Future is Blue

In this episode, we cover these questions: Can Europe afford to implement an energy embargo against Russia?, What are Russia's options to retaliate economically against the West? Will China step in and aid financially its Russian ally? Would it make a difference to include other Russian banks in the SWIFT ban? Don't miss Zach Meyers new paper: The West needs a sanctions strategy

In this episode we discuss topics such as Europe’s dependency on Russian gas, the economic consequences of sanctions on Russia for European economies and the implications of the ongoing crisis on Europe’s energy transition plans.

Is the recovery strong enough? Are the EU Next Generation programs robust enough to keep the recovery momentum? How concerning is inflation? To get some answers we are joined by Jean Pisani-Ferry, Tommaso Padoa Shioppa chair of the European University Institute and Senior Fellow at Bruegel think tank, and Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director.  

After an expansion of 5.5% in 2021, driven mostly by consumer spending a spike in investment and trade in goods above pre pandemic levels, global output is projected to grow by only 4% in 2022 and 3.5% in 2023. There are a number of concerning factors for policymakers, such as the spread of new variants, persistent labour market and supply chain challenges, rising inflation…. Now, can any of this...

How can we reconcile the need of increasing green public investment in the EU while consolidating public deficits after the pandemic? Don't miss our discussion featuring Guntram B. Wolff, Director of Bruegel think tank, Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, and Carlos Carnicero Urabayen, Future is blue host.

We continue our debate about the need for the EU to equip itself with new fiscal rules. A new pact is needed to preserve recovery, gradually consolidate public deficits and protect public investment, particularly green investment. Paul De Grauwe, John Paulson Chair in European Political Economy at the London School of Economics joins this conversation with Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, a...

The current rules were born in the 90s and, in a nutshell, they mandate Member States to keep public debt below 60% and public deficits below 3% of GDP. Fiscal rules were suspended last year so that Member States had fiscal margin to fight an unprecedented crisis. Now everyone seems to agree that we need a new framework.  In this episode we cover why the EU needs different fiscal rules and why a g...

Don't miss this episode if you want to know what are the key takeaways of the UN COP26 Glasgow summit. We also take a look at how economic recovery can be affected by green transition plans. Is Europe doing enough to fight climate change? Can the green agenda be challenged by a cold and expensive winter? These are some of the questions driving the conversation between María Mendiluce and Raymond T...

There are not enough workers. Businesses are struggling to hire all the workers they need. As of the first quarter of 2021, the eurozone´s active workforce remained 2.6 million below pre-pandemic levels, while the US labour force still has almost 2 million fewer people.  What can policymakers in both side of the Atlantic do about it? 

In this episode we are covering one of the most concerning developments we are witnessing over the past few weeks: the rising energy prices. As cold temperatures start knocking on our doors, some fear we are approaching an expensive winter that could complicate the green agenda. Don't miss this conversation hosted by Carlos Carnicero Urabayen with Annika Hedberg and Raymond Torres.

Olaf Scholz, the SPD candidate has come first with a very small margin. Presumably, he will try now to form a coalition with the Green Party and the liberals of FDP. This would be the so-called traffic light coalition (red, green and yellow). A Jamaica option is also on the table (with the CDU joined by Greens and Liberals). Worth noting as well that in both traffic light and Jamaica option , the...

Raymond Torres in conversation with Carlos Carnicero Urabayen analyse the key economic risks for the rest of 2021. Recovery is well under way and unemployment keeps falling in most EU countries. Pre-pandemic jobs levels are expected in the next few quarters. However, there are a few concerns to keep a close eye on over the next few months. Inflation, high levels of public debt and the capacity to...

The pandemic has changed pretty much everything, forcing us to think of new ways of doing things. After more than a year of remote work, now that we are entering a postpandemic world, the future looks more and more hybrid, with a mix of office and home-based working. Automation and the digitalisation of most sectors is also happening at an unprecedented speed.   Now, what are the broader implicati...

Is the global minimum tax such a revolutionary achievement as it sounds? Will multinationals find ways to escape the new tax system proposed at the heart of the G7? Is there a risk that a tax system of this nature can put at risk global recovery? These are some of the questions that we address in this discussion hosted by Carlos Carnicero Urabayen and with the participation of Zach Meyers, researc...

Miguel Carrión, Funcas Europe analyst, talks to Carlos Carnicero Urabayen about Spain’s recovery plan - what we know so far, what’s missing and how it can contribute to help the Spanish economy recover from the COVID shock. Host: Carlos Carnicero Urabayen A project of Funcas Europe . Produced by Agenda Pública .

Carlos Carnicero Urabayen hosts a discussion with Raymond Torres , Funcas Europe Director, and Lourdes Casanova , Gail and Rob Cañizares Director, Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell Univerisity, about the implications of the recent surge in commodities’ prices for Europe’s economic recovery and the balance of power between global powers in a post Corona world.” Host: Carlos Carnicero Urabayen Edi...

A conversation about Italy’s economic prospects between Orsola Costantini and Raymond Torres, hosted by Carlos Carnicero Urabayen. Our guests:  Orsola Costantini , Economic affairs officer at UNCTAD. Raymond Torres , Funcas Europe director. Host: Carlos Carnicero Urabayen Edition: Franco Delle Donne A project of Funcas Europe . Produced by Agenda Pública .

Christian Odendahl, Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform, and Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, discuss with Carlos Carnicero Urabayen the impact of vaccine delays in Europe for a covid-19 economic recovery. Our guests:  Christian Odendahl , analyst at UK in a Chanfing Europe. Raymond Torres , Funcas Europe director. Host: Carlos Carnicero Urabayen Edition: Franco Delle Donne A...

Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, and Jill  Rutter, Brexit analyst at Uk in a Changing Europe, analyse the new relationship between the EU and the UK. Our guests:  Jill Rutter , analyst at UK in a Chanfing Europe. Raymond Torres , Funcas Europe director. Host: Carlos Carnicero Urabayen Edition: Franco Delle Donne A project of Funcas Europe . Produced by Agenda Pública .

From a European perspective, what will be the key developments to keep an eye on in 2021? Carlos Carnicero Urabayen talks to Iain Begg and Raymond Torres to analyse the prospects of an economic recovery, the relationship between the EU and the UK and what to expect from Biden at the White House.  Our guests:  Iain Begg , professorial Research Fellow at the LSE and Funcas Europe. Raymond Torres , F...