IIEA Articles Feed

The Forthcoming Transition in Chinese Leadership 2012 – 2013

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In October 2012, China’s established fourth generation of leaders will begin handing over power to the subsequent fifth generation of Chinese leadership. Understanding the dynamics of this internal shift in power, as well as the key interests and characteristics of the incoming leaders is an essential foundation for future engagement with China.

Leaders Gather for Munich Security Conference

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

World leaders, ministers, heads of international organisations, top military officials and scientists gather today in Germany for the 48th annual Munich Security Conference, which runs from 3-5 February 2012. The elite-level conference is the most important independent forum for debate on current and prospective security policy challenges.

Why Legislate? Designing a Climate Law for Ireland

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

There is broad political agreement on the desirability of climate change legislation in Ireland. There is no consensus, however, about what the content of a climate bill should be, perhaps due to a lack of consensus about what a climate law should seek to achieve. This study aims to explore this issue. We outline three published models of climate legislation, and assess the implications of these bills for the design of a climate law for Ireland. Read more and download the policy brief in this blog.

Euro Crisis Working Papers 7 and 8

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Peadar o Broin has written the two latest working papers in this IIEA series. The first looks at the reform of European financial supervision and regulation, focusing in particular on the contribution of the European Parliament and its ECON Committee. The second anticipates continuing strain in the Eurozone over the coming months and asks the question: 'Orderly Default or Euro Exit?'

Ireland’s Banking Debt: Explaining the Cost of Anglo and Irish Nationwide

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

How to restructure the debt associated with Ireland's banking collapse.

Fiscal Compact - Final Text

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The final text of the 'treaty on stability, coordination and governance in the economic and monetary union' has been released.

Some Thoughts on the Fiscal Compact

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Economic policy-making rarely amounts to picking the best possible policy suggested by economic theory. In a choice between an overly-restrictive and badly-designed fiscal compact and the potential alternative of being denied funding for our fiscal deficit next year (and the more extreme possibilities of sovereign default or exit from the Euro) we should stick with the European project and hope we can work to improve its design in the future.

European Parliament Leadership Changes

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Another Summit

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The first European Council meeting of 2012 gets underway this afternoon in Brussels, even as a general strike that began across Belgium yesterday evening serves to remind EU leaders of the social burden created by austerity measures

Was Fiscal Policy Pro-cyclical?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The provisions on structural budget balances in the draft Fiscal Compact Treaty are aimed at separating the structural and cyclical components of signatories' annual budget deficits. The rationale is that because the cyclical component of the deficit will disappear when the economy recovers, policymakers do not have to worry unduly about it. Instead, they should focus on the structural deficit which will remain when the recovery comes and must therefore be eliminated by policy action in the form of higher taxes and/or lower spending.