The State of the Union going forward
In the first Sound of Economics Live episode after summer we look at the State of the Union address delivered by Ursula von der Leyen.
57m Sep 16, 2020
57m
For a better, more sovereign Europe
Keynote address by the German Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz at Bruegel Annual Meetings, 3 September 2020.
53m Sep 09, 2020
53m
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Future?
Imagining a society, an economy and politics cohabiting with the virus and eventually overcoming it.
44m Aug 19, 2020
44m
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Common Good?
On the fourth episode of this summer series of The Sound of Economics, recorded on the road as part of the Reopening Europe project, we talk with Antje von Dewitz, CEO of the outdoor equipment company- Vaude. We met her on June 17th in Tettnang, near Lake Konstanz, on the German/Swiss border, where her family company is located.  The Reopening Europe team was the first external visitor’s group...
44m Aug 12, 2020
44m
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Tourism?
The OECD has estimated that COVID-19 will cause a 60% decline in international tourism in 2020. This could rise to 80% if recovery is delayed until December.  During their trip, the Reopening Europe team noticed the direct impact of the lockdown on cities such as Strasbourg or Salzburg, which were practically devoid of the usual tourist crowds.  In this latest installment of our summer series...
34m Aug 05, 2020
34m
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Borders?
In June 2020, as Europe reopened after lockdown, we crossed ten national borders. We listened to diverse citizens, from passers-by to politicians, business people to artists, recording, documenting, and publishing stories.  In this second episode of Reopening Europe, we unpack some reflections about borders and the pandemic which we have collected along our journey.  Giuseppe Porcaro is joine...
35m Jul 29, 2020
35m
REOPENING EUROPE - Reopening Governance?
This is a summer feature of the Sound of Economics in cooperation with the Reopening Europe project. In June 2020, as Europe exited the COVID-19 Lockdown, we traveled more than 2700 kilometres through the Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia and Italy to collect voices from the ground as the borders were reopening.  In this introductory episode, Giuseppe Porcaro chats with Michael ...
31m Jul 23, 2020
31m
The benefits of the single market - the case of last enlargement
As the Brexit negotiations are entering their final straight line, the question of trade agreements is heating up. Economists talk about the “cost of non Europe”. How much each country has gained from belonging to the EU’s single market? How much would it have missed out on if it didn’t belong to the single market? In this week’s episode, we will look at the economic impact of the EU's last en...
27m Jul 15, 2020
27m
S6: Apps without borders? How COVID-19 apps show the limits of the EU digital single market
In their toolkit against a pandemic that knows no borders, several EU countries have bet on new technology from our era of globalisation: digital contact tracing COVID-19 apps. But the way they've been rolled out illustrate troublesome limits to the EU digital single market.
25m Jul 09, 2020
25m
S6: Financial fragility after #COVID19
In this episode we discuss financial fragility in European households in the time of COVID-19.    Before the pandemic hit, a substantial share of households reported that they would be unable to handle a financial emergency. In some EU countries, many had savings equivalent to just a few weeks of basic consumption.   Giuseppe is joined by Maria Demertzis, deputy director at Bruegel, and Ann...
29m Jul 02, 2020
29m
S6: Redefining Europe’s role after the Covid-19 Pandemic
In a special live edition podcast of an event we organised recently with EU3D, we discuss how the current situation brought upon by the pandemic could shift the ‘Conference on the Future of Europe’ debate, whether EU treaty changes are back on on the agenda and what this would imply for the relation of the EU with its closely affiliated non-members. Guntram Wolff is joined by Gabriele Bischoff...
1hr 5m Jun 25, 2020
1hr 5m
S6: One rule to ring them all? Europe's financial markets after Brexit
The response to COVID crisis necessitates a lot of cash. So will the upcoming green transition.  But with Brexit, Europe lost its easy and practical access to the world’s largest financial market. So is today the right time to create a European capital markets union, with only one rule to ring them all; one rule to bind all 27 capital markets in the EU?
27m Jun 19, 2020
27m
S6: Reopening: Europe
This episode provides a background overview of the impact of the reopening of borders on European value chains, future of work, and innovation.
33m Jun 11, 2020
33m
S6: Will COVID-19 boost the euro as a global currency?
The euro is, by definition an international currency. However, since being established in the late 90s the single currency has always been somewhat less than the sum of it's parts and has yet to challenge the US dollar for global dominance. Its international status declined with the euro crisis of 2008.  Could the reform of the institutional setup of the monetary union that many are arguing for...
25m Jun 05, 2020
25m
COVID-19’s shock for emerging economies
COVID-19 is by far the biggest challenge policymakers in emerging economies have had to deal with in recent history.
35m May 29, 2020
35m
China’s financial system: opening up and system risk
China is opening up its financial sector- What does that mean for China and the world?
40m May 22, 2020
40m
Singapore's experience in dealing with COVID-19
A conversation with Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, on how this city-state has tackled the coronavirus.
45m May 19, 2020
45m
Rebooting Europe: a framework for post COVID-19 economic recovery
Mapping out the post COVID-19 recovery.
57m May 15, 2020
57m
S6: China’s economy after COVID-19
The first country to be hit by the current pandemic, China has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. What have been its impacts on the Chinese economy? What does it represent, more broadly, to the global economy? Are global supply chains really starting to be put into question? Today, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Alicia García-Herrero and Yiping Huang, Professor of Economics and...
1hr May 06, 2020
1hr
S6: An analysis of the German Constitutional Court ruling on the ECB QE programme
The German Constitutional called today on the ECB to justify its bond-buying program. What does today's ruling of the German Constitutional Court mean for the ECB's QE program? Could such a decision open a precedent when it comes to contesting EU law? Today, Giuseppe Porcaro and Guntram Wolff are joined by Franz Mayer, chair of Public Law at the University of Belefield, to analyse the German Co...
50m May 05, 2020
50m
S6: The impact of Covid-19 on emerging markets with Barry Eichengreen
Without a robust healthcare system and lack of medical equipment, emerging market economies are vulnerable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. How can developed countries help tackle the issue? Is international cooperation more needed than ever? This week, Giuseppe Porcaro and Guntram Wolff are joined by Barry Eichengreen to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on emerging markets.
48m Apr 29, 2020
48m
S6: Post-Council commentary
On April 23, EU leaders met virtually to try to come to an agreement for a common European response to the COVID-19 pandemic. What were the measures taken? Will they be sufficient? Did Europe come together for a coordinated response to the crisis? Or did the meeting further highlight the cracks between member states? This week, Guntram Wolff and Giuseppe Porcaro are joined by Maria Demertzis an...
54m Apr 24, 2020
54m
Exiting the great lockdown?
Are we going to exit from the containment measures for the COVID-19 pandemic in the European Union? When? How?
52m Apr 17, 2020
52m
S6: Did the Eurogroup save the day?
After its longest meeting ever, the Eurogroup reached an agreement yesterday evening. What does the agreement say? What does it mean in terms of the emergency reaction to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic? What does it mean, more broadly, for the future of Europe? This week, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Maria Demertzis, André Sapir and Guntram Wolff to discuss whether the Eurogroup...
53m Apr 10, 2020
53m
S6: Mythbusters: debunking economic myths
Economics seems to be full of myths that are hard to debunk. Will robots take our jobs? Are trade deficits bad? Is China such a big economy simply because of the size of its population? This week, Nicholas Barrett, Maria Demertzis, Marta Domínguez-Jímenez and Niclas Poitiers put on the detective cap and become Bruegel's own economic mythbusters. Disclaimer: this podcast was recorded on the 3rd ...
28m Apr 03, 2020
28m
S6: The macroeconomic policy response to the COVID-19 crisis
From the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to "coronabonds", the EU seems to be struggling to find an appropriate mechanism to tackle the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. What is really the best option? And how do we ensure that, once the pandemic is over, we return to sustainable debt levels and competitive economies? This week, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Lucrezia Reichlin...
51m Mar 31, 2020
51m
S6: Banks and loan losses in the pandemic turmoil
The current pandemic is shaking the financial system. How can banks react ? Is a consolidation of the financial system in Europe needed in order to respond to this crisis ? Will our economies suffer from this pandemic as much as they did in 2008 ? This week, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined live by Guntram Wolff and Nicolas Véron to discuss banks and loan losses in the pandemic turmoil. This podcast ...
55m Mar 25, 2020
55m
S6: How can the EU prevent our economies from shutting down?
From flights cancelled and restaurants closed to companies either slowing or stopping their production, COVID-19 is shutting our economies down. How can the EU reboot them? What should be our fiscal and monetary response to the pandemic? Will our economic system ever be the same once everything is over? This week, Guntram Wolff is joined by Jean Pisani-Ferry and Maria Demertzis to discuss the E...
32m Mar 18, 2020
32m
S6: Where are the women in economics?
The field of economics, like many others, seems to be biased towards men. How are women disadvantaged? Makfire Alija and Katja Knezevic join Nicholas Barrett and Niclas Poitiers to discuss the systematic hurdles. 
32m Mar 08, 2020
32m
S6: Coronavirus: the economic prognosis
The coronavirus is going to hit the global economy hard, but how hard? What can policymakers plan for the months ahead? Nicholas Barrett asks Guntram Wolff and Maria Demertzis about economic symptoms and treatments 
27m Mar 06, 2020
27m
S6: The European Green Deal rules
When it comes to global carbon emission is a tax the best form of defence? To make the European Green Deal work, the EU is considering a levy on carbon-intensive goods manufactured beyond its borders. But will a carbon border tax spawn a massive bureaucracy and lead to accusations of protectionism? To find out, Nicholas Barrett talked to Georg Zachmann and Ben McWilliams from Bruegel and Gabrie...
22m Mar 05, 2020
22m
S6: Is the EU a superpower?
As China and the US battle for global supremacy, the EU seems to remain in the shadows. But what if the EU had been shaping the world economy all along without anybody noticing? Could its soft power be strong enough to shape regulations all over the world? What impact does such influence have over its own economy? This week, Giuseppe Porcaro and Guntram Wolff are joined live by Ashoka Mody, Pro...
33m Mar 03, 2020
33m
S6: Will globalisation survive the Coronavirus?
As the Coronavirus continues to spread, schools have closed, flights have been canceled and entire towns have been quarantined. Most of those who contract the virus will undoubtedly survive, but can the same be said for globalisation? Is it time for economists to question the virtue of international supply chains? Should policymakers in the west be thinking twice about our material dependency o...
45m Feb 28, 2020
45m
S6: Can the European Green Deal kill the single market?
The European Green Deal is one of the landmarks of Ursula von der Leyen's Commission. But, without an ambitious investment behind it, what could be its potential implications for the EU? Could it go as far as to threaten the EU's single market? This week, Renew Europe's vice-president, MEP Luis Garicano, joins Guntram Wolff and Maria Demertzis to discuss not only the European Green Deal but als...
19m Feb 25, 2020
19m
S6: From Brussels with love? Russia's economic dependence on the EU
Despite the political antagonism, the EU and Russia are not only geographically, but also economically, reliant on each other: European houses are heated using Russian natural gas and Russia is highly dependent on European investment. Should the EU develop closer political ties with Russia? How much leverage does the EU have when dealing with the Kremlin? This week, Nicholas Barrett is joined b...
23m Feb 19, 2020
23m
S6: Can hybrid threats disrupt the financial system?
From cashless payments to digital banking, finance has become intangible and global. But, while speed and convenience have made our international transactions easier, have we become more vulnerable? How can the EU respond to the increased risk of hybrid threats? This week, Nicholas Barrett is joined by Jukka Savolainen, Director of Community of Interest “Vulnerabilities and Resilience” at the E...
20m Feb 17, 2020
20m
S6: The EU's plan to catch up on artificial intelligence
While the US and China have been setting the pace when it comes to Artificial Intelligence, the European Union seems to be lagging behind. What are the Commission's plans to finally catch up? Will AI increase the gap between big and small companies? Nicholas Barrett asked Julia Anderson and Guntram Wolff
29m Feb 14, 2020
29m
S6: Industrial revolutions might not be as fun as they look
AI promises a new industrial revolution but history warns us that industrial revolutions aren't always that fun for people in the eye of the storm. This week, Nicholas Barrett and Maria Demertzis spoke with Dr. Carl Frey, author of the book "The technology trap: capital, labor, and power in the age of automation", and Robert D. Atkinson, President of Information Technology and Innovation Founda...
39m Feb 05, 2020
39m
S6: The science of Brexit
On Saturday morning, the United Kingdom will wake up outside the European Union. After 37 years of collaboration, how will Brexit affect research and innovation in Europe and in the UK? What should be the next steps undertaken by both in order to maintain the same level of cooperation? This week, Nicholas Barrett is joined by Maria Demertzis, Guntram Wolff and Michael Leigh, Senior Adjunct Prof...
27m Jan 29, 2020
27m
S6: AI in Europe: a conversation with Google's CEO
It seems almost inevitable that Google will be big part of Europe's future. And Europe will be a huge part of Google's too. This week, Alphabet, Google's parent company, hit $1 trillion market cap for the first time. Can Google's AI be socially beneficial? Are big tech companies intrinsically bad? This week, Guntram Wolff talked to Google and Alphabet's CEO, Sundar Pichai.
36m Jan 20, 2020
36m
S6: Banking after Brexit
Will Brexit damage Britain's financial services industry? Or is talk of its diminished status just a storm in a teacup? The City of London could move closer to Wall Street or it might become "Singapore-on-Thames". Nicholas Barrett talks to Rebecca Christie about banking after Brexit.
27m Jan 16, 2020
27m
Paying for the European Green Deal
The European Commission has presented its Just Transition Fund to help regions still dependent on fossil fuel as they move towards green energy. But where does the money come from and is it enough to make Europe carbon neutral by 2050? Should the EU re-write its fiscal rules to encourage sustainable investment? And should environmentalists be optimistic? Nicholas Barrett asked Simone Tagliapiet...
32m Jan 15, 2020
32m
S6: Will Iran disrupt the global economy?
Last Friday, Qassem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ QUDS force, was killed by an American airstrike outside Baghdad airport. Tehran has promised to retaliate. At the time of recording, the world is still waiting to see how Iran will respond. Some have speculated that they could disrupt the world’s oil markets by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which acts as a vital artery for...
21m Jan 06, 2020
21m
S6: A decade to remember (or possibly to forget) for economists
2019 is coming to an end and so is the decade. How did economics change the world over the last ten years? And how did the world change economics? Which economics books defined the last ten years? And what should we anticipate in the decade to come? Today, Nicholas Barrett discusses the past and the future with Niclas Poitiers and Maria Demertzis.
40m Dec 20, 2019
40m
S6: The Sound of Margrethe Vestager
Will AI exacerbate the gap between big companies and small ones? Do ordinary Europeans gain anything from having European tech giants? This week, Nicholas Barrett and Guntram Wolff went to the Berlaymont to interview Margrethe Vestager, the Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age. 
27m Dec 19, 2019
27m
S6: Capture the nodes
How do states exercise power through global economic networks? The multilateral world order is supposed to be harmonious, but by seizing the nodes of production, powerful forces can control access to the global economic system and threaten to lock their rival out. This week, Nicholas Barrett and Guntram Wolff are joined by Henry Farrell, Professor of political science and international affairs ...
27m Dec 16, 2019
27m
S6: Appellate Body Politic
This week, the WTO's Appellate Body, the dispute settlement body, became inoperational: it no longer has the necessary number of judges to render verdicts. What does this mean for international trade and multilateralism? Are we now living in a world without dispute settlement? This week, Guntram Wolff is joined by Alan Beattie, the author of the FT's new Trade Secrets newsletter, and Alicia Gar...
27m Dec 12, 2019
27m
S6: What's inside the European Green Deal?
President Ursula Von der Leyen has presented her European Green Deal before the European Parliament. How will it work? What are its implications? And will it make Europe carbon neutral by 2050? Nicholas Barrett asks Simone Tagliapietra what's inside the Green Deal.
42m Dec 11, 2019
42m
S6: Getting post-Brexit trade deals done
The UK goes to the polls on Thursday to decide who (and if) they want to "get Brexit done". But, as soon as Britain leaves, it will have 11 months to agree a trade deal with the EU. Is it possible? Nicholas Barrett is joined by Maria Demertzis and Niclas Poitiers to discuss post-Brexit trade deals with the EU and the USA.
20m Dec 10, 2019
20m
S6: The Belt and Road anxiety
Is the Belt and Road initiative a global development plan or is it just a trade project? How concerned should the international community be with what is called the "project of the century"? This week, Guntram Wolff discusses the Belt and Road Initiative with Prof. He Fang, from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dr. Jing Gu, director of the Centre for Rising Powers and Global Development, and ...
28m Dec 05, 2019
28m