Blog

Sense & nonsense in end of year reviews

| 21 January 2013
Fiscal, Trade, Blog | Tags: Forecasting
The turn of every calendar year witnesses a spate of reviews by pundits in the media. For a columnist, these reviews are an attractive vehicle, ideally drawing upon events from the previous 12 months and combining them with insights into developments relating to the next ... continue reading

“What’s it for?” – Moral responsibility in an age of globalization

| 2 December 2012
Trade, Blog | Tags: Financial Markets, G20, WTO
Several years ago, I was approached by an Indian student following a lecture I had given on globalization and the interdependence of markets through cross-border flows of goods, services, ideas, knowledge, science and people. His question was: “But what’s it for?” In the late 20th/early ... continue reading

Why a financial transaction tax is good for your pension

| 23 October 2012
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Financial Markets, Financial Transaction Tax
Before the end of 2012, it is likely that 9 EU Member countries will invoke the “Enhanced Co-operation Procedure” and move ahead with a Financial Transactions Tax (FTT), that, if it had broad coverage of financial instruments and players would raise over USD$30bn, providing a ... continue reading

Europe’s fiscal blind spot

| 23 October 2012
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Carbon Taxes, Climate, Taxes
Smarter taxes on energy and emissions to reduce public deficits As European governments desperately try to plug public deficits, restore competitiveness, employment and growth, the tendency would seem to be towards less environmental policies. What if more environmental protection and putting a price on pollution ... continue reading

Solidarity beyond taxation

| 13 October 2012
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Philanthropy, Wealth Taxes
„Coercion doesn’t create good will” is a wise proverb – occasionally referred to as patriarchal. With a synonym for this adjective being patronizing, it is particularly fitting for the proposal that recently hit German headlines: to bolster public finances shaken by the Euro crisis with ... continue reading