In 2005 the current account deficit attained 7½% of GDP, its worst position of the last 25 years, and in 2006 it might reach 8½%. Traditionally, Spain’s trade deficit has been partially offset by surpluses in other external balances, particularly service trade, as a result of large net...

The document describes the evolution of intra-EU current account asymmetries. Some experimental results obtained using a modelling approach to derive asymmetry-free European aggregates are presented. The results are not usable at the national (Member State) level and they will not eliminate...

The present study was conducted as part of a wider evidence gathering by the Commission on geo-blocking as a barrier to online cross-border trade in the European Digital Single Market. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of geo-blocking...

The paper, produced by the wildlife trade monitoring network, Traffic, on the eve of EU enlargement urges the old and new member states to increase their efforts to stem the illegal trade in wildlife. Experts fear that traders will exploit the enlargement of the European Union to launder...

On 1 May 2004, ten countries became members of the European Union. The addition of Cyprus, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovenia brings the total number of Member States to 25. Although the EU has successfully integrated new countries on...

The biggest ever enlargement of the European Union both in terms of scope and diversity is scheduled to take place on the 1 of May 2004 when 10 of the 13 candidate countries are expected to join the Union. This constitutes a challenge both for the current member states and for candidate...

This paper discusses the channels between openness and productivity and trade hampering factors. The stylized facts from the heterogeneous firms literature suggests that firms face market entry costs for each new product they export and to each new export market. Transport costs, border costs...