Seit März 2013 verhandeln die EU und die USA unter dem Namen 'Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership' (TTIP) über ein umfassendes Freihandels- und Investitionsabkommen. Hauptziel ist es, Handelsbarrieren zu senken, um so den bilateralen Handel zu steigern und damit Beschäftigungs- und...

In late 2016, a decision will be made by the Council of the European Union whether to launch the ratification process of the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA). The European Commission (EC) is promoting the agreement with the prospects of more trade, stronger economic...

The negotiations on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) were officially launched in April 2013 and comprise 22 countries, most of which are OECD countries and the European Union. Until December 2016, when TiSA negotiations were paused, 21 negotiating rounds had taken place. Whatever in the...

Economic studies on trade liberalization typically highlight positive expected effects. This paper discusses those issues which are frequently neglected, but are nevertheless important for policy-makers. These are macroeconomic adjustment costs and social costs of regulatory change. Our...

The current negotiations on a transatlantic Free-Trade Agreement between the US and the EU (TTIP) have raised substantial public interest. Several studies have highlighted the positive economic effects of TTIP. A new ÖFSE report shows that these claims are overstated and neglect crucial...

The concept of the 'resource curse' has typically been used to explain the adverse effects of resource abundance on economic growth and development. More recently, however, the validity of this approach has been challenged. Not the abundance of natural resources per se, but the ability to cope...

In recent years, a number of studies have been put forth to assess the potential economic effects of the EU-US trade agreement - the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Most studies report gains for the TTIP-member states. However, the commonly applied CGE models contain...

In recent years, a number of studies have been put forth to assess the potential economic effects of the EU-US trade agreement – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Most studies report gains for the TTIP-member states. However, the commonly applied CGE models contain...

This briefing paper provides an overview of t he global iron and steel sector. It describes the properties of iron ore and delineates the geographical distribution of deposits and trade flows. Further, it explains pricing mechanisms and addresses environmental impacts. Iron and steel are key...