The prospect of higher living standards has been a major attraction of EU membership and is arguably an antidote against rising EU scepticism. But does the EU “convergence machine” still work? Have initially poorer European countries and regions succeeded in catching up with the income levels of their richer peers? And what has been the relative performance of countries and regions in Western Europe, including Belgium?

China is often accused of not playing by the rules governing world trade and of being ruthless in its push for technological leadership. But to what extent are such concerns supported by the data? And how has the EU attempted to address the challenges posed by China’s trade and investment practices?

Can China match the success of its Asian predecessors ‑ Japan, South Korea and Taiwan ‑ and develop into a technological leader in the next decades or will the pace decrease as from now?

What is the current configuration of the “global financial safety net” and how can it be improved?

Working Paper N° 323