For the European Union, China is both an important trading partner and, with its very different political system and industrial policy, a new competitor. From a European perspective, the main cause for concern is how China’s state capitalism has created distortions in the economic competition which are increasingly affecting world markets.

Chile falls behind in the last Economic Freedom Index by Fraser Institute, despite improving its score. Ranked 14th out of 162 economies, the country remains at the forefront in Latin America.

Austria’s Finance Minister Gernot Blümel recently announced that Austria is considering introducing the tax deductibility of notional equity interest. This change might come into effect next year.

Such a tax deduction would allow companies to deduct a fixed notional interest rate on equity from corporate income tax. This measure aims to strengthen the equity ratio of companies. Low capital levels are often seen as a risk factor to economic stability , an issue of concern during and likely long after the height of the current economic crisis.

The Export Preparedness Index 2020 was released by the NITI Aayog with Institute for Competitiveness as the knowledge partner. The index is an empirical tool to inform policymakers of the strengths and challenges of the export ecosystem at the sub-national level.