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IW News

Comments on current polical and economic events.

IW Newsletter: IW News

Between promotion and regulation
  • Markus Demary / Vera Demary ·
  • IW News ·
  • 8 Mar 2018

FinTech Strategy of the EU: Between promotion and regulation

With its Fintech Action Plan, the European Commission intends to promote new business models in the financial sector as well as new forms of business financing. The plan also includes the so-called Initial Coin Offerings (ICO), which could benefit above all young start-ups from the technology sector. However, the Commission’s proposal is not sufficiently far-reaching.

(Un-)Fair taxation of the digital economy
  • Martin Beznoska / Tobias Hentze ·
  • IW News ·
  • 6 Mar 2018

(Un-)Fair taxation of the digital economy

The EU would neglect its responsibility for the mismatch of tax policies among member states by implementing a taxation of the digital economy. It would translate into a tax increase for a specific group of companies, which would make the classification of digital companies alone highly controversial. This would further enlarge distortions instead of guaranteeing a level playing field. Instead of the taxation of the digital economy, the German Economic Institute suggests a two-step approach in order to avoid distortions and unfair taxation.

Europe, soon a single data market?
  • Digital Single Market ·
  • IW News ·
  • 10 Jan 2017

Europe, soon a single data market?

Data is the currency of the digital age. In order to take full advantage of the potential of the European data economy, the European Commission wishes to further harmonize data rights. This is overdue in order not to lose the connection to the USA completely.

Dreaming of Digital Unity
  • Collaborative economy ·
  • IW News ·
  • 2 Jun 2016

Dreaming of Digital Unity

Diverse regulation in the EU member states prevents online platforms such as collaborative platforms like Uber or Airbnb from scaling up. In order to create a consistent framework, the EU Commission has put forward an agenda for the collaborative economy today – without extreme restrictions of business activities. This is appropriate and long overdue.

What trumps?
  • Structural Change ·
  • IW News ·
  • 26 Apr 2016

Manufacturing or services: What trumps?

Structural change is pervasive and affects economies worldwide – some for the worse, many for the better. In order to reap the benefits promised by structural change, many countries have tried to strengthen their service sectors. A new study presented by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW) shows: They are playing their cards wrong.

up
  • Digital Business Location ·
  • IW News ·
  • 25 Feb 2016

Slow catch: up

Germany is far from being the leading European nation in digitization. In a recent ranking of the European Commission, Germany occupies rank 9 of the 28 member states. Compared to last year the Federal Republic, however, has caught up: Especially companies now take advantage of digitization.

  • Copyright protection ·
  • IW News ·
  • 11 Feb 2016

National, global, digital

In light of increasing digitalisation, the EU is facing a reform in the area of copyright protection. This is no simple matter. After all, each country has its own regulations in this area; and yet providers of texts, images, films, music and software have other interests than consumers do.

No end to the Safe Harbor vacuum
  • Transatlantic data transfers ·
  • IW News ·
  • 29 Jan 2016

No end to the Safe Harbor vacuum

Sunday (31st) marks the deadline for a new Safe Harbor agreement on transatlantic data transfers. It is unlikely that this deadline will be met. The victims of the ongoing legal uncertainty are thousands of businesses across Europe. They need legal certainty to be able to plan ahead.

Too late, too general
  • EU Data Protection Regulation ·
  • IW News ·
  • 16 Dec 2015

Too late, too general

After four years of negotiations, the EU has reached an agreement about the Data Protection Reform. It will replace a patchwork of 28 national regulations and strengthen user rights. But particularly the so-called right to data portability might eventually harm competition.

  • Structural change ·
  • IW News ·
  • 18 Nov 2015

There’s no ideal way

Unlike before the global economic and financial crisis, striving for a high share in the service sector is now no longer considered the only way to prosperity. Thus, governments should refrain from steering structural change in a specific direction.

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