Andrew Watt
@andrewwatteu.bsky.social
General Director, European Trade Union Institute
@etui.bsky.social
Formerly www.imk-boeckler.de
EU economic governance, comparative political economy, European integration, socio-ecological transition, wage bargaining
Deutschland-Versteher
Vietnam
@etui.bsky.social
Formerly www.imk-boeckler.de
EU economic governance, comparative political economy, European integration, socio-ecological transition, wage bargaining
Deutschland-Versteher
Vietnam
Update
Recommended commentary on the importance of the European Court of Justice ruling on the Minimum Wage Directive by Torsten Müller @etui.bsky.social and @thorsten-schulten.bsky.social
www.socialeurope.eu/after-landma...
Recommended commentary on the importance of the European Court of Justice ruling on the Minimum Wage Directive by Torsten Müller @etui.bsky.social and @thorsten-schulten.bsky.social
www.socialeurope.eu/after-landma...
After Landmark EU Court Judgement: The EU Minimum Wages Directive Is Alive and Kicking
The landmark ruling validates the directive's approach to adequate wages and collective bargaining, dealing only minor setbacks to its implementation across Europe.
www.socialeurope.eu
November 20, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Update
Recommended commentary on the importance of the European Court of Justice ruling on the Minimum Wage Directive by Torsten Müller @etui.bsky.social and @thorsten-schulten.bsky.social
www.socialeurope.eu/after-landma...
Recommended commentary on the importance of the European Court of Justice ruling on the Minimum Wage Directive by Torsten Müller @etui.bsky.social and @thorsten-schulten.bsky.social
www.socialeurope.eu/after-landma...
As I have argued previously, this is partly because the fiscal measures are poorly targeted (among other things overly driven by defence).
bsky.app/profile/andr...
2/2
bsky.app/profile/andr...
2/2
www.politico.eu/article/germ...
Yes, Europe needs to do more to ensure its own defence and wean itself off US dependence. But for Germany to splurge hundreds of billions on military hardware is economic and political madness.
Short 🧵
1/
Yes, Europe needs to do more to ensure its own defence and wean itself off US dependence. But for Germany to splurge hundreds of billions on military hardware is economic and political madness.
Short 🧵
1/
Germany’s new €377B military wish list
A new procurement blueprint seen by POLITICO shows Germany’s plan to become the backbone of the continent’s defense revival.
www.politico.eu
November 19, 2025 at 2:44 PM
As I have argued previously, this is partly because the fiscal measures are poorly targeted (among other things overly driven by defence).
bsky.app/profile/andr...
2/2
bsky.app/profile/andr...
2/2
Update
Further evidence that Germany's welcome fiscal loosening is poorly targeted: taxes on air travel are to be cut. www.tagesschau.de/inland/luftf...
Faced on the one hand with the climate crisis, on the other with a debate about financing welfare spending: Make Flying Great Again?
Further evidence that Germany's welcome fiscal loosening is poorly targeted: taxes on air travel are to be cut. www.tagesschau.de/inland/luftf...
Faced on the one hand with the climate crisis, on the other with a debate about financing welfare spending: Make Flying Great Again?
Luftverkehrssteuer: Union fordert günstigere Flugtickets
Die Luftverkehrssteuer soll im kommenden Jahr sinken, um die Flugbranche zu entlasten. Geht es nach dem Unions-Experten Stracke, sollen auch Reisende davon profitieren - am besten schon zum nächsten S...
www.tagesschau.de
November 18, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Update
Further evidence that Germany's welcome fiscal loosening is poorly targeted: taxes on air travel are to be cut. www.tagesschau.de/inland/luftf...
Faced on the one hand with the climate crisis, on the other with a debate about financing welfare spending: Make Flying Great Again?
Further evidence that Germany's welcome fiscal loosening is poorly targeted: taxes on air travel are to be cut. www.tagesschau.de/inland/luftf...
Faced on the one hand with the climate crisis, on the other with a debate about financing welfare spending: Make Flying Great Again?
Robin, what alternative to joint EU debt issuance would be "governing like a geopolitical force"?
November 14, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Robin, what alternative to joint EU debt issuance would be "governing like a geopolitical force"?
For a shorter and less technical critique see this paper by Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi: iep.unibocconi.eu/europes-inte...
Astonishing how a natural home bias in consumer preferences is not allowed for in the original analysis biasing the estimates upwards.
2/2
Astonishing how a natural home bias in consumer preferences is not allowed for in the original analysis biasing the estimates upwards.
2/2
Europe’s Internal Tariffs: Why the IMF’s 44% Estimate Doesn’t Hold Up | IEP@BU
iep.unibocconi.eu
November 13, 2025 at 4:36 PM
For a shorter and less technical critique see this paper by Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi: iep.unibocconi.eu/europes-inte...
Astonishing how a natural home bias in consumer preferences is not allowed for in the original analysis biasing the estimates upwards.
2/2
Astonishing how a natural home bias in consumer preferences is not allowed for in the original analysis biasing the estimates upwards.
2/2
Update
Today what was forecast 👆 came to pass. In the European Parliament the centre-right EPP voted with all shades of the right, against the centre & left, to gut EU legislation on corporate responsibility to ensure environmental and social sustainability
bsky.app/profile/nvon...
#SeenThisMovie
Today what was forecast 👆 came to pass. In the European Parliament the centre-right EPP voted with all shades of the right, against the centre & left, to gut EU legislation on corporate responsibility to ensure environmental and social sustainability
bsky.app/profile/nvon...
#SeenThisMovie
And here is the second, 'Mr. Hyde' part of today's votes - where the EPP sides with the far-right, ranging from the ECR, to Orban & Le Pen's 'Patriots for Europe' and the AfD's 'Europe of Sovereign Nations' for a centre-right to far-right majority on the Omnibus 'deregulation':
November 13, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Update
Today what was forecast 👆 came to pass. In the European Parliament the centre-right EPP voted with all shades of the right, against the centre & left, to gut EU legislation on corporate responsibility to ensure environmental and social sustainability
bsky.app/profile/nvon...
#SeenThisMovie
Today what was forecast 👆 came to pass. In the European Parliament the centre-right EPP voted with all shades of the right, against the centre & left, to gut EU legislation on corporate responsibility to ensure environmental and social sustainability
bsky.app/profile/nvon...
#SeenThisMovie
Honourable mention to Euractiv, thanks Nikolaus!
November 12, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Honourable mention to Euractiv, thanks Nikolaus!
Update
The Court now has a good summary explanation in English
curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1...
Noticeable that this important ruling has not, as far I can see, been picked up by leading European media. 🙄
The Court now has a good summary explanation in English
curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1...
Noticeable that this important ruling has not, as far I can see, been picked up by leading European media. 🙄
Streaming - Court of Justice of the European Union
Court of Justice of the European Union
curia.europa.eu
November 12, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Update
The Court now has a good summary explanation in English
curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1...
Noticeable that this important ruling has not, as far I can see, been picked up by leading European media. 🙄
The Court now has a good summary explanation in English
curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/p1...
Noticeable that this important ruling has not, as far I can see, been picked up by leading European media. 🙄
Beyond its immediate impact on wage setting, if it had ruled differently the Court wd have dealt a harsh blow to confidence in the EU as a vehicle for social progress and cohesion and not just for market opening
(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
2/2
(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
2/2
www.etuc.org
November 11, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Beyond its immediate impact on wage setting, if it had ruled differently the Court wd have dealt a harsh blow to confidence in the EU as a vehicle for social progress and cohesion and not just for market opening
(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
2/2
(positive vs negative integration).
ETUC statement: www.etuc.org/en/pressrele...
2/2
Update
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
Bidenomics: Truly Transitory Inflation, Remarkably Successful on Employment & Growth—But Unable to Break Through the Media Misinformation Machine
My attempt to set forth a balance sheet: Bidenomics was an extraordinary success. The economy healed fast; the story never did. A brief moderate transitory inflation. A long and strong jobs and...
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Update
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
@delong.social has just issued this assessment of Biden(omics). He details its overwhelmingly positive impacts, and shows the failure to cut though media misrepresentation to which several commentators also drew attention: open.substack.com/pub/braddelo...
Seen thru this lens, Biden(omics) appears all the more clearly as a tragedy of historical proportions. Had he been fit, his genuinely pro-worker policies would have tied in many of the forces discussed here and likely avoided the loss of swing states.
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
November 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Seen thru this lens, Biden(omics) appears all the more clearly as a tragedy of historical proportions. Had he been fit, his genuinely pro-worker policies would have tied in many of the forces discussed here and likely avoided the loss of swing states.
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
@mcopelov.bsky.social @deanbaker13.bsky.social
2
My point is, exactly, that it is not a matter of (increasing) total spending.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
October 27, 2025 at 10:29 AM
My point is, exactly, that it is not a matter of (increasing) total spending.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
It cannot, I think, sensibly be disputed that Russia has weakened itself militarily and economically by its attack on Ukraine and that this theatre ties up the bulk of its remaining capacity.
PS
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
www.etui.org
October 27, 2025 at 9:55 AM
PS
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
🚨 Brussels-based followers 🚨
This Thursday @etui.bsky.social is hosting a presentation on the prospects for the German and European economies by Peter Bofinger, with Laszlo Andor.
www.etui.org/events/globa...
Even in Germany fiscal space is limited after the shocks of recent years. After years of damaging self-denial, to splurge now on military kit will inevitably squeeze out vital spending in other areas. Voters will notice. This is a gift that the Putin-friendly far right will greedily accept.
7/7
7/7
October 27, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Even in Germany fiscal space is limited after the shocks of recent years. After years of damaging self-denial, to splurge now on military kit will inevitably squeeze out vital spending in other areas. Voters will notice. This is a gift that the Putin-friendly far right will greedily accept.
7/7
7/7