trump house
Democrats Won Both Chambers. Could That Mean Less Gridlock, Not More?

After the US midterms, a Democratic Congress could produce more legislation than a split one, despite Trump’s veto power. A commentary by Massimo Morelli, and Dmitrii Petrukhin

 
ukraine pb
Policy Brief - Valuing European Military Support to Ukraine

The economic value of EU military aid already provided and in the pipeline is substantially lower than official figures suggest. A Policy Brief by Daniel Gros, Giorgio Presidente, and Thomas Rowley
alcaro consensus
Policy Insight - A New Atlantic Consensus and Its Foes

Atlanticist–Europeanist Convergence and the Nationalist Challenge. A Policy Insight by Riccardo Alcaro
cost of failure
Europe’s Innovation Gap and the Cost of Failure

An Exchange on Dismissal Costs, Firm Size and the Evidence for Labour-Market Reform. By Oliver Coste, Pietro Galeone, and Giorgio Presidente
raiti transport
The Unequal Price of Europe’s Transport Transition

The fuel protests in Italy and France point to transport poverty more than to a revolt against climate policy, and they call for relief that protects the most exposed without undoing the transition. A commentary by Federica Maria Raiti
german university
Working Paper - The Unintended Entrepreneurial Returns to University Grants

Evidence from Germany shows that university-wide grants increase the venture capital raised by graduates’ start-ups, with gains emerging only after seven years. A Working Paper by Daniel Gros, Giorgio Presidente, and Thomas Schwab
menu annual event
At the Table or on the Menu? Europe, Middle Powers and International Order

Join the IEP Annual Event at Bocconi University on 18 November to explore how the EU can work with middle powers to shape a renewed international order

 


 
quotas cars
EU Quotas on Chinese Hybrid Cars: A Public Relations Coup or a Harbinger of a Tougher Approach to Chinese ‘Overcapacity’?

The 2024 tariffs on electric vehicles had little impact. The latest deal is unlikely to make much difference. A commentary by Daniel Gros 
nava commentary
Europe’s Anti-Poverty Strategy: From Targets to Results

Mario Nava, the European Commission’s Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, reviews progress on the measures discussed at the annual IEP Bocconi-EU Commission conference
IEP housing
Policy Brief - Housing First or Treatment First?

What the EU Can Learn from the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Homelessness Programs about Mortality, Housing Stability, and Treatment. A Policy Brief by Syndey Costantini
science
Reforming EU Innovation Funding: IEP Bocconi Contributes to a European Proposal in Science

An INPACT! proposal in Science, with contributions from IEP Bocconi, calls for a clearer path from scientific discovery to market
core 3
Policy Brief - Europe as Central Power

Leading the Like-Minded, Building Partnerships Worldwide. A IEP Bocconi Policy Brief by Daniel Gros and Nathalie Tocci

IEP@BU Commentaries

bini smaghi debt

The World Economy’s Resilience Rests on Borrowed Money

Fiscal and monetary support in the US and China is sustaining growth but widening global imbalances. by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi
Ai dutch desease

How the AI Boom Could Trigger a New Dutch Disease

The technology sector’s debt-fuelled expansion risks squeezing investment elsewhere in the US economy. Traditional remedies offer little help. A commentary by Ignazio Angeloni
midterm

Europe Must Prepare for Both US Midterm Scenarios

A Republican victory and a Democratic comeback would create different risks for AI investment, financing costs and the global economy. A commentary by Moreno Bertoldi, and Marco Buti
youth

Europe’s Young Have Good Reason to Protest

Governments increasingly favour older voters, leaving younger generations with fewer opportunities and a growing debt burden. A commentary by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi 
bini smaghi financial markets

Europe’s Financial Ambitions Stop at National Borders

The October 9 Ecofin deal shows how governments’ defence of national supervisory powers is holding back the integration of Europe’s capital markets. A commentary by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi
Angeloni debt

Europe’s Bond Turmoil Need Not Become a Euro Crisis

Stronger banks and ECB backstops reduce the risk of contagion, but markets need clarity on how those tools would work and confidence in the central bank’s leadership. A commentary by Ignazio Angeloni
diesel deal

Trump is Trading Away Ukraine’s Leverage over Putin

His diesel bargain offers limited relief for American consumers while undermining sanctions and blurring the line between US diplomacy and private business interests. A commentary by William Browder
iep lavoro

Europe Should learn from Ukraine’s Diminishing Reliance on America

Trump’s support for Putin is predictable. Europe should focus on its own autonomy rather than trying to keep Washington on side. A commentary by Nathalie Tocci
nationalists

Europe’s Nationalists are Undermining the National Interest

Governments that resist a stronger EU cannot deliver the protection their voters demand. Pro-European forces have an opportunity to make the democratic case for collective action. A commentary by Marco Buti, and Marcello Messori
Angeloni debt

Europe’s Bond Turmoil Need Not Become a Euro Crisis

Stronger banks and ECB backstops reduce the risk of contagion, but markets need clarity on how those tools would work and confidence in the central bank’s leadership. A commentary by Ignazio Angeloni
ecb early exit

Early Exits Put ECB Independence at Risk

Long terms protect monetary policy from political interference. Candidates should commit to serving them in full. A commentary by Ignazio Angeloni
tocci guerre

The Dangerous Illusion of a Short War

From Ukraine to Iran, leaders keep mistaking military power for strategic success. The conflicts they cannot end threaten to be worse than the “forever wars” they vowed to avoid. A commentary by Nathalie Tocci   
eu afd

Protecting Europe’s Declining Industries Will Not Stop the Far Right

The AfD’s success has given Europe’s political and business elites another excuse to blame Brussels. They should confront their own failures to invest in innovation and skills. A commentary by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi
ukraine

Ukraine’s AfD Insurance Policy

Confiscating Russia’s frozen assets could secure Ukraine’s defence against a future withdrawal of German support. A commentary by Sir William Browder 
jackson hole

Three Lessons from Jackson Hole for Governments and Central Banks

The age of cheap debt is over, monetary policy communication is changing and the future of digital finance still rests on central bank money. A commentary by Ignazio Angeloni
canada

How Canada Can Strengthen EU’s Defence Ambitions

Ottawa’s participation in SAFE can expand Europe’s defence industrial base and deepen security co-operation among like-minded middle powers. A commentary by Rosalba Famà
butter guns

Guns, Butter, and Sovereignty: Europe’s Future Hinges on Overcoming the Security Fragmentation Trap

Strategic convergence on security is no longer optional—it is the bedrock upon which Europe can salvage its economic and political integration project. A commentary by Marco Buti, and Francesco Nicoli 
america's debt

America’s Debt Problem Is Ultimately Political

Washington is unwilling to raise taxes or cut the deficit. As markets increasingly fear that inflation will be used to erode the debt burden, the Federal Reserve may eventually be forced to act. A commentary by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi
putin browder

Putin’s Red Lines Are Written in Disappearing Ink

The Ukrainian military is now using British drones to strike deep inside Russia. Every new Western initiative prompts threats from Putin that never materialise: proof that support for Ukraine is working. A commentary by Sir William Browder
gros CORE

How the EU can Lead the Rest of the West

The EU should lead like-minded middle powers by offering coordination, restraint and market access rather than pretending to be a new hegemon. A commentary by Daniel Gros
gros eu demarais

The Case for Setting Up an EU Critical Minerals Stockpile

The measures that Western economies are taking in order to respond to China’s chokehold over the supply of critical materials are unlikely to work as intended. A commenary by Daniel Gros, and Agathe Demarais 
egea26-27

L’INTELLIGENZA ARTIFICIALE E IL NUOVO POTERE DELLA TECNOLOGIA

Un percorso di riflessione sul futuro dell’IA e sul ruolo che l’Europa può ancora avere nel determinarne la direzione.

Scopri la serie completa di incontri

IEP@BU Events

main 1
LIBRERIA EGEA -Sala di lettura
Viale Bligny 22, Milano
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Chi decide il futuro dell’intelligenza artificiale

Le grandi aziende della Silicon Valley si considerano le uniche con le competenze e il potere di plasmare il nostro futuro e salvarci dall’estinzione che potrebbe essere causata dagli agenti artificiali. Ma è davvero così? Quali alternative esistono? La Cina rappresenta una minaccia o un’alternativa possibile a cui guardare con interesse? 
immagine
Bocconi University
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At the Table or on the Menu? Europe, Middle Powers and International Order

The global order is fracturing under the pressure of great-power rivalry, war, economic coercion, technological dependence, energy insecurity and climate disruption. As the US-led rules-based order weakens, middle powers can either submit to a world of competing empires or work together to renew international law and multilateral cooperation. 

For Europe, this choice is existential: it can remain strategically dependent or act collectively to promote a more open, plural and non-imperial order based on autonomy, cooperation and mutual restraint. Achieving this goal requires more than rhetoric. Europe must strengthen its institutions, investments and innovative capacity across four critical domains: energy and climate, defence and security, trade and economic coercion, and technology and industrial policy. 

The IEP Annual Event will examine whether Europe can turn its vulnerabilities into resilience and strategic autonomy, helping middle powers move from fragmentation towards a renewed global order.
wto
Leonardo Del Vecchio Building, room N07
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On the Value of the WTO

Drawing on insights from the 2026 World Trade Report, this seminar explores the economic value of the WTO and the role of reciprocity, non-discrimination, and common rules in sustaining international trade cooperation. It examines the challenges facing the multilateral trading system amid rising protectionism, geopolitical fragmentation, and changing global trade dynamics.
main 1
LIBRERIA EGEA -Sala di lettura
Viale Bligny 22, Milano
-
I limiti dell’intelligenza artificiale: dall’etica alle infrastrutture

Le potenzialità dell’IA sembrano infinite e chi la sviluppa la presenta come una forza capace di trasformare il nostro mondo senza ostacoli e limiti. Ma non è così: l’intelligenza artificiale ha una dimensione molto fisica, fatta di microchip, data center, cavi e reti. Sono limiti concreti a uno sviluppo che richiede risorse, spazi ed energia.

C’è poi un altro limite: l’IA non può fare tutto. Il suo spazio di azione è fissato anche dai principi etici che i suoi costruttori le impongono. Ma chi ha la legittimità per stabilire la filosofia dell’IA? E questi limiti, applicati a sistemi digitali che non capiamo fino in fondo, sono davvero vincolanti?
MoU Repository

Discover our new interactive repository of Memoranda of Understanding

From migration and energy to trade and critical raw materials, Memoranda of Understanding help shape the EU’s global relations. Yet their texts can be hard to find. The new IEP@Bocconi database brings them together in one accessible place. 

Explore the database

News from IEP@BU

IEP Core
Financial Times Discusses IEP Bocconi’s CORE Proposal

Martin Sandbu engages with Gros and Tocci’s vision for international cooperation, while von der Leyen’s State of the Union echoes proposals on security and critical minerals
sec council
Von der Leyen Backs a European Security Council, an Idea Championed by IEP Bocconi

The proposal featured in Nathalie Tocci’s March policy brief for IEP Bocconi, which argued for a permanent framework to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy.
population europe
Silver Age Report on Longevity and Growth Featured by Population Europe

A new policy insight by Letizia Mencarini draws on research developed by IEP Bocconi in collaboration with Allianz
geopolitics workshop
Evidence-Based Policymaking in a Fragmented World

IEP Bocconi Director Paloma Lopez-Garcia’s welcome remarks at the opening of the Second Junior Workshop in Geoeconomics, organized with CEPR and the Kiel Institute. 

In collaboration with BAFFI Centre.
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EPVM

A new website shows the roll-call votes in European Parliament by MEP, MEP, group, and country, going back to 2004. You can also download the data for free. By Simon Hix and Abdul Noury