Europe's Political Economy
Putting Europe ahead
The Europe’s Political Economy (EPE) programme monitors and analyses current economic, social and environmental issues which are topical in the EU policy debate. The current focus is on five long-running themes:
- The euro crisis and its implications for economic governance and the European integration process, which will continue to dominate the European debate. The focus is on two critical issues: what does banking, fiscal and political Union mean – and how can it be achieved in practice while also ensuring European action has sufficient legitimacy – and how can the economic and social crisis be overcome which is still hitting Europe hard and leading to a downward spiral in the crisis countries.
- Europe’s economic future and the development of the Single Market. Europe is facing a long term growth crisis, not only as a result of the current economic crisis but also because of long term challenges, including globalisation, demographic trends, inequalities, resource competition and the need to tackle climate change. Finding sustainable ways out of this growth crisis, including the further development of the Single Market, is one of the most pressing issues for the EU. There is also a focus on the Single European Labour Market, which analyses why, despite freedom of movement being one of the key principles of the EU, very few workers move from one country to another in Europe and what can be done to incentivise people’s mobility.
- The EU budget and the debate on the next EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework. At a time when the interinstitutional negotiations on the future MFF are going to enter their final phase, the EPC continues to provide analysis on the state of play of the negotiations, the future structure of the EU budget, the interplay between the crisis and the budget and its impact on the EU principle of solidarity.
- Health and well-being, with the EPC being the only Brussels-based think tank with a major focus on this topic. We will continue our long-running analysis of ‘Social Europe’ and the sustainability of Europe’s public services in the face of Europe’s long term socio-economic challenges. CHES, the Coalition for Health, Ethics and Society, will continue to involve a wide-range of European stakeholders in topical debates on European health issues.
- Climate change, resource efficiency and energy, including a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as resource efficiency. Energy policy and its importance not only for climate change but also for competitiveness and security continues to play a major role.
In this programme
Chairman of the Board, Bank of Finland
Chief Executive and Chief EconomistFabian Zuleeg
Senior Policy Analyst and FutureLab Europe Programme LeaderClaire Dhéret
Senior Policy AnalystAnnika Hedberg (formerly Ahtonen)
Policy AnalystsRomain Pardo
Programme AssistantsIva Tasheva
Economic Research AssistantEwa Chomicz