maandag 11 januari 2010
Learning From Europe
Despite what conservatives claim, Europe has a successful economy and a social democracy that works. Read Krugman's column in the NYTimes here.
Een derde pensioen niet zelf verdiend
Het solidariteitsdenken gaat in dit land zover, zeggen de Vlaamse ondernemers, dat we voor een derde van ons pensioen niet zelf moeten werken. Het wordt betaald door de gemeenschap. Lees het volledige artikel in De Standaard hier.
vrijdag 8 januari 2010
The eurozone’s next decade will be tough
What would have happened during the financial crisis if the euro had not existed? The short answer is that there would have been currency crises among its members. The currencies of Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain would surely have fallen sharply against the old D-Mark. That is the outcome the creators of the eurozone wished to avoid. They have been successful. But, if the exchange rate cannot adjust, something else must instead. That “something else” is the economies of peripheral eurozone member countries. They are locked into competitive disinflation against Germany, the world’s foremost exporter of very high-quality manufactures. I wish them luck.
Read the complete article in the FT here.
A fresh look at liberalism
It is far too early to pick up the pieces and reconstruct either mainstream economics or the free market version of it after the debacle of the past two years. It is not, however, too early to restate some liberal values that need to be preserved whatever technical changes are made in the conduct of economic policy. ...
Read the complete article in the FT here.
The need for special resolution regimes for financial institutions
The global financial crisis forced governments facing failing financial institutions to choose between disorderly bankruptcies and costly injections of public funds. This column argues that special resolution regimes are a better alternative. It analyses their structure and function and argues EU member states ought to introduce and strengthen such regimes.
Read this article from M. Cihak and E.W. Nier on Vox.eu here.
donderdag 7 januari 2010
EU Energy/Climate package and energy supply security in Belgium
Read this report from the Federal Planning Bureau here.
woensdag 6 januari 2010
Belgique: quelques surprises macroéconomiques...
Consultez l'étude de P. Defeyt (Institut pour un développement durable) ici.
Why it matters who leads research universities
The best US universities outperform their European counterparts. This column says part of the gap is due to how universities choose leaders. Outstanding scholars are more likely to be selected as presidents in the top US universities, a move that is associated with improved research performance.
Read this article from A. Goodall on Vox.eu here.
dinsdag 5 januari 2010
maandag 4 januari 2010
The future of capitalism: Building a sustainable energy future
In a collaboration between Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and McKinsey, a panel of experts and CEOs from leading energy companies debate the critical scientific, resource, and policy issues challenging energy sustainability today.
Read this article on McKinsey here.
Understanding the bad bank
For many, this is the best exit from the financial crisis—but the choices entailed are not straightforward.
Read this article from McKinsey here.
Max Schulz: Population control: An ugly solution to climate change
Want to save the planet from global warming? Forget about getting rid of coal plants or the internal combustion engine. Get rid of the humans. They're the true problem.
That insidious message gained new currency with the United Nations Copenhagen climate change circus this month. While the conference likely will be remembered for participants' failure to reach a binding emissions reduction agreement, its legacy may be that it brought mainstream respectability to the fringe left-wing notion that mankind is a scourge on the planet.
That insidious message gained new currency with the United Nations Copenhagen climate change circus this month. While the conference likely will be remembered for participants' failure to reach a binding emissions reduction agreement, its legacy may be that it brought mainstream respectability to the fringe left-wing notion that mankind is a scourge on the planet.
Read the full article on washingtonexaminer.com here.
La Belgique, cas d'école du désendettement dans la zone euro
Les pays de la zone euro confrontés à l'envolée de leur dette publique pourraient s'inspirer de l'expérience de la Belgique, qui a montré comment se sortir au plus vite de la spirale des déficits, mais qui souligne aussi les risques posés par la paralysie politique.
Lisez l'article complet dans lepoint.fr ici.
dinsdag 22 december 2009
The Economists' debate: Food Policy
This house believes that governments should play a stronger role in guiding food and nutrition choices. Follow the complete debate here.
Studying Young Minds, and How to Teach Them
For much of the last century, educators and many scientists believed that children could not learn math at all before the age of five, that their brains simply were not ready. But recent research has turned that assumption on its head — that, and a host of other conventional wisdom about geometry, reading, language and self-control in class. The findings, mostly from a branch of research called cognitive neuroscience, are helping to clarify when young brains are best able to grasp fundamental concepts. Read the complete article in the NYTimes here.
L’urgence d’un fonds "vert"
Il pourrait s’autofinancer, avec l’aide des pays développés, tout en engageant les réserves d’or du FMI. Une opinion de George Soros, Président du Soros Fund Management et de l'Open Society Institute.
Lisez l'article dans LLB ici.
maandag 21 december 2009
La nouvelle folle ruée vers l'or
Le prix de l'or s'est envolé, pour dépasser les 1.100 dollars l'once. Cette récente flambée n'est qu'en partie justifiée par les fondamentaux économiques et ressemble à s'y tromper à une bulle spéculative. Le prix de l'or n'augmente nettement que dans deux situations : lorsque l'inflation est élevée et continue à croître, l'or permet de se couvrir. Et quand il y a un risque de quasi-dépression et que les investisseurs craignent pour leurs dépôts bancaires, l'or devient une valeur refuge. Les deux dernières années correspondent à ce schéma. Le prix de l'or a commencé à grimper au premier semestre 2008, lorsque les marchés émergents étaient en surchauffe, que l'inflation les menaçait et que les prix des matières premières flambaient. Ce premier enchérissement était déjà une bulle, qui a éclaté au second semestre 2008, lorsque l'économie mondiale est entrée en récession.
Lisez l'article de N. Roubini dans Les Echos.fr ici.
Sociaal vangnet voor ontslagen werknemers
Veelgestelde vragen over werkloosheid en ontslag — De crisis laat zich voelen, nu ook bij de werknemers. Al maanden regent het ontslagen bij grote en kleine bedrijven. Bij DHL, Opel, Brinks, Sanoma, Bayer, UCB, Recticel… moeten talloze werknemers op zoek naar een andere job. Hoe sterk is het sociale vangnet waarop werklozen kunnen terugvallen? Drie experts geven een antwoord op de meest gestelde vragen. Lees het volledige artikel in De Standaard hier.
Au-delà du PIB: réconcilier ce qui compte et ce que l'on compte
Le PIB est au coeur d'une tourmente. son statut de cible et de repère pour la conduite et l'évaluation des politiques économiques est remis en question. De nouveaux indicateurs tentent de pallier ses lacunes au regard d'objectifs de qualité de vie, de réduction des inégalités, de développement durable. La Commission Stiglitz a récemment rendu un Rapport à ce sujet, document qui suscite de nouvelles questions et invite à poursuivre le débat.
Lisez cet article de Regards économiques (UCL) ici.
vrijdag 18 december 2009
Pass the Bill
Yes, the filibuster-imposed need to get votes from “centrist” senators has led to a bill that falls a long way short of ideal. Worse, some of those senators seem motivated largely by a desire to protect the interests of insurance companies — with the possible exception of Mr. Lieberman, who seems motivated by sheer spite. Read Krugman's column in The NYTimes here.
ObamaCare and the Liberal Obsession
If President Obama's health-care initiative fails, there is no longer a rationale for being a liberal in the United States. Everything else on liberalism's to-do list is footnotes. Read the complete column in the WSJ here.
FISCALE FRAUDE KOST DE BURGER EIGENLIJK NIETS
Kost fiscale fraude de eerlijke belastingbetaler geld? Niet volgens WILLY DE WIT. Veel te hoge belastingen, dat kost ons geld. Als de overheid daar iets aan zou doen, dat zou pas fraudebestrijding zijn. Lees het volledige opiniestuk in De Standaard hier.
woensdag 16 december 2009
Public and private pensions: lessons from the crisis
This Policy Brief considers the lessons to be drawn from the crisis for both public and private pensions in Europe. The author, Agnes Streissler, points out that both pay-as-you-go and funded systems are dependent on economic growth and are under pressure because of demographic changes. At the same time, private systems are considerably more risky in terms of the entitlements of successive cohorts leaving the labour market.
Read this article from ETUI here.
Lutte contre la pauvreté, rapport 2008-2009
Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index is a new initiative to compare pension systems around the world. Retirement income systems perform a critical role for both individuals and societies as countries grapple with the social and economic effects of ageing populations. There is no perfect system that can be applied universally around the world. Indeed, even comparing the diversity of retirement income systems is certain to be controversial as every system is different and has arisen from each country’s particular economic, social, cultural, political and historical circumstances. However there are certain features and characteristics of retirement income systems that are likely to lead to improved benefits, an increased likelihood of future sustainability of the system, and a greater level of confidence and trust within the community.
Read the full report here.
European competitiveness report 2009
The 2009 edition of the European Competitiveness Report looks at the possible implications of the economic downturn; in particular for productivity and for some of the determinants of future EU competitiveness: the evolution of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China); the role of high-skilled migration; the extent and conditions under which training can boost productivity; and the role of product and labour market regulations in influencing ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) investment.
Read the complete report here.
‘Tobin-taks? Een verschrikkelijk idee!’
Kapitaalmarktenlobby ICMA: ‘Taks op financiële transacties nefast voor marktwerking’ ‘Europa staat verder dan VS in macro-prudentieel toezicht’. Lees het volledige artikel in De Tijd hier.
Beleid tegen werkloosheid mist globale visie
De ruzie tussen de Vlaamse en de federale regering over het banenplan van minister van Werk Joëlle Milquet (cdH) is bijgelegd. Politiek heeft iedereen zijn slag thuisgehaald. De grote vraag is of er ook sociaal-economisch echte vooruitgang is geboekt. Lees het volledige opiniestuk van Freddy Heylen hier.
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