EconPol Policy Briefs

In the new legislative period, the EU Commission will need a well-thought-out economic policy agenda to respond to the changed geopolitical challenges and to strengthen its competitiveness. This policy brief analyzes the main economic challenges ahead.

Climate change has an effect on all areas of development in poor countries due to its impact on the agricultural sector. The EU development policy should support innovative financial mechanisms for family farms and work towards the opening of product markets and the free movement of people.

Over the past decade, crises have shaped public perceptions of the EU. Despite the rise of EU-critical parties, the EU and its institutions still enjoy higher levels of trust than national governments.

One reason why the European asylum system is overloaded is the lack of opportunities to enter the EU legally. Especially for low-skilled people, the chances of obtaining work visas in Europe are vanishingly small. Here is what the EU and Germany could do about it.

A joint energy and climate action policy could save European countries EUR 248 billion by 2050. This is the result of a study simulating different scenarios. In the worst-case scenario, the total costs could reach EUR 8.629 trillion.