A Free Trade Agreement Still Comes with Costs
Major issues must be resolved before any UK-EU agreement on post-Brexit trade and economic relations is completed. There will be substantial costs associated with even a zero-tariff trade deal.
Oct 23, 2020 UK in a Changing Europe
Once a COVID-19 Vaccine Is Ready, Getting People to Take It May Be a Bigger Challenge
With COVID-19 vaccine development well underway, implementation of a vaccination program warrants attention. Vaccine effectiveness demands a certain percentage uptake. But since health care delivery in the United States is fragmented, a coherent federal intervention may be necessary.
Jun 9, 2020 United Press International
Global Challenges to Maintaining a Healthy Workforce During a Pandemic: Views from RAND Experts
As nations across the globe remain in lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, questions about the future of employment and workforce productivity emerge. During a recent webinar, RAND experts discussed how to get people back to work and improve productivity post COVID-19.
May 15, 2020
How the Global Community Can Cooperate to Defeat COVID-19 and Recover
The G20 met in an extraordinary virtual summit March 26 to discuss the shared global challenge of COVID-19. G20 countries could show the way for the rest of the world to cooperate on present challenges and prepare for public policy challenges moving forward.
Apr 28, 2020 The Wall Street Journal
Economic Consequences of COVID-19 in the Middle East: Implications for U.S. National Security
The global COVID-19 pandemic will have a dramatic effect on economies across the globe. But the Middle East may be particularly affected, given the simultaneous fall in oil prices. The economic consequences of this pandemic are also likely to affect U.S. interests in the region.
Apr 1, 2020 The RAND Blog
The Costs of Brexit Uncertainty
It may be tempting to think that Brexit is now done. But the UK's formal departure from the EU in late January was only the end of the beginning. And uncertainty is likely to affect the UK's economic performance moving forward.
Mar 3, 2020 Encompass
Trump's Tariffs Against China Aren't Working. And There's No Quick Resolution in Sight
Washington's go-it-alone approach to its trade disputes with China is imposing a high and growing cost on the U.S. economy. It could even threaten global prosperity. What's more, there's no quick resolution in sight.
Aug 20, 2019 Los Angeles Times
A Challenging Moment for Boris Johnson
As Britain's next prime minister, Boris Johnson will bring advantages, and disadvantages, in seeking to lead the United Kingdom through a period as challenging as the Suez Crisis or (perhaps) the darkest days of World War II.
Jul 23, 2019 The Hill
Development with No Political Framework Is a Car Without an Engine
Pushing an economic development plan for the Middle East without addressing the political issues specific to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is like trying to sell a car without an engine. Why? Because an economic strategy that doesn't address core political issues would have no governing entity to put it into effect.
Jul 9, 2019 RealClearWorld
The End of May: Another Brexit Victim
What brought down British Prime Minister Theresa May? The essential contradictions of Brexit and a British public that cannot muster a majority for any Brexit outcome.
May 27, 2019 The Hill
Economic Officers for the Future
Economic officers must be, first of all, accomplished political officers. They should also have all the reporting, public speaking, and representational skills of any political or public diplomacy officer, coupled with a strong understanding of economic issues.
Jan 7, 2019 Foreign Service Journal
The UK Can't Have Its Brexit Cake and Eat It Too
If the UK wishes to negotiate free-trade deals around the world, it has to either rebuild a border in Ireland or put up a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. If it crashes out of the EU with no agreement, the economic costs are the highest and border chaos is likely.
Dec 11, 2018 The Hill
Europe's Five Strategies for Coping with Migration Pressure
Migration will likely continue to be a long-term challenge for European politics, institutions, governments, and values. Even with a drop in numbers and the development of institutional capabilities to manage migration, the European Union still has important tasks ahead of it.
Dec 3, 2018 The National Interest
For the UK's Post-Brexit Economy, No Deal Is the Worst Deal
Brexit negotiations around trade are likely to be complicated for the UK and EU, particularly as a common position between all the parties could be difficult to achieve. Trying to avoid the worst-case economic option of 'no deal' is likely to be at the top of the agendas for both the UK and EU as trade talks begin.
Jan 9, 2018 EurActiv
The Burdens of Brexit
The economic consequences of Brexit are likely to be negative across a wide range of scenarios, including the most likely outcomes that the UK now faces. If the UK leaves the EU with no trade deal it could lose 4.9 percent of GDP, or $140 billion, after 10 years.
Dec 12, 2017 Newsweek
The Snap Election, What's in It for Theresa May?
Why would Theresa May take the risk of a national election, which otherwise wouldn't be needed until 2020, and what does she expect to gain from it? Calling an election now enables May to take decisive control of her party and should strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations.
Apr 23, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
Brexit and the Politics of Raising Barriers
A lot is known about bringing new members into alliances and trade relationships. Not much is known about dismantling these bonds peaceably. Since Brexit will be more about adding barriers than taking them down, it will be a leap into the dark.
Mar 29, 2017 Newsweek
Politics Across the Pond
Donald Trump and Theresa May can't actually get much done on U.S.-U.K. trade in the short term. Whatever Trump and May say or agree to during this visit will be for political effect. Any real bargaining on the economics will take place years in the future.
Jan 31, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
The Greek Tragedy's Next Act Unfolds
On regaining the mantle of prime minister, Tsipras should expect little, if any, honeymoon from the Greek electorate, as he faces not just the implementation of austerity measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund and the EU: He must also cope with Greece's part of a European migration crisis of historic proportions.
Sep 27, 2015 Newsweek
The Political Solution to the Greek Financial Crisis
The outcome of Greece's financial crisis will have broad consequences for its already-devastated economy and, to a considerable extent, for the rest of Europe. The core problem is less about economics than about politics.
Jun 30, 2015 FOX News Channel
Greek Financial Crisis: All You Need to Know
Europeans should not rush to eject the Greeks from either the euro or the E.U. They should have the patience to let Greek politics run its course.
Jun 21, 2015 Newsweek
War or Peace? Putting a Price on the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse
Today, more than 90 percent of Israelis and Palestinians were born after 1948 and have known nothing other than some version of the impasse. Both sides could be better off with a stable two-state solution. Prolonging the impasse for another generation would have real costs.
Jun 9, 2015 Newsweek
TAFTA: SMEs Would Benefit Greatly
Is the time really ripe for a free trade treaty (TAFTA) between the US and Europe? A TAFTA would liberate small and medium size businesses from a painful cost burden, writes Charles Ries in a guest editorial for International Trade News.
Feb 6, 2013 International Trade News
Abandoning the Euro Would Devastate Greece
Greece is best off doing whatever it takes to remain on the rescue program prescribed by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, while tackling on its own the structural constraints to growth, writes Charles Ries.
Aug 17, 2012 U.S. News & World Report
Auditing U.S. Security Force and Economic Assistance Spending in Iraq
A new audit of Iraq reconstruction spending underlines the fact that effective help for a nation in conflict, or a conflict winding down, isn't merely a question of resources. It also requires a deployable infrastructure to manage the spending, writes Charles Ries.
Jul 19, 2012 The RAND Blog
The Year of the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring demonstrated that leaderless revolutions are difficult to repress or co-opt. Unfortunately, it is also true that leaderless revolts find it difficult to make transition to authority, writes Charles Ries.
Dec 20, 2011 GlobalSecurity.org and The RAND Blog
Building on Greek-Turkish Detente
Greece's high defense spending has contributed to its economic woes. Improvement in relations with Turkey could enable Greece to cut defense spending and make it easier to rescue an economy on the brink of bankruptcy, write F. Stephen Larrabee and Charles Ries.
May 10, 2010 Project Syndicate
Green Buildings, Jobs and Summits
If the United States is to be a global competitor in green building technology, it needs to learn from some of the countries that are at the table in Pittsburgh this week, writes Charles Ries.
Sep 25, 2009 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
