CHINA AND THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE: KEEPING TWO TRACKS ON ONE PATH ​

The report commissioned by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) was published in 2022 when Germany held the G7 chair to help Germany’s parliamentarians better understand China’s role in the international monetary and financial systems. ​

The report offers a framework for understanding and discussing the structure of the international financial architecture and its purpose in providing the essential public goods of financing for development and a global financial safety net. The report examines the evolution of this architecture since its creation in 1944, especially China’s role as both a member of financial institutions and a builder of new ones. It discusses the consequences of China’s growth for the future of this architecture, and considers options and recommendations for other countries, especially members of the G7 and in particular Europe’s members, on how best to engage with China to get the best possible outcome for all.

INVESTING IN WOMEN: WHAT WOMEN-LED BUSINESSES IN ITALY AND THE UK NEED

The Investing in Women project aimed to discover why Italy and the UK similarly trail behind the other advanced economies when it comes to women’s entrepreneurship. ​

The project focused on funding because the gender gap in access to finance prejudices the establishment and growth opportunities of women-led businesses. It focused on two countries, Italy and the UK, where there are significant differences in funding available for entrepreneurs, yet in both countries there are just five women entrepreneurs for every ten men (compared to eight women entrepreneurs for every ten men in the US and Canada). Looking for a difference between Italy and the UK that could explain this, the project posited whether the existence of gender quotas for the boards of listed companies in Italy could make a difference.