Erik Fossing Nielsen
@erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
1.5K followers 180 following 180 posts
Sr Advisor ‘Independent Economics’ Former Chief Economist, UniCredit, Chief European Economist, Goldman Sachs, former World Bank, IMF, Danish central bank.
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erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
This reflects well the majority of feedback I got in the note.
Yet, the present state of affairs (community agreements after delays and “bribery” of small hold-outs along with watering down proposals) is not sustainable.
So what’s going to give?
I think it’ll be the community methods.
sandertordoir.bsky.social
Is the community method on its way out - multi-speed integration coming?

I remain a bit sceptical: a Europe of multiple speeds has been touted for a long time, but in practice the pressures to move with all EU-27 tend to be really high.

The EU enhanced cooperation clause has rarely been used...
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
In today’s Sunday Wrap I argue that this past week saw Berlin and Paris signal a move to more intergovernmental cooperation in the EU’s response to challenges posed by US and Russia. That’s good news.

independenteconomics.substack.com/publish/post...
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
In today’s Sunday Wrap I argue that this past week saw Berlin and Paris signal a move to more intergovernmental cooperation in the EU’s response to challenges posed by US and Russia. That’s good news.

independenteconomics.substack.com/publish/post...
Sign in to Sunday Wrap by Erik F. Nielsen
independenteconomics.substack.com
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Sunday Wrap on the possible re-introduction of a wealth tax in France - the hottest debated issue in the present political crisis.

Why I dont like wealth taxation, but think there is a case for an exemption now.

open.substack.com/pub/independ...
Sunday Wrap
Wealth taxation may be the make-or-break topic in France's political crisis. I summarise why I don't like wealth taxation, but that there is a good case for an exemption in today's France.
open.substack.com
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
My thoughts on von der Leyen’s State of Union address:
On balance, I was disappointed.
1. on econ reforms, its was misguided and insufficiently ambitious,
2. On Ukraine, okay, but …
3. On the US, defensive but without explanation for the weird stuff

open.substack.com/pub/independ...
Sunday Wrap
Why I was underwhelmed by von der Leyen's State of the Union address on Wednesday: Misguided on economic reforms, okay on Ukraine, defensive (with no explanations) of her questionable deal with Trump.
open.substack.com
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
🙏🙏🙏
sorentsvendsen.bsky.social
Lidt trist søndagslæsning.

I hvert fald ikke et optimistisk syn på den videre udvikling af den økonomiske situation. En der måske har været med til at skabe Trump og som hans nuværende politik potentielt bare vil forværre.
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
In today’s new 3-edition Sunday Wrap :

- a brief history of what motivated 18 years of Sunday writing
- the long (and predictable!) road to Trump
- how his policies lead to a faster slowdown, and raises the risk of a major crisis

erikfossingnielsen179.substack.com/p/sunday-wrap
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
In today’s new 3-edition Sunday Wrap :

- a brief history of what motivated 18 years of Sunday writing
- the long (and predictable!) road to Trump
- how his policies lead to a faster slowdown, and raises the risk of a major crisis

erikfossingnielsen179.substack.com/p/sunday-wrap
Sunday Wrap
The long - and somewhat predictable - road to the arrival of Trump, and why the slowdown will get worse and quite probably lead to a crisis.
erikfossingnielsen179.substack.com
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Just a reminder: Greenland left the EU in 1985 (after having joined with the rest of Denmark in 1973) 🤔
Reposted by Erik Fossing Nielsen
smerler.bsky.social
The 10 year BTP-Bund spread is at its lowest since 2010 and Italy in 2024 went back to a primary surplus, as it consistently did for almost two decades before COVID (unlike France, who’s been overshooting its deficit forecasts for 30 years). Don’t cry wolf where there isn’t one, it’s irresponsible.
robin-j-brooks.bsky.social
There's first signs of contagion from France to Italy and flight to safety into German Bunds. Italy is the Euro zone Achilles heel. Without it, ECB could let French yields rise, helping France get its budget under control. But that's not possible with Italy always teetering on the brink of crisis...
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
WHY DOESNT ANYONE IMMEDIATELY CORRECT HIM?
atrupar.com
Trump: "People go into war, think they're gonna win the war, then they get their asses kicked & they lose their country and lose millions of lives. Nobody goes into a war thinking they're gonna lose. I'm sure Ukraine thought they were gonna win. You're gonna beat somebody that's 15 times your size"
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
The ignorance of the US administration never stops shocking anyone with just basic knowledge.
codendahl.bsky.social
Field marshal Wilhelm Keitel sketching out his negotiating position for the Americans to consider, May 8th 1945.
Keitel, German surrender
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Unbelievable indeed.

But apart from the mark-up per se, one cannot help but note the US treasury secretary’s personification of the US treasury (supposedly) and Trump himself.
shashj.bsky.social
Unbelievable. “We are selling arms to Europeans, who are then selling them on to the Ukrainians, and President Trump is taking 10 per cent mark-up on the arms,” Mr Bessent told Fox News. “So maybe that 10 per cent will cover the cost of the air cover.” www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025...
Trump’s 10pc mark-up on arms sales to Europe may fund Ukraine security guarantees
US president’s levy could meet cost of air cover for peacekeeping efforts, says treasury secretary
www.telegraph.co.uk
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Wenn mehr Geld für Verteidigung und Infrastruktur Links bleibt, dann bin ich Links!
marcraschke.bsky.social
Das muss dieser „Linksruck“ sein, vor dem die CDU-Hetzer immer gewarnt haben. Die Bankrott-Erklärung der Strategie von Merz, Söder, Spahn & Co. in vier Zahlen:

Wahltag:
Union 28,5 %
AfD 20,8 %

Heute (laut Forsa)
Union 24 %
AfD 26 %
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Looking forward to reading …
philipstephens.bsky.social
For me, the moment finally arrives. These Divided Isles, the story of Anglo-Irish enmity and intimacy since Partition, Published by Faber August 28. Pre-order linktr.ee/thesedivided...
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
One of America’s truly finest - the one and only Carlos Santana - wrapped up his European tour tonight in Copenhagen. What an evening with one of the real greats.
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
“Now turning in the right direction”? We’ll probably end up with the highest tariffs for almost 100 years and the end of Most Favored Nations principle!

Is logic to shock and then retreat a bit? So, if he starts by saying he’ll commit mass murder but “only” kills a few, shall we be pleased?
criticus.bsky.social
It has been the case with many topics. Maybe the best example is Russia. He started with a very pro-Kremlin (and absurd) stance, and is now turning in the right direction. The tariff stuff, similar. Started with this bizar formula, now more or less real negotiations.

Its his strategy to shock ppl
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
What makes you think he knows?
criticus.bsky.social
Trumps understands it, he just likes to annoy/confuse people
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Scott Bessent doesn’t want to become Fed chair …

Just about the most understandable thing he has said since he came to Washington.
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
This is unlikely to end well….

There is no EU facility which can disburse any - any! - money to Trump for him to invest or spend as he pleases.

The level of basic understanding at the highest level in the US is pretty staggering.
atrupar.com
Trump on his EU trade deal: "The details are $600 billion to invest in anything I want. Anything. I can do anything I want with it."
erikfossingnielsen.bsky.social
Just a shame you guys at The Economist keep the authors’ names under wraps.
codendahl.bsky.social
If there is one piece to read from The @economist.com today, it's my colleague's on geoeconomics and how academic economists think about it.

That particular colleague is our best economics writer, so he really brings the theory to life. 👇

www.economist.com/finance-and-...
What economics can teach foreign-policy types
Hegemons should care about even puny countries
www.economist.com
Reposted by Erik Fossing Nielsen