Past events

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for Europe regarding its levels of dependence on the energy and metals fronts, and the associated threats this posed to its competitiveness. Meanwhile, the need to decarbonize the economy has become ever more pressing. What is needed now, is the look ahead on the road towards a decarbonized energy system in a competitive Europe. We would like to discuss with you main challenges and chances and the role that individual members states and the EU should play on this road.

EconPol Europe, the ifo Institute for Economic Research, the Institute for European Policymaking at Bocconi University and the Toulouse School of Economics invite to the launch event for the new Policy Report EU Innovation Policy taking place on April 10, 2024 in Brussels.

The ifo Institute, EconPol Europe and the European Roundtable on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition (ERCST) launched the initiative “Climate Policy Priorities for the Next European Commission” to identify and examine several issues that the EU institutions should consider as part of climate change policy developments after the 2024 elections.

Recent shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and of Russia’s war against Ukraine have added a massive economic component to European geopolitics. Security policy and economics have become intertwined challenges and raise urgent questions for Europe: How to improve economic resilience, avoid dangerous dependencies, and safeguard competitiveness? Do we need to rethink our trade partnerships and EU’s relationships with China and the US? Should we ban foreign investments in domestic (digital) infrastructure? Should Europe act more strategically and integrate economic and security policy, and if so, how?

Geopolitics used to be a two-dimensional cartographic affair. Now, climate change and sustainability concerns have turned it into a volumetric one – and added a massive economic component to it. What happens above and below ground, not just across borders, will have a major impact on the European economies for decades to come. So… Welcome to Geoeconomics.