International Conference of Councils on Economic Policy

On 28 February 2023, several economic policy councils convened once again for the International Conference. While most participants attended virtually, the delegation of the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC) from South Korea attended the conference in Wiesbaden.

The conference participants discussed two highly relevant economic policy topics: The geopolitical challenges and the future of globalisation were discussed in the first session. The discussion was introduced with three inputs from representatives from Spain, South Korea and Finland. The second session focussed on energy security and economic policy measures for the green transformation with inputs by representatives from Canada, Germany and France.

The participants were representatives of councils on economic policy from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and South Korea. This year's conference was organised by the GCEE.

The Councils on Economic Policy have met virtually this year to exchange views on economic policies after lifting Covid-19 containment measures and on fiscal stimulus packages to counteract the economic fallout. The conference was attended by representatives from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea and the USA, as well as the European Fiscal Board (EFB) and the Franco-German Council of Economic Experts. This year’s conference was jointly organised by the Conseil d'analyse économique (CAE) and the German Council of Economic Experts (GCEE).

The aim of this year's conference was to share the different national strategies to contain the coronavirus as well as the economic policies deployed in different countries followed by a discussion on the experiences with these policies. On behalf of the GCEE, Monika Schnitzer and Volker Wieland presented the measures taken in Germany.

On 20 June 2019, thirteen councils on economic policy have convened in Paris for the fourth International Conference to exchange their views on current issues of economic policy. Participants were representatives of the councils from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia and the European Fiscal Board (EFB). This year's conference was organised by the Conseil d'Analyse Economique.

As part of the first session with the topic threat to multilateralism in trade and climate change Prof. Dr. Christoph M. Schmidt explained the risks of an open economy. Prof. Dr. Isabel Schnabel described in her speech the current challenges for economic experts in the era of populism. Furthermore, the participants discussed the role of fiscal policy in an economic downturn.

On June 22, 2018, the CPB (Centraal Planbureau, Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis) hosted the third international conference of councils on economic policy in The Hague. It included participants from the councils of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany Greece, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, as well as the European Fiscal Board. The keynote was presented by Prof. Marcel Timmer.

The topics discussed at the conference were related to productivity, competitiveness and convergence, as well as the necessary reform to prepare for a possible next downturn or crisis.

On June 9, 2017, the AIReF (Autoridad Independiente de Responsabilidad Fiscal) hosted the second international conference of councils on economic policy in Madrid. It included participants from the councils of Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, and the Netherlands, as well as the European Fiscal Board.

The topics discussed at the conference were related to trade versus protectionism, the future of the European project, and possible implications for economic policies in the international institutional framework of a reversal in globalization.

Conference Transcript 2017 (PDF)

On June 24 2016, the German Council of Economic Experts has held the "International Conference of Councils on Economic Policy" in Berlin. The event took place on the premises and with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and was attended by representatives from Canada, Finland, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. The welcome address was given by Parliamentary State Secretary Iris Gleicke and the keynote was presented by Rodney Jones.

The conference participants first discussed similarities and differences in the tasks and structures of their respective institutions. Other topics discussed at the conference were related to: Challenges for economic growth in advanced economies, implications of the economic transformations in the People's Republic of China, as well as the outcome and the economic consequences of the referendum on the membership of the United Kingdom in the European Union.

Conference Transcript 2016 (PDF)