All the coverage of the "digital euro" drives me nuts. The idea that we need "an electronic equivalent to cash: a digital currency that works in stores, online and in peer-to-peer transactions" sounds novel until you realise... we already have it! WE HAVE DIGITAL EUROS PEOPLE! THEY EXIST!

Ruffling a few feathers for the New Year… the takes out there on #EuroStack are typically terrible, so here goes some weekend read…

Good piece indeed thanks Marloes de Koning @nrc.nl. The key point is we absolutely totally are on the move. Europeans are amazing. Not an ounce of anti-American sentiment, just admiration or my part. We left a vacuum and they rolled in. Now we need to stand up and build, fast.

Not popular for sure with this crowd, but posting anyway. escapeforward.substack.com/p/a-shock-en...

Good recognition of #EuroStack in Tagesspiegel as one of the developments that shaped 2025. Europe has the talent, the capabilities and the capital: 2026 will go “long on Europe” in digital. In great company. @tspbackground.bsky.social

But no one ever said it would be. Where do all these strawmen and hyperscaler astroturfing come from? Honestly. I will need to write on #EuroStack as all the takes on here are so bad.

Good, right tone. Let’s be transactional too, not moralizing. And btw, civil society friends: he’s talking here of manufacturing, defence, trade. Not of your usual obsession with US social media. Frankly, praising the “courage” of our irrelevant antitrust regulators, cringe.

Great wide-ranging discussion of Europe’s predicament. Includes talk of “Draghi mission” & why it’s unclear what competition policy shld be doing anymore: “Europe drunk kool-aid of hard-nosed neoliberalism”. Yet underachieved & has no idea where to turn 1/ paulkrugman.substack.com/p/talking-wi...

𝗥𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲’𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆: the ONLY conversation to have in Europe right now. Stop the embarrassing hysteria on the U.S. Administration’s National Security Strategy. Focus on the work WE have got to do. Registration now open, free to all, in person and online. 1/2

🚞 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩 organised their 3rd exceptional Summit on Europe's highest peak (w premium trip to Cervinia/Matterhorn 🚠). Urgent discussion of Europe's woes. Fragmentation, war on Eastern flank, China eating our lunch, democracy, AI. But do we have any answers? plans? leadership? Not really. 1/

The EC makes these kinds of “we matter! we will enforce!” statements every few weeks. Because, the rule of law. Zero credible. But reality is, it does not really matter in the scheme of things.

#Escape_Forward Thanksgiving talk with the one and only Cory Doctorow 🧨 Pathologies of #Enshittification, how we got here, what it would take to cure it. …a v different prognosis on the role of antitrust & regulation: Cory remains an optimist, for me the sooner we get off that monorail the better

Just ahead of the #BerlinSummit on #European_Digital_Sovereignty on 18 November, a scintillating conversation on “Europe’s Quest for Digital Emancipation” w two of the most influential “cage rattlers” around, fully intent on awakening European tech: Rafael Laguna & Dietmar Harhoff.** 1/ Link below

🎙️ “Escape Forward” new podcast w the great 𝗥𝗢𝗛𝗜𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗣𝗥𝗔 just out: “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀” 1/ escapeforward.substack.com/p/the-new-to...

In line w Aghion’s message: “𝗜𝗻 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆. 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲, 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗔𝗜, 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵.” Amen escapeforward.substack.com/p/the-new-ge...

Rich discussion of AI #acquihires (when are they a problem, what shld antitrust do?) turned into broader debate on “do we have a competition problem w Al & what is it?” Fireside w J Kanter, fab panel @florianederer.bsky.social @igorletina.bsky.social @lugaricano.bsky.social I Marinescu, H Zenger 1/

Join us next Wednesday for a fireside w Jonathan Kanter and a super panel on AI Acquihires. Details below! @cepr.org

“Small ball”: “a strategy for progressing towards a goal by proceeding in small steps or by addressing small matters” (Webster defn) We can either persist w the incantation that weak regulation/antitrust alone will deliver us choice & economic agency, or redirect to something else. Infrastructure.

Let’s get everyone upset in the European Antitrust Bubble. We had massive political consensus behind digital antitrust and regulation for 15 years and we have not achieved a bean. Just stop the magical thinking. open.substack.com/pub/escapefo...

Nearly a year pushing #EuroStack, #DigitalSovereignty makes it to Franco-German Economic Agenda. Chest-puffing fake-belligerence on digital regulation will not build us an #infrastructure. Hope this is more than “hundred millions for meetings”. Digital is a critical industry like energy & defence

Soooo. Digital regulation isn’t over, is it? Europeans rejoicing “yay us! No concessions on digital in trade negotiations! Enforcement will be back after the summer break!” Our lack of comprehension of what’s going on is truly astounding.

Thoughts on Europe’s predicament. The tariff debacle is bad as submissions go, but we’re fighting trade wars on two fronts: China’s Second Shock is on us. Yet European elites are in denial & we lack policy responses at every level @sandertordoir.bsky.social cristinacaffarra.blog/2025/08/12/t...

Frank exchange btw Oren & Sander: how American conservatives currently see their role & Europe’s, vs a sober European perspective. Much more at play than tariffs & trade. The “civilizational” narrative in full view. Why bleating ‘we must enforce our digital laws!’ is such a waste of time. Wake up.

Had a fascinating conversation with Oren Cass, a leading voice on economic policy among US conservatives. Rare to have such a direct transatlantic exchange on America First economics, tariffs, Trump’s China policy (is there one?), and where Europe fits in. open.spotify.com/episode/6PKb...

Out now: #EscapeForward w Oren Cass, American Compass & @sandertordoir.bsky.social, brutal & clear. Diagnosis & answers, different world views. Must-watch for Europeans still thinking tariffs are abt trade, trade nothing to do w regulation, & “we must enforce our digital laws!” Everything connects.

I just had a really interesting long discussion with Republican economic thinker Oren Cass and @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social - to be released in a podcast this week - and I think this was one of the major areas where we disagreed.

As Europe got its "letter" (30%) from President Trump's #RandomTariffGenerator, I discuss w Oren Cass at American Compass & Sander Tordoir at CER_EU the conservative US view that "Europeans had it too good for too long" & the European diagnosis/response. Fascinating conversation, airs 17 July.

Meant to post this here as well. Let’s not waste time agonizing on definitions and blah. Want sovereignty? Who is going to build it? The bureaucracy? Think tanks? Civil society? Please. cristinacaffarra.blog/2025/06/26/e...

⭐Join us online for a high-level debate on merger control in Europe Featuring E Tarantino, S Athey, @janeeckhout.bsky.social, P Heidhues, F Ederer, @tomasoduso.bsky.social Moderator: @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social 14 July @ 17:00 CEST cepr.org/events/updat... @tomvalletti.bsky.social

“EuroStack”: How Europe Can Compete in Tech | "Antitrust will not restore Europe's competitiveness. Digital autonomy, if done right, could." @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social #TechPol

This will infuriate half the well-meaning Europeans on this site. So be it. “Saving Europeans from themselves is a full time job”. cristinacaffarra.blog/2025/06/02/t...

@cristinacaffarra.bsky.social and I also talk about the return of politics and ideology to economics: youtu.be/b_KTmd1kC8c?...

@cristinacaffarra.bsky.social and I discuss: - Why Britain and the EU failed to regulate them - What actions we need to take to build a “Eurostack” - How we can empower European companies without creating new tech masters podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...

New ep! I talk to @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social about her ambition to free Europe from depending on US tech companies open.spotify.com/episode/1ayz...

We’ve just published a new report, based on our annual economics conference. It distils the big policy debates on the European economy post-Draghi, drawing on the brainpower around the table. Some journalist friends convinced me it’s worth sharing — so here’s a thread. 1/x

Some thoughts from me on “Unpacking America First Antitrust for Europeans” cristinacaffarra.blog/2025/05/05/u...

💡 Excellent discussion last week @cepr.org Competition RPN event on 𝗕𝘂𝘆 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻: 𝗮 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. Some key messages from our 🔥 discussion: 🧵 Watch here, with transcript: cepr.org/multimedia/d... @tomvalletti.bsky.social

Join us tomorrow, can still register at the link below

“We have to be cautious with digital corporations because we have no real alternatives to the offering by the American digital industry,” said German finance minister Jörg Kukies. If this is not an advert for #EuroStack I don’t know what is t.co/hKPRriken2

“The tension in Europe has really shifted away from these issues because what has simultaneously happened is the realization that in the current climate we have priorities that are beyond taming the platforms." @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social on European digital regulation at #StiglerAntitrust25

The new 🇩🇪German Coalition just made an explicit commitment to #EuroStack - the plan for digital strategic autonomy supported by European industry which doesn’t rely on a Brussels fund showering taxpayer money on projects w no commercial prospects, that no one wants - like #AI_factories. Big deal.

@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu expresses timid support for Eurostack tech sovereignty project, which was positively received by a group of German S&D MEPs But for influential antitrust expert @cristinacaffarra.bsky.social, her reaction is insufficient. - @euractiv.com www.euractiv.com/section/tech...

Returnees into Europe from the party camp which is the ABA Antitrust Section’s #SpringMeetings2025 in DC write breathlessly on social media about their networking prowess and party exhaustion and how everything was just wonderful. I mean, y’all: what planet. cristinacaffarra.blog/2025/04/07/a...

#Buy_European will be a key part of EU & national industrial policies in the new geopolitical environment for key sectors: defence, clean tech, digital infrastructure (#EuroStack). Join us for a discussion with top economists/policymakers, @cepr.org online 15 April 5-6.30pm CET

Great line-up, we are excited to dive in on various sectors against a challenging geopolitical backdrop. And, critically, how to keep EU demand incentives open to allies and free trade partners.

I did a new blogpost about the growing Buy European movement. In response to questions from non-trade people interested in the issue, I’ve described how to think through litigation risk at the World Trade Organization. americanphoenixpllc.com/buy-european... A short thread:

Since I frequently talk about the lack of competitiveness of EU in AI and beyond: Pleias has joined the #EuroStack Initiative. Along with 100 industry leaders (Airbus, OVH, Probabl) we call for a shift in policy in favor of open and sovereign digital infrastructures

Last Monday 100 CEOs of European digital/tech companies wrote to EC to offer support for a #digital_sovereignty strategy. This the time to move. #EuroStack. 1/

Roger Alford is a gem. Major force behind TXAG #adtech complaint, coming to trial in Texas this August. And much more. He spoke at my #Perfect_Storm conference in Brussels a few weeks ago on the future of antitrust in the U.S… little did anyone know. A great pro-enforcement team with Gail Slater!

Former chief advisor to U.S. Trade Minister Tai, Beth Baltzan, on the opportunity that being ditched by America creates for #jumpstarting Europe. americanphoenixpllc.com/jump-startin...