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What German firms should expect
  • Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW-Report ·
  • 8 Mar 2018

Brexit: What German firms should expect

At present, it is difficult for German companies to foresee future trading conditions with the UK after the withdrawal from the EU. This IW report attempts an initial assessment in order to reduce planning uncertainty. Firstly, the focus is on the shortterm effects of Brexit.
High risks for the ECB
  • Markus Demary / Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW News ·
  • 30 Jan 2018

New Euro area safe bonds: High risks for the ECB

An EU working group presented yesterday a feasibility study for sovereign bond-backed securities. These bonds are designed to reduce the vulnerability of the European banking sector to sovereign debt crises. The problem, however: Should there be any disruptions in the markets for these securities in the event of a crisis, the European Central Bank (ECB) would have to step in.
Factory Europe and its Ties in Global Value Chains
  • Manuel Fritsch / Jürgen Matthes ·
  • Expertise ·
  • 1 Dec 2017

Factory Europe and its Ties in Global Value Chains

Global value chains have continued to expand over the last few decades. This has made them a central part of many companies’ internationalization strategies and an important facet of globalization.
Wie tragfähig sind die Staatsschulden der vormaligen Krisenländer in Südeuropa?
  • Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW-Report ·
  • 24 Oct 2017

How sustainable are government debts in the formerly stressed Southern European countries?

Will the sovereign debt of Italy, Spain and Portugal remain viable even if interest rates rise again and a moderate recession occurs? This debt sustainability analysis which comprises three relatively realistic scenarios and extends to 2022 comes to a differentiated conclusion.
Chinese take-overs in Europe
  • Jürgen Matthes ·
  • Contribution ·
  • 10 Oct 2017

Chinese take-overs in Europe

How does the EU Commission’s idea of closer scrutiny of Chinese investments into European companies square with the same Commission’s advocacy in favour of open markets and free movement of capital? It is a delicate balance to strike between intervention and free markets. The EU needs to be careful not to lose credibility and scare away foreign investors which could endanger the many advantages of inflowing foreign direct investment.
  • Manuel Fritsch / Galina Kolev / Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW-Kurzbericht ·
  • 5 Oct 2017

EU Partners benefit from Germany's US export success

In the debate of the US current account deficit, Donald Trump focuses his criticism to a large extent on Germany. But in the case of a trade war it would not affect Germany alone. Due to intermediate input linkages, hundreds of thousands of jobs in the EU partner countries depend on the success of German exports to the US.
Macron will zu viel
  • Markus Mill / Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW News ·
  • 27 Sep 2017

Euro area: When horizons exceed red lines

Emmanuel Macron's proposals for euro area reforms go well over the target. They are unrealistic and over-ambitious with regard to the outcome of the German elections. The euro area needs a common understanding of the fundamental issues of the Eurozone.
  • Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW-Kurzbericht ·
  • 1 Sep 2017

Beware of tighter social standards in free trade agreements

Members of the EU Parliament call for tighter social standards in EU free trade agreements underpinned by sanctions in case of violations. The objective of this is to help workers in developing countries – but the opposite could be the case.
UK versucht mit Pseudo-Zollunion die Quadratur des Kreises
  • Jürgen Matthes ·
  • IW-Kurzbericht ·
  • 16 Aug 2017

Don't try to square the circle

The UK Government tries to mitigate the disadvantages of exiting the EU customs union through innovative proposals. However, it is hard to imagine that this approach will work out.
  • Ilaria Maselli / Jürgen Matthes for Euractiv ·
  • Contribution ·
  • 6 Jul 2017

At G20, the EU must walk a tightrope on trade policy

At this week’s G20, global trade will come into the spotlight. It will present EU leaders with the daunting task of juggling economic sanity and political reality, write Ilaria Maselli and Jürgen Matthes for Euractiv. Ilaria Maselli is a Senior Economist at The Conference Board. Jürgen Matthes is a Senior Economist at the Cologne Institute for Economic Research. They are the co-authors of the new report, Ensuring Accountability in Modern Trade Policy.
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