

The Sound of Economics
Bruegel
The Sound of Economics brings you insights, debates, and research-based discussions on economic policy in Europe and beyond.
The podcast is produced by Bruegel, an independent and non-doctrinal think tank based in Brussels. It seeks to contribute to European and global economic policy-making through open, fact-based, and policy-relevant research, analysis, and debate.
The podcast is produced by Bruegel, an independent and non-doctrinal think tank based in Brussels. It seeks to contribute to European and global economic policy-making through open, fact-based, and policy-relevant research, analysis, and debate.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 23, 2022 • 35min
Online labour: Can we all just move to Tahiti?
The internet is changing the way we work. In this episode, Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Laura Nurski and Fabian Stephany to discuss the utilisation of online work across countries and occupations, what it means for the society, and how policymakers should better regulate it.
This podcast was produced within the project “Future of Work and Inclusive Growth in Europe“, with the financial support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Mar 10, 2022 • 56min
War in Ukraine: reflections on the economic consequences for Russia
In this episode of the Sound of Economics Live Maria Demertzis and Guntram Wolff host Russian economist Sergei Guriev, to discuss how the war in Ukraine will affect the Russian economy.

Mar 9, 2022 • 45min
War in Ukraine: A conversation with Oleg Ustenko
In this episode of the Sound of Economics Live Guntram Wolff hosts Oleg Ustenko, Economic Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They discuss the economic situation in Ukraine as well as humanitarian needs and Ukraine’s request to ban Russian exports of fossil fuels.

Mar 3, 2022 • 48min
War in Ukraine: China-Russia relations
While most of the world condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, China abstained, but did not go as far as vetoing the UN resolution. How do Sino-Russian relations affect China’s stance and how are these relations likely to be impacted by recent developments?In this episode of the Sound of Economics Live, Giuseppe Porcaro, Alicia García-Herrero and Elina Ribakova continue our look at the war in Ukraine by examining the state of relations between these two major powers.This episode is part of the ZhōngHuá Mundus series of The Sound of Economics.ZhōngHuá Mundus is a newsletter by Bruegel, bringing you monthly analysis of China in the world, as seen from Europe. Sign up now to receive it in your mailbox!

Mar 2, 2022 • 47min
War in Ukraine: Macroeconomic implications for the EU
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU adopted a number of sanctions in an attempt to immobilize the war effort. These sanctions will have an impact on the EU’s own economies. How will they affect inflation? What fiscal and monetary policies will the EU have to consider to get Europe through this new crisis?
Guntram B. Wolff invites Luis Garicano and Jean Pisani-Ferry to unpack these and other questions in this exceptional episode of the Sound of Economics Live.

Mar 2, 2022 • 47min
War in Ukraine: implications for the global financial system and central banks
The G7 and EU sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are having major impact on the Russian economy and also have broader implications for the global financial system. In this episode of the Sound of Economics Live, Giuseppe Porcaro, Silvia Merler and Nicolas Véron take stock on lessons so far and prospects.

Feb 28, 2022 • 22min
The Kremlin's gas wars
The European Union and other major economies have imposed swift, broad and devastating sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But given Europe’s energy dependence on Russian natural gas, there is a growing fear across the continent that Russia could hit back. Bruegel’s Guntram Wolff and Simone Tagliapietra discuss how Europe can withstand Russia’s counter sanctions and keep in unity.
Relevant publications:
Poitiers, N., G., Tagliapietra, S., Wolff, G. and G. Zachmann (2022) 'The Kremlin’s gas wars', Bruegel External publication, 28 February
McWilliams, B., Sgaravatti, G., Tagliapietra, S. and G. Zachmann (2022) ‘Can Europe survive painlessly without Russian gas?’, Bruegel Blog, 27 January

Feb 23, 2022 • 30min
Europe's recovery budget
Bruegel’s Director Guntram Wolff is joined by MEP Johan Van Overtveldt, Chair of Committee on Budgets in the European Parliament to discuss the current committee discussions including NGEU borrowing. They also spoke about his new book: The Mystic Hand, How Central Banks Shaped the 21st Century Global Economy, which traces the way in which central bankers learned, unlearned, relearned and still have to learn the tricks of their trade.
This is the latest in our series of conversation with prominent Members of the European Parliament. Previous conversations on topics ranging from trade to EU economic governance and the rule of law can be found below:
The European economy in 2022, with Irene Tinagli
The state of trade: the EU’s trade policy, with Bernd Lange
Keeping momentum on good governance, with Katalin Cseh
A European common tax space, with Sven Giegold
The big brother is back? with Esther de Lange
Without good governance EU recovery could fail, with Luis Garicano

Feb 16, 2022 • 41min
Europe’s energy crisis
Since late 2021, European households’ gas and electricity bills have climbed to unprecedented levels. However, given the uncertainty of future Russian gas supplies and several other factors, the situation ahead does not look much rosier. How did we get here? And what should Europe do to get out of this crisis, in the short and long-term? Bruegel’s own Giuseppe Porcaro, Simone Tagliapietra and Georg Zachmann discuss with Agata Łoskot-Strachota, Senior Fellow of Energy Policy at the Centre for Eastern Studies, Poland.
Read more:
McWilliams, B., Sgaravatti, G., Tagliapietra, S. and G. Zachmann (2022) ‘Can Europe survive painlessly without Russian gas?’, Bruegel Blog, 27 January
McWilliams, B., G. Sgaravatti, G. Zachmann (2021) ‘European natural gas imports’, Bruegel Datasets, first published 29 October, updated regularly
Sgaravatti, G., S. Tagliapietra, G. Zachmann (2021) ‘National policies to shield consumers from rising energy prices’, Bruegel Datasets, first published 4 November, updated regularly

Feb 9, 2022 • 40min
China's human capital problem
China is a highly unequal country. There are many reasons for this, ranging from a lack of social services to a lack of social mobility. Today Giuseppe Porcaro is joined by Bruegel Senior fellow Alicia García-Herrero, and Scott Rozelle, Co-director at Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, to talk about the impact of industrialisation and automation are having on rural and low-income workers in China. This episode is part of the ZhōngHuá Mundus series of The Sound of Economics.ZhōngHuá Mundus is a newsletter by Bruegel, bringing you monthly analysis of China in the world, as seen from Europe. Sign up now to receive it in your mailbox!


