I summarize the main results and policy insights from the 2011 EIB Conference on "Productivity and Long-Term Growth Potential in Europe". Europe's need for productivity growth has become more pressing against the backdrop of huge government debt and a beginning slowdown in labour supply. The...

A drastic change in the way we produce and consume energy is necessary to contain the risk of global environmental catastrophe. For its part, the EU has set agreed to a greenhouse gas reduction target of 80-95 percent by 2050, compared to 1990. However, with the current fuel mix, even the most...

In this paper we show that market integration in the European Union can reduce the cost of electricity. First, through various case studies, we indicate that competition and integration in the different electricity market segments have led to substantial cost savings. Second, we show that...

Meeting Europe's 2030 climate targets will require massive clean-electricity investment. To facilitate these investments, state-backed de-risking schemes such as contracts for difference (CfDs) are needed. Their role in supporting renewables has been consolidated by the European Union's recently...

Three quarters of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions stem from burning coal, oil and natural gas to produce energy services, including heating for buildings, transportation and operation of machinery. The transition to climate neutrality means these services must be provided without...