European Economic Experts Panel

The Clark Center for Global Markets explores economists’ views on vital policy issues via our US and European Economic Experts Panels. We regularly poll over 80 economists on a range of timely and relevant topics. Panelists not only have the opportunity to respond to a poll’s statements, but an opportunity to comment and provide additional resources, if they wish. The Clark Center then shares the results with the public in a straightforward and concise format.

Please note that from September 2022, the language in our polls will use just two modifiers to refer to the size of an effect:

‘Substantial’: when an effect is large enough that it would make a difference that matters for the behavior involved.
‘Measurable’: when the direction of the effect is clear, but perhaps experts would differ as to whether it is substantial.

Ride-Sharing Caps

Europe

Ride-Sharing Caps

Question A:

Capping the number of ride-sharing drivers as is being discussed in New York City, Chicago and London will make the average resident in that city worse off.

Responses

Source: European Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Question B:

To achieve a given level of congestion, it would be better to use taxes for driving that vary based on the level of congestion, rather than limiting the number of ride-sharing vehicles.

Responses

Source: European Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

December 6, 2018

Immigration and Government Budgets

Europe

Immigration and Government Budgets

People who migrated to Europe between 2015 and 2018 are likely — over the next two decades — to contribute more in taxes paid than they receive in benefits and public services.

Responses

Source: European Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

November 7, 2018

Increasing Returns

Europe

Increasing Returns

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel statement:

Ideas are nonrival, so increasing returns to scale is an essential feature of technological change in a market economy.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

October 17, 2018

Governments and Economic Performance

Europe

Governments and Economic Performance

This week's IGM European Experts Panel Statement:

Voters overestimate the effect that current governments have on their economies’ concurrent economic performance.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

October 2, 2018

Autonomous Cars

Europe

Autonomous Cars

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statement:

Over the next decade, autonomous cars will raise average welfare in the EU by at least as much as smartphones have over the past decade.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

July 25, 2018

Central Banks and Productivity

Europe

Central Banks and Productivity

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel Statement:

Britain’s Labour party recently proposed giving the Bank of England a target of 3% annual labor productivity growth. Consider the following statement:

Central banks cannot significantly increase productivity growth over a ten year horizon, except perhaps by promoting macroeconomic stability.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

July 5, 2018

Digital Sales Tax

Europe

Digital Sales Tax

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:The European Commission has proposed new rules to ensure that “digital business activities are taxed in a fair and growth-friendly way in the EU”. Consider two statements regarding this proposal: An EU-wide 3% tax on revenue from digital activities would, on balance, be a good idea.

If the EU decides to tax digital service providers, it would be better — given the difficulties of measuring and verifying digital activity — to tax them on the revenue, rather than the profits, that they generate locally.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

May 31, 2018

Antitrust and International Competition

Europe

Antitrust and International Competition

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel Statement:

The European Union often uses its antitrust powers to protect EU-based firms from international competition, rather than to promote greater competition in European markets.

Business, Management, & Corporate Performance

May 11, 2018

China-Europe Trade

Europe

China-Europe Trade

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel Statements:

A) Trade with China makes most Europeans better off because, among other advantages, they can buy goods that are made or assembled more cheaply in China.

B) Some Europeans who work in the production of competing goods, such as clothing and furniture, are made worse off by trade with China.

C) If the EU followed the new US steel tariffs by imposing similar EU tariffs on steel from China, it would improve Europeans’ welfare.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

April 12, 2018

Greece

Europe

Greece

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel Statements:

A) Assuming it exits its third bailout program this summer without an immediate restructuring or other debt relief, Greece is unlikely to default on its sovereign debt in the coming decade.

B) Greece would be better off if it had decided to exit the euro between 2011 and 2015.

C) If Greece had defaulted on (or restructured) its private debt in 2010, while also staying within the euro, that combination would have been better for Greece than either exiting the euro or proceeding as it has actually done.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

March 23, 2018