatti and S. Tagliapietra (2024) ‘How to finance the European Union’s building decarbonisation plan’, Policy Brief 12/2024, Bruegel How to finance building decarbonisation in the EU, Bruegel event, 2 July 2024

Yuyun Zhan and Alicia García-Herrero discuss China's economic engagements in Africa, addressing criticisms on FDI, trade, and opacity. They compare China's impact to Europe, debt restructuring challenges, manufacturing hurdles, US/Europe vs. China's approaches, and China's investments in tech and infrastructure.

In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie is joined by Bruegel fellow Ben McWilliams and Johanna Schiele, a Policy Officer at the Innovation Fund in the European Commission, to discuss the benefits and challenges of hydrogen as a clean energy source. Throughout this episode, they explore whether hydrogen could be used as alternative to the extracting and burning of fossil fuels, explaining the hurdles that need to be addressed for it to become a mainstream energy solution. With strategic support and investments, hydrogen could play a significant role in the transition to a sustainable energy future.

In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie discusses the current global trade landscape with Penny Naas, of the German Marshall Fund and Atlantic Council, and Niclas Poitiers from Bruegel. They explore the challenges of balancing economic resilience, protectionism, and the push for green technologies amid these transformations. Naas and Poitiers provide insights into the rationale behind the differing approaches of the US and EU towards tariffs and industrial subsidies, as well as the broader impact on global trade relations. They also touch on the role of the WTO in navigating these complex dynamics and the future of international trade policies.

Rebecca Christie sits down with Jean Pisani-Ferry and André Sapir to discuss the upcoming parliamentary elections in France, amidst growing voter dissatisfaction and legislative gridlock. They discuss the political intrigues behind the upheaval and highlight the potential consequences of a National Rally-dominated assembly, which could obstruct European Union decisions and implement protectionist and anti-EU policies, creating significant roadblocks for European integration and economic policies. On top of that, they also discuss the reactions from financial markets and potential turmoil for French budget.

EU proposes tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles due to alleged unfair subsidies, sparking discussions on changing global trade dynamics. Experts analyze China's industrial policy and overcapacity issues, potential impact on EU market reputation and world trade. Insights on EU Commission's shift on trade interventions, implications for global south countries like Brazil and India.