regulations

  In late 2025, the European Union agreed to accelerate the removal of the customs-duty exemption for imported parcels valued under 150 euros, a technical change that will take effect from mid-2026. Under the new regime, low-value parcels entering the EU from third countries will be subject to a fixed customs duty, ending a long-standing […]

  This is part two of the series on cryptocurrency. Part one can be found here, and part three is available here. Over the past several decades, government debt levels in most advanced economies have reached excesses that would have been politically and economically unthinkable only a generation ago. Borrowing has expanded relentlessly, deficits have […]

  The United Kingdom’s prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, visited Beijing last week, leading a delegation of top British business people for meetings with President Xi Jinping. The prime minister stated “China matters,” leaving room for interpretation. A similar visit was carried out by French President Emmanuel Macron in December, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz […]

  The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 led governments around the world to adopt an extraordinary set of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs), including lockdowns, school closures, limits on mobility, and border restrictions. These measures were unprecedented in scale and intrusiveness, and they were implemented despite limited knowledge about their real effects. Existing pandemic preparedness plans […]

  The European Union sees itself as a rules-based power and a force for good in the global economy. Its regulations are often presented as embodiments of universal values: protecting consumers, ensuring sustainability and promoting digital responsibility. Over the past two decades, this model has become a defining part of Europe’s global identity. Nevertheless, for […]