Category: Economy

The ‘Headscarf Rulings’: Did the Court of Justice Really Ban Headscarves in the Workplace?

Rebecca Zahn The recent EU court rulings on wearing headscarves in the workplace demonstrate the conflict between enabling EU economic freedoms on the other hand and protecting the rights of workers on the other, writes Rebecca Zahn. She argues that, while the judgements are nuanced in their determination of acceptable work requirements, the weight given …

What Future Has the European Union after its Sixtieth Anniversary – Back to the Future?

Colin Imrie The main challenge facing today’s European Union is to find ways to bring together the diverging interests of its many members, writes Colin Imrie. He argues that, if the EU27 manage to arrive at a common vision combining economic and social priorities, the EU could begin once again to demonstrate its relevance and …

Brexit Talks: What Will We Know in Autumn 2018?

Kirsty Hughes The UK’s exit negotiations from the EU will concentrate on separate withdrawal and trade deals, and timing will be a crucial factor, writes Kirsty Hughes. She argues that autumn 2018 will serve as a key period where enough about the UK-EU negotiations will be known and pressure will mount for the constitutional options …

Thin Gruel: The UK Government’s Brexit White Paper

Tobias Lock Following the publication of the UK government’s white paper on EU withdrawal, Tobias Lock notes its echoing of previous statements and lack of policy detail. He writes that, while it is to be expected that the negotiations with the EU cannot be completely open, greater clarity on the government’s position would have been …

Brexit and the Future of Local Government in Scotland

Serafin Pazos-Vidal In the process of Brexit, local government in Scotland will have specific concerns over funding, legislation and the division of powers, writes Serafin Pazos-Vidal. He argues that, based on the plans from both the Scottish and UK governments, it seems unlikely that Scottish councils will be given meaningful opportunities to contribute to Brexit …

Brexit Moment: May’s Lancaster House Speech

Anthony Salamone Following the Prime Minister’s speech outlining the UK government’s priorities for Brexit, success in the negotiations will depend on the currently undefined details, writes Anthony Salamone. He argues that the UK government would do well not to repeat past mistakes in European negotiations and approach the Brexit talks with as constructive an approach …

Reaction: Scotland’s Place in Europe

Tobias Lock · Arianna Andreangeli · Owen Kelly · Anthony Salamone Expert Reaction Today, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out the Scottish Government’s proposals on Scotland’s future relationship with the European Union, following the EU referendum in the summer. Our experts react to the paper, assessing what it means for Scotland’s relations with the rest of …

Soft or Hard Brexit: Do the Political Parties Know What They Want?

Kirsty Hughes Extended Article The varying stances within and among the UK’s parties on the shape of Brexit makes the parliamentary politics around it unpredictable, writes Kirsty Hughes. She argues that, while parliament may well vote to remain in the EU Customs Union but not in the Single Market, the trend is towards a hard …