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IMF | Righting Globalizations’ Wrongs

Place-based policies offer regions left behind by globalization a path beyond economic populism. One of the most firmly held beliefs in economics is that free trade is good for humanity. Yet that confidence in the economic virtue of open markets can blind the profession to the complications of deep global economic ties. When in the 1990s the world leapt into frenzied globalization, policymakers touted the potential efficiency gains but gave short shrift to possible painful distributional consequences. Those consequences have...

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Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

European Commission | Ensuring Fairness and Safety: €3 Customs Duty for Low-Value Parcels

From 1 July 2026, the EU will introduce a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels imported from outside the EU, mainly through e-commerce. This includes a wide range of products commonly bought online, such as clothing, toys, electronics, and other consumer goods worth up to €150. Every day, millions of low-value parcels enter the EU. Many contain products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties. At the same time, the current customs duty exemption gives non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over businesses that manufacture...

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IMF | Artificial Intelligence and the Economics of Adjustment

Today’s AI policies will shape tomorrow’s job market. Artificial intelligence has reignited an old fear—that technology will eliminate work faster than economies can adapt. Variations of this concern appear every time powerful new technologies emerge. What feels different today is the speed, scope, and visibility of AI’s advance, particularly in cognitive tasks long assumed to be uniquely human. Yet history shows that whenever new technology emerges, economies ultimately undergo deep structural transformation. This allows labor markets to adapt to the potential...

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European Council | EU-US Trade: Council Gives Final Approval for the Tariff Commitments Under Joint Statement

Today, the Council formally adopted two regulations implementing the tariff-related commitments set out in the EU-US Joint Statement of 21 August 2025. The adoption completes the legislative process and confirms the EU’s commitment to a stable, predictable and mutually beneficial transatlantic trade relationship, while preserving the necessary guardrails to protect European economic interests. "We are committed to a strong and open transatlantic partnership with our historic ally, but openness must go hand in hand with safeguarding our interests. These measures achieve both, supporting...

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European Commission | Tax Simplification Package to Streamline Compliance and Enhance Competitiveness of the Single Market

Today, the European Commission adopted an ambitious tax simplification package designed to simplify EU tax rules and reduce compliance burdens for businesses. The package comprises of two proposals, the Taxation Omnibus and the Recast of the Directive on Administrative Cooperation (DAC) and will modernise the EU's direct tax framework and strengthen the competitiveness of the Single Market while maintaining the existing strong level of protection against tax fraud, evasion and avoidance. The package is expected to save EU businesses around €8 billion annually,...

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ECB | What Separates Firms That Use AI Intensively From Firms That Don’t?

Blog | The adoption rate of AI is rising rapidly, but the intensive use that drives transformation and generates macroeconomic gains remains rare. This blog explores what sets intensive AI users apart and what firms need to deeply integrate AI into their production processes. The advent of AI has been widely hailed as a driver of productivity growth. Yet simply adopting AI does not guarantee measurable improvements in firms’ efficiency. What does matter is what they use the new technology...

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European Parliament | Digital Euro: MEPs Want to Ensure Sovereignty, Privacy and Financial Stability

  Secure, private and free-to-use means of payment, both online and offline Privacy safeguards built in Limits to individual holding, pilot testing and coordinated public awareness campaigns The digital euro would offer citizens and businesses a private, secure and innovative way to pay, while reducing reliance on non-EU providers. On Tuesday, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee adopted its position on the single currency package, consisting of three files. The one on the establishment of the digital euro was adopted by 43 votes to...

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ECB | AI and the US Labour Market: Effects on Employment Growth

As firms around the world adopt AI tools, the impact of AI on labour markets is being widely discussed. While AI’s potential to disrupt job markets could be significant, its effects on aggregate employment appear to be muted so far. Still, there is growing evidence that AI is negatively affecting employment for specific occupational sub-groups, particularly junior workers in highly exposed occupations. This box analyses the effects of AI on employment growth in recent years, focusing on the United States, where...

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IMF | The Energy Shock Is Testing Government Budgets

Blog | New policy tracker shows many governments pursuing costly responses to fuel and food price hikes, leaving less room to address future challenges. As governments move quickly to shield people and businesses from the energy shock caused by the war in the Middle East, early evidence suggests many countries are resorting to untargeted and potentially expensive policies amid tight budgets. If the recent peace talks lead to a quick normalization of trade and oil flows, and prices go back...

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World Bank | Coal’s Unexpected Comeback: Middle East Conflict Drives a Return to Coal Power

Blog | This blog post is part of a special series based on the April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook, a flagship report published by the World Bank. This series features concise summaries of commodity-specific sections extracted from the report. Australian thermal coal prices reached $150/mt in early June, fueled by supply disruptions in China, export uncertainty in Indonesia, and rising summer electricity demand, before retreating sharply after the announcement of an end to military operations in the Middle East. Earlier in March,...

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