After a long journey, the final chapter of my PhD (completed in 2019!) was published. The paper examines how #tax can contribute to #state-building in sub-Saharan Africa. A big thank you to Oliver Morrissey and Abrams Tagem for their persistence. Paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Does Taxation Improve Electoral Accountability in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Taxation can contribute to state-building through a tax bargain in which taxpayers are willing to increase compliance in return for improved government accountability. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) i...

tandfonline.com

Very excited about our 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 on #tax and #aid, and how donors can better support #DRM. We'll be joined by an outstanding panel: • Pascal Saint-Amans (Bruegel) • Mary Baine (ATAF) • Joe Stead (OECD) • Uwe Böwer (European Commission) Hope to see many of you there on 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝗻𝗱. 👇

Bruegel@bruegel.org · last mo.

📊 Aid, taxes and state capacity: the future of Domestic Revenue Mobilisation 🗓️ 02 July 2026 13:00-14:00 At this event, Pascal Saint-Amans (Bruegel) discusses the past, present and future of donor support for DRM with Mary Baine (ATAF) and Joe Stead (OECD). 🔗Register: buff.ly/zJvyOIJ

Very excited about our 𝘂𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 on #tax and #aid, and how donors can better support #DRM. We'll be joined by an outstanding panel: • Pascal Saint-Amans (Bruegel) • Mary Baine (ATAF) • Joe Stead (OECD) • Uwe Böwer (European Commission) Hope to see many of you there on 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝗻𝗱. 👇

Bruegel@bruegel.org · last mo.

📊 Aid, taxes and state capacity: the future of Domestic Revenue Mobilisation 🗓️ 02 July 2026 13:00-14:00 At this event, Pascal Saint-Amans (Bruegel) discusses the past, present and future of donor support for DRM with Mary Baine (ATAF) and Joe Stead (OECD). 🔗Register: buff.ly/zJvyOIJ

Is EU development aid still about poverty reduction? Our research finds: yes but strategic interests matter too. Migration, geopolitics and raw materials increasingly shape aid flows. Paper in comments With: @camille-reverdy.bsky.social @niclaspoitiers.bsky.social & Anna Bahi Esteba @bruegel.org

📦 Between values and interests: drivers of EU aid 🔍 How have external policy drivers begun to reshape EU development cooperation after Global Gateway? 📑 By Anna Bahí Esteba, @roeldom.bsky.social, @niclaspoitiers.bsky.social and @camille-reverdy.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/eWVKKwe #EconSky

Between values and interests: drivers of EU aid

EU aid is still more poverty-focused than peers, but external policy drivers are growing and reshaping development cooperation after Global Gateway

buff.ly

🚨 What drives EU aid allocation: values or strategic interests? 🇪🇺 In our latest @bruegel.org working paper with @roeldom.bsky.social, we explore the political economy behind EU external assistance and what really shapes where aid goes.

🛟 Does the European Commission's state aid framework improve upon similar initiatives announced in response to geopolitical shocks? 💡 Read the First Glance by @roeldom.bsky.social and @tagliapietra.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/SthZ7Qe #EconSky #Iran #EU #Energy

The Iran energy shock is a test of European discipline on state aid

The latest EU temporary state-aid framework is needed to shield industries and consumers from short-term costs, but should not become more permanent

buff.ly

5️⃣ Financing the EU budget: an assessment of 5 proposals for new resources Will the Commission's suggestions for revenue raising in the next EU budget support Europe's goals? 📑 Read the Analysis by @zsoltdarvas.bsky.social and @roeldom.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/Qk8Oxhn #EconSky

Financing the EU budget: an assessment of five proposals for new resources

Four of five new European Union budget ‘own resources’ proposed by the European Commission should go ahead with changes; the fifth should be scrapped

buff.ly

🌍 EU aid for domestic revenue mobilisation after the Sevilla Commitment 💡 The EU should lead on turning the Sevilla Commitment into credible action. 📑 Read the Policy Brief by @roeldom.bsky.social, Costanza Greppi Maturana and Pascal Saint-Amans 🔗 buff.ly/KXiTL4k #EconSky

EU aid for domestic revenue mobilisation after the Sevilla Commitment

The 2025 Sevilla Commitment renews the push for domestic revenue mobilisation, with the EU needing stable, targeted support for low-income partners

buff.ly

🗾 Debt sustainability in Japan and the case for a fiscal council What fiscal reforms will be needed to ensure Japan can service its public debt? 📑 Read the Working Paper by Tomomi Miyazaki, @marie-lappe.bsky.social and @roeldom.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/jmHCi9N #EconSky

Debt sustainability in Japan and the case for a fiscal council

Rising rates are testing Japan’s fiscal framework, with debt dynamics hinging on growth and pointing to the need for adjustment and a fiscal council

buff.ly

We have arrived.👋 The economic departments of the @ec.europa.eu are now on Bluesky to share with you news, analyses, new initiatives, publications on everything related to EU economy, finance, budget, taxations, customs, reforms and investments. Join us and spread the word. It'll be fun. 🤘

💰 Tax, sovereignty and the EU ❓️How will Europe manage the collision of money, sovereignty and global reform? 🎙️ In this episode of The Sound of Economics, @rebeccawire.bsky.social sits down with Bruegel’s Pascal Saint-Amans & @roeldom.bsky.social to talk taxes. 🔗 Listen now: buff.ly/zftOMme

Tax, sovereignty and the EU

How will Europe manage the collision of money, sovereignty and global reform?

buff.ly

💶 How the global minimum tax amendments could reshape Europe’s tax incentives What will the final agreement mean for EU countries? 🔖 Read the Analysis by @roeldom.bsky.social 🔗 www.bruegel.org/analysis/how... #EconSky

🔍 Shifting priorities, slow progress: an analysis of EU tax recommendations ➡️ With taxation largely a domestic competence, have the Commission's efforts to coordinate EU tax policy been effective? 🖊️ @roeldom.bsky.social, Costanza Greppi Maturana and Pascal Saint-Amans 🔗 buff.ly/qOrjUfG #EconSky

Shifting priorities, slow progress: an analysis of EU tax recommendations

EU tax advice has broadened to new objectives, yet uneven implementation highlights the limits of soft coordination

bruegel.org

EU imports of Chinese electric vehicles steady after tariffs 📈 From 2019 to 23 imports grew substantially 📆 Oct-24, EU passed tariffs on 🇨🇳 produced EVs 🚫 Imports have since steadied at 1/2 billion monthly 📊 Explore @bruegel.org dataset: european-clean-tech-tracker.bruegel.org/technology/e...

Despite the recent US-EU #trade talks, digital #taxes and #tech rules are still a flashpoint — Washington threatens retaliation while Brussels stands firm. Glad I could contribute to this Deutsche Welle piece. Read more 👉 www.dw.com/en/digital-t...

Digital taxes put US-EU trade talks under pressure – DW – 09/01/2025

Trump is now threatening retaliation over EU tech rules, shaking the bloc’s 15% tariff deal. Lacking China’s rare earths leverage, Brussels is scrambling for countermeasures — what cards can it still ...

dw.com

The #EU proposed CORE levy taxes turnover, not profit. It penalises low-margin firms. It’s regressive & risks tax cascading. Together with @zsoltdarvas.bsky.social & Marie-Sophie Lappe, I argue it should be scrapped. 👉 www.bruegel.org/first-glance... #EUBudget #Tax #MFF @bruegel.bsky.social

CORE concerns: why a turnover-based levy is wrong for the EU budget

A plan to raise EU revenues from companies benefitting from the single market would create risks and distortions, and should be withdrawn

bruegel.org

Just in time for the summer break: @roeldom.bsky.social and my take on where the Single Market agenda is failing and what would need to change to make it a success www.bruegel.org/working-pape... @bruegel.bsky.social #SingleMarket

The European single market: restarting the perpetual revolution

Boosting the EU single market needs stronger rule enforcement and targeted harmonisation, especially in services and regulated professions

bruegel.org

Our Blueprint on the #EU #MFF is out. On #OwnResources, we outline criteria for new own resources, arguing that they should primarily advance EU policy goals. 📖 Read more below 👇

Bruegel@bruegel.org · last yr.

💶 Bigger, better funded and focused on public goods: how to revamp the European Union budget 🔨 How can the #MFF be reformed to match EU objectives? 🖊️ @zsoltdarvas.bsky.social, @roeldom.bsky.social, Marie-Sophie Lappe, Pascal Saint-Amans and @steinbacharmin.bsky.social 🔗 buff.ly/V3I8Wo9 #EconSky

🌍 The implications of G7 agreement on the global minimum tax In return for its support, the US secured a carve out for its companies. 🔍 But is this as straightforward a win for the Trump administration as it seems? 🖊️ Pascal Saint-Amans 🔗 buff.ly/dPSaoNv #EconSky #G7 #tax

The implications of G7 agreement on the global minimum tax

Though the European Union might not like a ‘side-by-side’ global minimum tax system, it has little choice but to work with it for now

buff.ly

Glad to share some thoughts in @brusselstimes.com on the #Brussels Region’s growing fiscal troubles - what a credit downgrade could mean and the risks this poses for #debt management. 📖 www.brusselstimes.com/economics/16... #Brussels #PublicFinance #Debt #Bruegel

No government, no plan: Brussels braces for credit downgrade

An in-depth look at Brussels’ debt shows how a severe S&P downgrade Friday could trigger a cash crunch — and a constitutional showdown.

brusselstimes.com

The European Union’s defence spending laggards could be asked to pay more into the common budget. This new resource would underscore the EU’s commitment to collective security. 🖊️ Zsolt Darvas, @roeldom.bsky.social‬ , @steinbacharmin.bsky.social ‬ & Pascal Saint-Amans #EconSky

Boosting EU budget revenues with a defence spending shortfall levy

The European Union’s defence spending laggards could be asked to pay more into the common budget

bruegel.org

“As the #EU deepens its partnerships to secure critical #minerals, the situation in eastern #Congo highlights a stark dilemma: how to uphold its commitments to peace and democratic governance while navigating a global race for resources,” Dom told @euronews.com.

Critical raw materials set be be a key lever in global trade war

As global trade tensions intensify, the increasing demand for elements from the lesser known corners of the periodic table is making them an increasingly important piece on the new geopolitical chess ...

euronews.com

🚨 Paper alert 🚨 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 #𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀? Pierre Bachas, @annebrockmeyer.bsky.social, Camille Semelet and I analyze firm-level 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭𝟲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 to explore how effective tax rates vary across firm size. What do we find? Read more 👇 (1/n)

Effective Tax Rates, Firm Size and the Global Minimum Tax

This paper documents new facts on corporate taxation and the revenue potential of corporate minimum taxes, leveraging firm-level tax returns from 16 countries. First, .

documents.worldbank.org

📊 Chart of the week: defence expenditure in 2024 and capital city distance to Moscow, European NATO countries 🪖 🖊️ By @guntramwolff.bsky.social @steinbacharmin.bsky.social and @jzettelmeyer.bsky.social 🔗 Policy Brief here: buff.ly/4TTXiYf

“The reason VAT is accepted by the World Trade Organization is precisely because it isn’t discriminatory,” said Dom. www.wsj.com/economy/glob...

What Is VAT? The Tax Trump Hates and the Rest of the World Won’t Give Up

Value-added taxes, which the president says discriminate against U.S. exporters, fund a large share of government budgets in many countries.

wsj.com

🗓️ Save the date ➡️ Prospects for reducing sovereign debt while tackling ongoing crises Join the discussion with @jzettelmeyer.bsky.social @roeldom.bsky.social and other discussants! #EconSky https://buff.ly/3QyxBRd

There are two scenarios: EU countries cooperating: in that case, they can agree to re-label stuff and use the port with lowest tariffs. German companies, for example, can open subsidiaries in Netherland and export from there if Germany subject to tariff and NL not. or other scenario:

Stanley Pignal@spignal.bsky.social · last yr.

The real fun begins if Trump imposes tariffs on some EU countries but not others. Potentially deeply divisive for Europeans (who will say "you can't do that!" even as Trump does it)

To respond to Trump's all-out attack, Europe must overcome 2 obstacles: its small size and large diversity. In this piece with O. #Blanchard, we claim that it should build coalitions of the willing. We explore 3 cases: climate action, trade and corporate taxation. www.bruegel.org/analysis/eur...

Europe’s challenge and opportunity: building coalitions of the willing

The European Union should take the lead in convening alliances of countries to counteract threats to the global order

bruegel.org

The crisis in the #DRC creates an uncomfortable challenge for the #EU. I argue that despite its critical mineral interests, the EU should be strict on #Rwanda to maintain credibility and encourage conflict de-escalation 👇

Bruegel@bruegel.org · 2y ago

⚠️ DRC crisis: can the EU's strategic interests be reconciled with its development goals? 🕊️ This First glance by @roeldom.bsky.social analyses the actions that the EU can take to balance the trade-offs between its geoeconomic and development objectives. #EconSky 🔗 https://buff.ly/4jDzx8p