The world’s economies apparently change at random, reacting unforeseeably. However, certain large-scale processes can be understood and predicted as inter-related, evolving mechanisms driving business, government, and societal behaviour and decision-making. The DRIVE framework shows how the future could unfold through five such processes, says Mark Esposito, Professor, Harvard University Extension School in his article for the World Economic Forum portal. 

Discussions during the 12th round of negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) took place in Brussels between 22nd – 26th February and covered all three pillars of the agreement – i. e. market access, the regulatory cluster and rules. As part of the overall intensification of talks, this round stretched into a second week as the US and EU exchanged government procurement offers and continued discussions on rules of origin as well as intellectual property rights.  Read details on individual chapters inside.

As the European Union seeks to redefine a common, comprehensive, and consistent global strategy, it should look at its international economic relations beyond recognizing trade as an engine for growth and jobs, beyond the realization that there are tensions between trade and non-trade objectives, and beyond gloomy assumptions that “the EU’s declining economic dynamism, the high demands it makes of its trading partners, and what it is willing to offer may be hampering its leverage."

The American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic comments on the draft amendment to Labor Code written by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.