Publications

Bali Boost: WTO Lives, Snatched for Now From Jaws of Defeat

| 23 December 2013
Trade, Blog | Tags: WTO
It would be churlish not to congratulate the WTO and especially Roberto Azevêdo, its dynamic director-general, for successfully passing a “Bali package” at the Indonesian resort well past the 11th hour on 7 December. The WTO Doha Round, launched in the Qatari capital in 2001, ... continue reading

Africa Could Become the World’s Next Powerhouse

| 26 September 2013
Fiscal, Trade, Blog | Tags: Africa, Commodities, Taxes
“A winning Africa!” “Thousands of Portuguese workers emigrate to the former colony of Angola in search of work.” Headlines such as these are a perfect illustration of the Afro-optimism that has gripped the media these last few years. In an Africa courted by foreign investors, ... continue reading

Property Taxes and Sustainability

and | 26 August 2013
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Housing, Inequality
Many economists advocate that a higher share of government revenue should derive from taxes on immovable property. Proponents of a sustainability agenda may want to follow their advice. Read an OECD economic survey for a particular country and chances are high it recommends increasing the ... continue reading

China-EU solar panel trade dispute: Rhetoric versus reality

| 7 June 2013
Trade, Blog | Tags: Antidumping, Energy, Renewables, Subsidies
This article was first published on VoxEU.org and is republished with permission. Following a complaint lodged on 25 July 2012 by EU Pro Sun, an association representing around 20 EU-based producers of solar panels and components, the European Commission initiated an investigation into potential Chinese ... continue reading

Green Economy – Beware of Merchants of Doubt

| 17 April 2013
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Green Growth, Subsidies
Those who oppose change involving powerful economic sectors have long ago found an effective tactic: instilling doubt in the guise of reasonable arguments. A recent manifestation of this tactic is the claim that so-called ‘green jobs’ are too expensive and in fact destroy “real” jobs. ... continue reading