Money allocation is not the key to recovery and resilience, reforms are
We are close to the end of the approval process of the national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs) submitted by the member states. These are large plans drafted in a very short period of time and assessed under time pressure. Expectations regarding the impact of their implementation are high, and to a large extent unrealistic. […]
Assessing Reforms in the National Recovery and Resilience Plans: Italy
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is designed to help the EU recover from the economic and social impact of the Covid-19 crisis. Structural reforms are a key component of the recovery strategy, essential for the efficient and effective implementation of investments in that they provide a supportive business and administrative environment and prevent the […]
Steering and Monitoring the Recovery and Resilience Plans
This paper provides an extensive account of the procedures and rules of the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It analyses the European Commission’s guidance and offers insights into how the process is being steered and how the implementation of the NRRPs will be monitored. The aim is to highlight not only the opportunities, but also the pitfalls of […]
From coal to low carbon
The Covid-19 crisis has laid bare the vulnerability of coal regions. Economic recovery and associated funding, as well as the need for new low-carbon solutions, offers a unique opportunity to address the transition of coal regions. The combination of worsening economics of coal and the increasingly universal move towards carbon neutrality makes redeveloping coal regions […]
Avoiding the Main Risks in the Recovery Plans of Member States
This is the first of a series of reports dedicated to the preparation and implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility of the EU. It sets out some of the main risks to the success of the recovery programmes, such as a lack of focus and mistargeting, maintaining unsustainable sectors, delays in implementation, and the […]
Fiscal Follies in the COVID Recovery
Originally Published: Project Syndicate, 5 March 2021 With governments in advanced economies continuing to keep the fiscal taps open, it is worth considering whether additional stimulus is really what the situation demands. Unlike the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, the problem today is not a lack of purchasing power, but rather circumstances unique to a […]
Framing the Circular Economy as an EU recovery opportunity
Recovery from the Covid-19 crisis presents an important and unique opportunity for the EU to accelerate its transition towards a climate-neutral and circular economy. While there is little dispute about the opportunities offered by the funds available for the low-carbon and circular economy, the longer-term impact on Europe’s decarbonisation trajectory will depend on the choices […]