1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News. 2 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to another episode of the All Thoughts Podcast. 3 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: I'm Tracy Alloway. 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 3: And I'm Joe Wisenthal. 5 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: Joe, do you remember earlier this year there was a 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,159 Speaker 2: moment when everyone got really excited about Europe for the 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 2: first time in probably decades. 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 3: So, you know, I always think about is for the 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 3: two of us for a long time of our careers. 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 3: One of the many sub themes that we go it's like, 11 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 3: when is the Europe going to turn on the fiscal taps? 12 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 3: When did you start spending money in Germany? All these questions, 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 3: when are they going to be less so focus on 14 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 3: austerity or balanced budgets, et cetera. And then finally, and 15 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 3: maybe Trump had something to do with it, and defense 16 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 3: spending had something to do with it, or politics, it's 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 3: finally we're getting spending. It was like five minutes and 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 3: everyone was really excited about some of the defense docks 19 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 3: and the Euro's raillying and it looked, you know, a 20 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 3: little bit more politically stable perhaps than the US. What's happening, though, 21 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 3: I like, how's that going? I'm not sure I followed 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 3: it as closely as I should. 23 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: Have I will say, I mean, the Europe is still 24 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: pretty strong against the dollar, and if you look at 25 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 2: the eurostocks that's still doing pretty well as well. So 26 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: there is some optimism that is still circulating the market. 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: But you're absolutely right, we should talk about what this means. 28 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: What does it actually mean for Europe to quote unquote 29 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: seize this moment, right, this very particular moment, and what 30 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 2: exactly does Europe want to achieve totally. 31 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 3: And you know, a lot of the conversations that we 32 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 3: have in the US context certainly apply in the European context. 33 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 3: So industrial competition with China, whatever we're feeling here in 34 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 3: the US, certainly very heightened anxiety in Europe with the 35 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 3: stress on the auto industry and the chemicals industry and 36 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 3: so forth. Energy prices, obviously, electricity costs in the US 37 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 3: becoming a major topic, et cetera, just as big in Europe, 38 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 3: if not big or especially in the wake of the 39 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 3: Ukraine War, the shutting off of the nuclear power plants 40 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 3: in some countries, et cetera. So pretty much everything that 41 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 3: we're sort of wrestling with here, the right. 42 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: The sort of productivity regulation. 43 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 3: The splintering of the traditional parties within domestic politics. Our 44 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 3: parties have a bit more of a monopoly than the 45 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 3: European ones do, but there's similar stresses going on. So 46 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 3: anything that we're talking about here, it's very useful to 47 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 3: see how it comes across from the European line. 48 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely, so I'm very happy to say we do, in 49 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: fact have the perfect guest we're going to be speaking 50 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: with Aliren. He is, of course the governor of the 51 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 2: Bank of Finland. He is also a governing council member 52 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: over at the ECB. So Ollie, thank you so much 53 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: for coming on our thoughts. 54 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 4: Thanks very much for the newittation. Great to be here. 55 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 2: So from your seat in Europe, Wait, where are you 56 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: actually based in Europe? Where do you spend most of 57 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 2: your time? 58 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 4: I have a do on life, not schizophrenic, do a life. 59 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 4: I have two home fields, two home terrans. One is 60 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 4: Hesink Finland. The Bank of Finland is the Central Bank 61 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 4: of Finland. But we also at the same time we 62 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 4: are member a member of the Eurosystem and my second 63 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 4: home terranist Frankfurt and the Governing Council of the ECB. 64 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 4: And the same goes for the large part of our 65 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 4: civil servants. Economis and lawyers at the Bank of Finland 66 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 4: like in the other nineteen national central banks. That's the 67 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 4: eurosystem perfect. 68 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: So from your seat in Helsinki and Frankfurt, does it 69 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: feel like something's changed within Europe? Does it feel like 70 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: there is the sense that maybe the current time period 71 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: is some sort of opportunity. 72 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 4: Certainly things have changed in Europe a lot for the 73 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 4: verses we know because of Russia's unjustified brutal war in Ukraine, 74 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 4: but second as a wake up to that situation, including 75 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 4: the impact of President Trump as well. And I would 76 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 4: say that if you look at the Europe for the moment, 77 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 4: we have one issue which is above others, and that 78 00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 4: is common defense and spending on common defense, from air 79 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 4: defenses to drone production and other elements of military technology 80 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 4: and production. And that's also very much an economic issue. Actually, 81 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 4: it's a finest opportunity in a sense that the best 82 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 4: argument for safe assets in Europe is in the defense spending. 83 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 4: We need both national and European funding. This is, in 84 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 4: my view, a possibility to pave the way for a 85 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 4: deep and liquid European capital market. 86 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 3: That's great, I'm glad you jump right into this question 87 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 3: of further integration and some of the stakes here, particularly 88 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: as it relates to defense, because this has been something 89 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 3: that's been on my mind a lot, and I wanted 90 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 3: to get in with you. When we think about industrial 91 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 3: capacity or think about industrial competition, scale is really important. 92 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 3: The size of the market is very important, and this 93 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 3: is part of the whole premise of the euro Area, 94 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 3: which is, let's have an integrated market. And yet, on 95 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 3: the other hand, domestic politics are still a thing I 96 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 3: have to imagine in defense specifically, there must be a 97 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 3: lot of anxiety at each individual country. Do we want 98 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 3: our national maker of X rolled up into some larger 99 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 3: conglomerate to what degree, whether we're talking about defense or 100 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 3: other any other industrial any other industrial sector, does there 101 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 3: still remain attention between the scale required for competitiveness and 102 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 3: the desire for some sovereignty within each country to have 103 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 3: their maker of X or y. 104 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 4: Yes, there is that tenstone. But that's why we do, 105 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 4: we make policy, and that's why we try to change 106 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 4: things in Europe. Actually, that brings to my mind an 107 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 4: anecdote concerning precisely common defense. How things have changed. Okay, 108 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 4: the country I know best, Finland in NATO in April 109 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 4: twenty twenty three, and I recall my own time in 110 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:00,559 Speaker 4: military service in the early nineteen eighties in the SUBBA 111 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 4: Brigade in eastern Finland, in the city which used to 112 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 4: be the headquarters of US and manner Him during the 113 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 4: Winter War. Today that garrison area is actually a regional 114 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 4: sub headquarters of NATO. So you see the change in 115 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 4: terms of defense in dissic caard in northern Europe. Talking 116 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 4: about economies of scale, yes, we lack a genuine single 117 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 4: market in many areas like services and to some extent capital, 118 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 4: and that's why we are very committed to move forward with, 119 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 4: for instance, the Savings an Investment Union, which aims at 120 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 4: transforming the formidable savings of Europeans ten trillion. That's the 121 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 4: estimate to productive investment by some kind of say popular capitalism. That's, 122 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 4: in my view, one essential element of creating a more 123 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 4: unified Europe and creating a more competitive Europe. 124 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 2: The other thing, when it comes to building up a 125 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: fence industry that is sometimes debated is this idea of 126 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 2: should you spend money on investing in defense programs or 127 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: should you spend money, you know, buying the products that 128 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: these defense companies are actually producing because what's the point 129 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: of building out this massive capacity if you don't have 130 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 2: a dependable customer for the foreseeable future. How would you 131 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: structure that sort of spending to make sure that it's durable, 132 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: I guess and effective. 133 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 4: That's a very critical question in the European context, and 134 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 4: that's why as we are conducting joint European funding exercises 135 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 4: in this like the one hundred and fifty billion euro 136 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 4: Safe Instrument by the European Commission, it's a sense that 137 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 4: we purchase those arms and arms technologies by common procurement 138 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 4: and by investing in joint research and innovation projects. That's 139 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 4: the way to get more bank for the euro and 140 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 4: that's now the effort which the European countries and the 141 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 4: Commission are engaged with. In fact, it is clear, it's 142 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 4: quite clear that we are going to in Europe. We 143 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 4: are going to purchase both say domestic European products and 144 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 4: also American products. In some areas the US is more advanced. 145 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 4: For instance, Finland is purchasing sixty four if thirty five 146 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 4: to replace our existing fleet of sixty four eighteens which 147 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 4: date from the early nineteen nineties. 148 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 3: How costly is it I guess, to put it bluntly, 149 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 3: I don't know that the US is not the reliable 150 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 3: trading partner it might have seemed to be. I mean, 151 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 3: I know there's still a lot of trading you just mentioned, 152 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 3: you know, replaced the plain fleet, et cetera. But clearly 153 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 3: we all read the news, we all know what's going on. 154 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 3: How costly is it for Europe? And do you perceive 155 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 3: there to be a lot of frankly unnecessary duplications of 156 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 3: investment efforts across the Atlantic currently because of trade tensions. 157 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 4: We do expect that, and that's having a negative impact 158 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 4: on productivity and thus on the economy, growth and well being. 159 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 4: As far as the impact of US tariffics is concerned, 160 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 4: we have tried to estimate that. It's a bit difficult, 161 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 4: as policy making is fairly volatile, so it depends on 162 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 4: the day or the week when you take the cutoff data. 163 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 4: You know that perhaps, But our estimate, which is roughly 164 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 4: done on the basis of the current US study PHRASEM, 165 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 4: is that it will hit growth in the Eurozone roughly 166 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 4: by half a percent its point next year. But the 167 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 4: good news is that the European economy is actually demonstrating resilience. 168 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 4: We are still growing this year, probably around one person 169 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 4: or so one point two percent, and we are projective 170 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 4: to grow by one point three percent in the next 171 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 4: two years despite the headwinds of geopolitical tensions and thirty 172 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 4: for wars. 173 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 2: So you wrote something for Vox a few months ago 174 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 2: called Europe must not Waste its currency moment, and you know, 175 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 2: reading it, it sounds very much like there's perhaps an 176 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 2: ambition to maybe replace some of the influencer, some of 177 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 2: the global role of currently fulfilled by the US and 178 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 2: the dollar with the Euro. Is that how we should 179 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 2: be reading it? Is there like a conscious effort underway 180 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 2: currently to expand the Euro's influence in the world. 181 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 4: There is a deliberate, conscious effort to enhance the Euro's 182 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 4: global role in the currently changing international monetary system. And 183 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 4: if I put the background first, I think you're seeing 184 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 4: the interestional monetary system or the global financial system in 185 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 4: transformation for the moment, and you have two main drivers 186 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 4: in broad sense. On one hand, the geopolitical confrontation and 187 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 4: on the other hand, we have a technological disruption thanks 188 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 4: to digital assets, stable coins, central bank digital currencies. How 189 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 4: this will play out will be quite crucial as to 190 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 4: the evolution of the monetary system. Concerning the geopolitical competition, 191 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 4: we see China's efforts to strengthen the role of remimbiod 192 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 4: or the yuan, for instance, with the rodent built initiative 193 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 4: and linking trade agreements to an enhanced roll of the yuan. 194 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 4: And there is a major but there are still capital 195 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,719 Speaker 4: controls in China, and there is no legal certainty in 196 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 4: China in the western sense, so that creates quite significant 197 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 4: limitations for the Remember, in the technological site, we've seen 198 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 4: the growth of stable coins. More recently, we've seen certain 199 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 4: volatility of cryptos last week, classified days just a little yes, 200 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 4: And for instance stable coins, they are clearly intended to 201 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 4: increase demand for US treasuries to feel the federal deficit 202 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 4: of the United States of America and thus to enhance 203 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 4: the roll of US dollar and US dollar dominance. I 204 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 4: believe that on the basis of historical experience, let's say, 205 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 4: for instance, by the writings of Professor Barry ahen Green 206 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 4: of the Berkeley that historical shifts in the international monitary 207 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 4: system take place slowly and on the basis of the 208 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 4: structural chances in the economy and security structures. That's why 209 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 4: I believe that US dollar dominance will prevail for quite long, 210 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 4: perhaps less as a single unipolar hegemon in the monetary 211 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 4: system than before, and we may move towards a more 212 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 4: multipolar monetary system and their Europe can have a significant 213 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 4: reserve on the condition that we can strengthen the foundations 214 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 4: of the European economy in security, in terms of economic dynamic. 215 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 4: In terms of. 216 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 3: When it comes to economic dynamism, people are pretty pessimistic 217 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 3: about Europe these days. They look at an industrial sector 218 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 3: that is maybe being hobbled by a competition with China. 219 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 3: They see the country, the various countries is not being 220 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 3: at the forefront of the AI investments with tech in general, 221 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 3: there's a perception that the economies are still overregulated, it's 222 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 3: not a great place to have a startup and so forth. 223 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 3: What is the sort of the Bowld case or maybe 224 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 3: the sales pitch for sort of the euro inc the 225 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 3: European economy, where does growth come from in the dynamic 226 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 3: durable manner. 227 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 4: There is a Wybrant stop community for instance in Finland. 228 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 3: Finland is actually Finland's probably the exception you do hear 229 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 3: about finished startups speed credit. 230 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 4: In France, many other We actually we have a vibrant 231 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 4: startup community in Europe. By the way, welcome to Slush, 232 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 4: even though I'm not the organizer, but Slush is the 233 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 4: well known major conference in inheriting Ky. 234 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 3: We love to come to November. Introduce us next the 235 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 3: major we love to come. 236 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 4: That's the major startup that found great global startup even 237 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 4: since early twenty tens. Okay, it's good to know the 238 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 4: name Slush comes from November because you have so much 239 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 4: slash in November. So that's why it's for slush. But 240 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 4: it's a very bright event in the darkest. 241 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 3: Why it goes into the saunas the rest of the 242 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 3: time to get out of the slush. 243 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, well I do it twelve months per year, a 244 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 4: few times per week. 245 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 3: Sounds great, not bad, not bad. 246 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 4: But even more seriously so, we have startups, We have 247 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 4: some unicorns. But the general challenge in Europe is that 248 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 4: in the scale up phase, many companies choose the US 249 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 4: a Silicon Valley or or New York Stock Exchange or 250 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 4: combination of both, because it's easier to get winsor capital. 251 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 4: You have a large market which is culturally fairly similar, 252 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 4: even though there are certain differences between California and think 253 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 4: California and yeah, say South Carolina, right, yes, Okay, So 254 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 4: in any case, it's the scale of phase and internationalization 255 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 4: phase where we have to do better. And that's why, 256 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 4: for instance, our government's efforts to enhance growth in Finland 257 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 4: are films focused on funding of scale ups and growth companies. 258 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: So when I think about a business being competitive, especially 259 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 2: in the areas that people seem to be very excited 260 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 2: about nowadays, things like AI data centers, I guess defense nowadays, 261 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: I think about one aspect of competitiveness is price right, 262 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: and if your input costs are higher than a lot 263 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 2: of other people, then you're going to struggle to provide 264 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 2: these things at a low cost. And in Europe the 265 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: big input cost that people seem to struggle with is energy. Right, 266 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 2: How in the world does Europe start to compete in 267 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 2: terms of global competitiveness with energy prices so high? And 268 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 2: what can you do about it? 269 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 4: We have to go back. I have to go back 270 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 4: to Finland metaphysically, mentally now again because we have an 271 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 4: x number of data center investments coming in Finland, mostly 272 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 4: with foreign direct investment thanks to the combination of relatively 273 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 4: inexpensive electricity and relatively cool climate, which is conducive for 274 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 4: data centers. So in that sense, there are differences within 275 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 4: Europe as well. The key is very much to continue 276 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 4: the green transition with consistency. For the moment, still, countries 277 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 4: like Germany are suffering from higher electricity and energy costs. 278 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 4: That is true largely because Germany was so dependent on 279 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 4: Russian fossil fuel, especially because its energy intensive chemical and 280 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 4: other industries who have been so dependent. But the green 281 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 4: transition is moving forward. We lean much more on renewable 282 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 4: energy than before. Of course, energy efficiency and smart electricity 283 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 4: systems play also a key role here, and I would 284 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 4: expect that this green transition will be I mean not concluded, 285 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 4: but will be very far by the end of this decade, 286 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 4: so that we have a much more competitive condition in Europe. 287 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 4: In this card, I had one thing. Often, when you 288 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 4: compare fossil energy and you compare you compare fossil energy 289 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:02,959 Speaker 4: to say, renewable energy. The capital costs in renewables are 290 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 4: often higher, like say investing in wind parks or solo energy, 291 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 4: but the running costs are quite low. Meanwhile, in fossil 292 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 4: fuels it's often let's say the reverse, or that the 293 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,239 Speaker 4: capital costs sign not that's huge, but you have very 294 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 4: significant running costs. So once you are far enough in 295 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 4: the green transistion preferably supplemented by nuclear enocy in my view, 296 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 4: than our cost competitiveness in terms of energy will also 297 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 4: be what's better. 298 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 3: It sounds like the solution to some of what l's 299 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 3: Europe is that everyone needs to be more like Finland. 300 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 3: Sounds like you guys haven't figured out and everyone else 301 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,239 Speaker 3: in Europe needs to be more like that. 302 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 4: No. 303 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 3: For really, when it comes to broad like like industrial pressure, 304 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 3: can you like attribute and maybe this is more of 305 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,040 Speaker 3: a German specific question, but I think it probably applies 306 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 3: more broadly. Is it possible to decompose the degree to 307 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 3: which competition with China, especially things like chemicals. China's very 308 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 3: competitive chemicals, though it doesn't get much attention obviously, cars 309 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 3: globally is just a huge story when you look at 310 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 3: like sort of the sputtering out of industrial production in 311 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 3: Germany or just you'ree More broadly, it's possible to decompose 312 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 3: how much of it is undercutting on price from China 313 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 3: versus the higher costs that have surged particularly since early 314 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two. 315 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 4: Wells, it is possible, but I don't have the figures 316 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 4: of the cuff. But I recall that in twenty twenty two, 317 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 4: which was the high point of energy costs in Europe, 318 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 4: So we calculated with a friend of mine, and then 319 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,919 Speaker 4: we verified that by our economists that year Europe paid 320 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 4: eight hundred billion euros for fossil fuels instead of the 321 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 4: long term average of three hundred So we paid five 322 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 4: hundred six hundred billion euros more that year, which then 323 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 4: was roughly three percent of CDP. So in twenty two 324 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 4: we had you can say that it was kind of 325 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 4: an extra tax over every European of three percent of 326 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 4: the income on average, which of course created quite a 327 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 4: lot of popular opposition and criticism. Fortunately we have been 328 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 4: it's not actually about fortunate, it's about political will and action. 329 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 4: We have been able to broadly adds to the end 330 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 4: of Russian gas in Europe, but we still have some 331 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 4: work to do in many countries. You mentioned Germany. Germany 332 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 4: still has a work to do in order to reduce 333 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 4: its en itsy costs in its industrial production. 334 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 2: If you could waive a magic wand and do one 335 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 2: thing to boost European either productiveness, productivity or competitiveness. Basically 336 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 2: make all of Europe more like Finland. What would it 337 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 2: be other than installing saunas and everyone's house that's a 338 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 2: good idea actually even though fairly electricity. 339 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 3: Let's not hope it would be energy. 340 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 4: Depending depending if you use electricity or would in heating. 341 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 4: I have both in the summer credits. Its would by 342 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 4: the way, most seriously, most seriously, if I could do 343 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 4: one thing, I would complete the single market without the 344 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 4: delay and also create a genuine savings and Investment Union 345 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 4: with a deep and liquid capital market, because this would 346 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 4: help address the challenge of venture capital and financing of 347 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 4: European startups and growth companies. 348 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 2: What would it do? What would that sort of cohesive 349 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 2: market do that you can't do right now at a 350 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: national level? Would it just lower capital costs for everyone? 351 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 4: Or for instance, concerning the Savings and Investment Union, you 352 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 4: have actually a long list of concrete decisions that it 353 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 4: will require. But the key things are in many ways, 354 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 4: to have a safe asset, a European safe asset, which 355 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 4: would facilitate the creation of genuine European capital market. And 356 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 4: then in addition to that, there are quite reasonable proposals 357 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 4: of creating either tax incentives or other decisions that encourage 358 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 4: people to invest, people meaning individual citizens and households. Sweden 359 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 4: actually is a very good example of this, so that 360 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 4: in Sweden, for instance, you have a certain portion of 361 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 4: your retirement payments that you have to invest to the 362 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 4: stock market or funds oh I see yeh, which has 363 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 4: helped to create a culture of investment in Sweden. And 364 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 4: we are actually even though Finland was mentioned as a 365 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 4: role model, but we are benchmarking in Sweden in basic 366 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 4: card because they have the most vibrant to answer capital market. 367 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 4: Also thanks to this quite well functioning capital market. 368 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 3: It makes total sense that you know, I think of 369 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 3: the Euro Area of the whatever version of it we 370 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: want to talk about, is it's an ongoing project. It's 371 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 3: always a work in progress. It will probably never be 372 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 3: completely finished. There's always more to do. But this to 373 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 3: my mind gets to the sort of like the challenge 374 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 3: of domestic politics, right and like we also see what's 375 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 3: happening here. We're October sixteenth, our government is shut down. 376 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 3: But it feels like various versions of this stress are 377 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 3: replicating themselves across the sort of rich developed Western countries. France, 378 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 3: their government always seems to be like two weeks away 379 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 3: from collapsing. Who knows if they'll have a government. I 380 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 3: don't know if Belgium has a government these days. I 381 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 3: think the Dutch have an election coming up. Who knows 382 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 3: what's happening there. If you look at polls in Germany, 383 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 3: we all know that parties like the AfD, which are 384 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 3: in a very different trajectory, are doing very well in 385 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 3: the polls there, etc. Like how much of the Yeah, 386 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 3: it's great to say, like people here in d C 387 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 3: these conferences and here Bloomberg, I love the idea of 388 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 3: like integrated market, but how much is the roadblock that 389 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 3: you foresee to get to where you want? Essentially the 390 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 3: reality of domestic electoral politics in each of the member countries. 391 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 4: It's a continuous silence. And you're right. So when you 392 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,679 Speaker 4: said that Europe or the European Union or Eurozone is 393 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:27,479 Speaker 4: a community or community of states that is in constant movement, 394 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 4: I would wish that it would be in a more 395 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 4: rapid movement, but it is indeed an unfinished business and 396 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 4: will continue to be. So that's why it is actually 397 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 4: so so fascinating and meaningful to work for Europe on 398 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 4: these two brief points. First, the political battles or the 399 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 4: political competition of the souls of the people are done 400 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 4: in Europe in the member states. Yeah, national politics are 401 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 4: key here and that's why I have a high regard 402 00:24:55,320 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 4: for national politicians who face this silence in the town 403 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 4: hall meetings and in the social media or elsewhere, and 404 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 4: of course in terms of policy making. So we have 405 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 4: to be able to do such concrete policies that help 406 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,679 Speaker 4: alleviate the concerns of the citizens and both sustainable growth 407 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 4: and sub creation in Europe. That's the essence. Second comment 408 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 4: is that it's quite interesting that even though we have 409 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 4: had and continue to have populist movements challecing say, the 410 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 4: most interested parties in almost all countries of Europe, still 411 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 4: the European Union is holding together and it is structurally 412 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 4: kind of it's. 413 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 3: Still fairly popular, isn't it. Like actually the Pole still 414 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 3: showed a fair amount of popularity of these like multinational 415 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 3: it is. 416 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 4: It is for instance, in France, the right wing party 417 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 4: Aaron has torn down its criticism concerning the Europe in 418 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 4: recent years, and Europe, or in this case, the European 419 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 4: Union works as a glue that helps to keep together 420 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 4: the policy making structure of Europe. So in that sense 421 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 4: it has a certain impact, kind of second level reverse 422 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 4: impact on domestic politics as well. Quite illustrative is that 423 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 4: in Finland on Monday, after many years of his cousin, 424 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 4: we were able to agree or the eight parliamentary parties 425 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 4: were able to agree on a long term commitment to 426 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 4: balance the budget and depth anchor, which is historic and 427 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 4: it is also respecting the EU of his car rules. 428 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 4: Even the parties that have been quite critical on Europe 429 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 4: are part of this agreement, which in my views actually 430 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 4: quite encouraged. 431 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 2: Earlier this year everyone got very excited about Germany finally 432 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 2: wanting to spend right. We weren't going to be terrized 433 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 2: by the Black Zero, the Schwartz and Nule forever. Do 434 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 2: you get the sense that things are changing in other countries, 435 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 2: because again here in the US, the headlines we see 436 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 2: for a place like France is worries over the deficit, 437 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 2: political I don't want to say incoherence, but certainly a 438 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: little bit of political chaos. Does it feel like all 439 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 2: of the Eurozone is becoming more comfortable with the idea 440 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 2: of spending for strategic purposes at this moment in time, 441 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:30,440 Speaker 2: or is it primarily still Germany. 442 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 4: It is primarily maturity of other member states. But you 443 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 4: are right, there is a certain variety of concerning the emphasis, 444 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 4: and Germany plays a key role here. The decisions of 445 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 4: the German government and in fact German government and opposition 446 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 4: earlier this year are now taking effect. They abuceatory laws, 447 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:56,360 Speaker 4: so they will be implemented. That's critical. But so other countries, 448 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 4: like all the Nodics. The Nordics together are twenty seven 449 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 4: million people and relatively worth the area in the globe, 450 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:10,919 Speaker 4: and all the noted countries are expanding their defense expendits significantly, 451 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 4: so all the Eastern European countries and several over the 452 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 4: Western European countries. So overall, the pictories I would say encouraging. 453 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 4: I don't sought for victory yet, but we are on 454 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 4: the right road here. 455 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 3: You know, it's really great to have you on the 456 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 3: podcast because both Tracy and I covered the Eurozone crisis 457 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 3: of the early the first half of the twenty tens 458 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 3: quite intensely. There are numerous headlines that you would make news, 459 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 3: and I saw your name and numerous headlines over time 460 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 3: and maybe next time you come on, I'd love to 461 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 3: just like do an hour and just talk about that time, 462 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 3: provided we don't want to give you like euro crisis, PTSD, etc. 463 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 3: But I do have one, you know, I have really 464 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 3: good questions about what that time was really like. But 465 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 3: I was talking about this as someone last night, you know, 466 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 3: as the crisis metastasized over time and always were going 467 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 3: to introduce a new bailout fund and I forget acronym 468 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 3: after acronymiah, that's like, yeah, all the acronym soup. 469 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 4: Yeah. 470 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 3: But then the crisis ended essentially on the day that 471 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 3: Mario Dragi said that sovereign spreads were an impediment to 472 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 3: monetary transmission, and once he said that closing spreads were 473 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 3: sort of mandate consistent with the ECB, from then on everything. 474 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 4: So that was it. 475 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 3: That was the moment that the crisis really turned. Couldn't 476 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 3: that have happened a lot earlier? Was there a lot 477 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 3: of unnecessary pain that was incurred in Europe because it 478 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 3: took so long to sort of get to the point 479 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 3: that the ECB could find a way that it was 480 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 3: within its remit to close spreads. 481 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 4: I think it's a legitimate question and I've been thinking 482 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 4: about that quite a lot. I have actually answered to 483 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 4: this question in my book quote Walking into the High 484 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 4: Wire uter Zone Crisis. In fact, that it is through that. 485 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 4: Once Mario said now let's send our reverts takes within 486 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 4: our mandate UH to save the Euro, then the animal 487 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 4: spirits that was it turned around and the market started 488 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,239 Speaker 4: to believe that the easy b is functioning as the 489 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 4: central bank must function as the lender of last resort. 490 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 3: That was the moment centralment central. 491 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right, that's right, and that's why before that 492 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,040 Speaker 4: it was kind of incrementalist firefighting. This was not without 493 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 4: value because we were able to keep the Euro a 494 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 4: float and support many countries Greece, Portugal, Island, Spain with 495 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 4: the funding of the European Stability Mechanism or its precursor. 496 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 4: In fact, now the countries that then the then we're 497 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 4: in the EU I m F programs have been in 498 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 4: the past years. They have been one of. 499 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 3: The best performance in everything, totally flipped since the twenty tens. 500 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 4: So they have reformed their economic structures to a lots 501 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 4: extent and they are much more competitive for the moment, 502 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 4: and their public finances are on his own basis, But. 503 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 3: There were years of pain in Greece and particularly Italy 504 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 3: as well, like truly, like like incredible economic damage and 505 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 3: by some measures they would say, like on par with 506 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 3: the Great Depression in the United States? Could Europe have 507 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 3: gotten to that point? Could Mario Draggy have given the 508 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 3: whatever it takes speech in two thousand and nine? Did 509 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 3: it have to wait as long as it did? And 510 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 3: all these other mechanisms have to try first? 511 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 4: Mario drague Is started as ECB president in November two. 512 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 3: Well, you're right, so there's no way he could have 513 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 3: given the speech in two thousand and nine. Could Jean 514 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 3: claud Trichet have given the speech in two thousand and nine? 515 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 4: You have to ask him. But I think that's my. 516 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 3: Point is did it did all? 517 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 2: Could they have moved faster? 518 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 4: Did? 519 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,560 Speaker 3: Were all of these steps necessary in which the before 520 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 3: the ECB as an institution got comfortable with its role, 521 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 3: that it would be much like the FED and other 522 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 3: central banks, some sort of backstop or lender of last resort? 523 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 3: Did there all? Did everything else need to be tried first? 524 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 4: Like I was talking to my wife in the sauna 525 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 4: during the Eurozone crisis from two thousand and nine onwards, 526 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 4: so pretty much I share your you and if you 527 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 4: take more. It's a historical view of that. So when 528 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 4: the Euro was created, then the kind of majure event 529 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 4: like the Eurozone depth crisis was not perceived apparently in 530 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 4: the mindset the creators of the Euro, because there was 531 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 4: no stability mechanism like the IMF. The European stability mechanism 532 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 4: is the IMF in the European context. Actually, the sm 533 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 4: has more capital than the IMF total capital, so that 534 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 4: was not in existence when the crisis hit. We had 535 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 4: to create in the run on the flight. And the 536 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 4: second problem was that among the economists there was much 537 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 4: discussion about whether the Eurozone or the Economic Monetary Union 538 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 4: is an optimal currency area, but macroeconomic imbalances and finances 539 00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 4: stability is used. We're kind of forgotten at the time 540 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 4: from focus also in the economists community. I think that's 541 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 4: something that deserves some self criticism among the economists as well. 542 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 2: We have to do an episode just about the Eurozone 543 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 2: crisis at some point, but we can't do it right now. 544 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 2: So just our five minutes left, in our five minutes left, 545 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 2: so just going back to the start of this conversation 546 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 2: which was about you know whether or not this is 547 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 2: a moment potentially for Europe. If Europe doesn't, the Eurozone 548 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:34,600 Speaker 2: doesn't successfully mount some of the changes that you've discussed, 549 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 2: if it wastes this current opportunity, what's the most likely 550 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 2: path for the block as a whole. And then secondly, 551 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 2: how would you know that Europe has kind of achieved 552 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 2: this global success? Are there things that you look out for? 553 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 2: Is it share of currency used in global trade or 554 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 2: something like that. 555 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 4: Well, first, what's the miser or what's the yardstick of 556 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 4: measuring success of say European economic policy. I think fundamentally 557 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:10,879 Speaker 4: that is the well being of European citizens and say freedom, entrepreneurship, 558 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 4: well being, also social protection of europe as access to sunances, 559 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 4: that's a basic human rights are essential civil liberty. 560 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 2: My mom had a sauna when she was in Estonia 561 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:23,240 Speaker 2: and it was amazing. 562 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 4: That's to the second part. But then the first part, 563 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 4: what if Europe won't be able to do the necessary 564 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 4: things in order to become stronger in terms of security 565 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 4: and the economy. I guess some kind of muddling through 566 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 4: will will continue, and that is a very gloomy future 567 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 4: for the Europeans, So I would very much prefer us 568 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 4: stay united, have the capacity of renewal and reform, and 569 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:54,480 Speaker 4: thus gain the required self confidence to also gain a 570 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 4: stronger role in global terms. Finally, I want to add 571 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 4: that we are very committee despite the current headweans we 572 00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 4: are facing in terms of geopolitical tensions and trade wars. 573 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 4: So we as Europeans, we are committed to multilateral international 574 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:16,320 Speaker 4: cooperation and we want to work together with our partners, 575 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 4: the US, Global SALFA and beyond. 576 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:22,319 Speaker 3: I just have one last question. It feels like here 577 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 3: in the US I sort of expect that for the 578 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 3: rest of my life that we will continue with some 579 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 3: sort of ongoing divorce with China, that we're never going 580 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 3: to go back to the early twenty tens of the 581 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 3: two thousands where it seemed like we could just be 582 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 3: like friends. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm being too pessimistic, 583 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,280 Speaker 3: et cetera. When you think about the future of relationship 584 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 3: with Europe and China, where do you see that going? 585 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 3: And especially again because our presidents has obviously thrown up 586 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 3: trade barriers between the United States and the euro Area, 587 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 3: is there a pivot to China in the works. Could 588 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 3: you see that relationship over time actually deepening. Like, what 589 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 3: are you thinking about in terms of the trajectory of 590 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:07,800 Speaker 3: that relationship, because here it seems terrible. 591 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 4: There is an ongoing discussion on that in Europe, both 592 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 4: at the European level and in the Member States. You 593 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 4: have two sides of the coin. On one hand, Europe 594 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 4: is trading a lot with China, and it's quite dependent 595 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 4: on China, but it's a mutual dependency in many ways, 596 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 4: and it's a broadly free trade, not always so fair, 597 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 4: but free trade. On the other hand, in China, the 598 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 4: Communist Party has taken stronger political control and China is, 599 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:41,320 Speaker 4: let's not forget, China is supporting Russia in its military actions, 600 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 4: military aggression in Ukraine, and that has clearly, I'm not 601 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 4: sure if that Chinese have fully realized this, but that 602 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 4: has clearly seriously damaged the imits of China in Europe 603 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 4: because we see that they are an ally of Russia 604 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 4: and they are to be that alliance day trying to 605 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 4: destroy all our freedoms in Europe. 606 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 2: All Right, Olivrian, thank you so much for coming on 607 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 2: all thoughts, really enjoyed it. 608 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 4: Thank you very thanks for these question. 609 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 2: Joe that was really interesting to get a European perspective. 610 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 2: I gotta say, you know, saying that the EU could 611 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 2: have acted quicker on the debt crisis, I think you 612 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 2: could almost always level that criticism at central banks and 613 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 2: to some respect. I mean, this is what we saw 614 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 2: during the financial crisis, right, So two thousand and eight, 615 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 2: it took a while for the FED and everyone else 616 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:47,759 Speaker 2: to realize what was going on, and then they came 617 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:49,799 Speaker 2: up with all these programs, and then when you had 618 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 2: subsequent crises, they could roll them out really quickly. 619 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 3: You know, it's like a cliche, Oh, you try everything 620 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 3: else until you get to the right answer. Yeah, it 621 00:37:57,280 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 3: is total logical, isn't it isn't it? I guess I 622 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:03,239 Speaker 3: guess by definition, when you get to the last thing right, 623 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:07,840 Speaker 3: you stop. By that point, associates like they took a while, 624 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,719 Speaker 3: And I have certainly never been I've never asked a 625 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 3: guest a question and then been told, oh, I talked 626 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,319 Speaker 3: about this in the sauna with my wife, this very 627 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 3: same topic. So that was sort of a response. 628 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 2: I wasn't expecting you don't talk in the sauna with 629 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:22,320 Speaker 2: your wife. 630 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,840 Speaker 3: I just don't expect guests to have had the same 631 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:28,360 Speaker 3: conversation with their wife. 632 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 2: But I do think in general it does feel like 633 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 2: things are changing enormously, and I know a lot of 634 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 2: it is still talk at this point, but certainly speaking 635 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 2: with Ali, you do get the sense that there is 636 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,919 Speaker 2: a conception in Europe that now is the time when 637 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 2: actually you kind of have a newspeg or an opportunity 638 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 2: to actually do some of the things you've said you 639 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 2: were going to do for a long time. 640 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:56,880 Speaker 3: It's funny to think about policymakers having a newspeg is 641 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:00,120 Speaker 3: if they're like, oh, let's do a podcast on this episode. 642 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:01,719 Speaker 2: But they're just waiting for the headline now that. 643 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 3: They're gonna do. But like, it does feel like whatever 644 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:08,239 Speaker 3: cliche you want to use, the rubber is hitting the road. 645 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 3: There are serious constraints right The industrial economy is deeply stressed, 646 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 3: the energy situation is stressed. President Trump is putting trade stress. 647 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 3: They have industrial powerhouses that are like being undercut by 648 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:25,880 Speaker 3: China or facing very stiff competition with China. There is 649 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,000 Speaker 3: a war going on in Europe, and as you mentioned 650 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 3: when thinking about the future of China is the fact 651 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 3: that China has been an important trading partner that was 652 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 3: really interesting, very interesting. So you know, there are a 653 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,480 Speaker 3: lot of big issues that are being forced upon Europe 654 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:45,359 Speaker 3: right now in multiple directions, whether we're talking about the war, 655 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 3: whether we're talking about trade, whether we're talking about President Trump. 656 00:39:49,719 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 3: So if they're going to do something that sort of 657 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:56,839 Speaker 3: changes the trajectory of the European project, I see why. 658 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 4: It now is the time. 659 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,120 Speaker 2: It's not the rubber hitting the road, Joe, it's a 660 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:04,840 Speaker 2: birch branch hitting back. Yeah, in this Saana, that's what's happening. 661 00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:07,839 Speaker 3: Ali. We had the title Ali Wren on the birch 662 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 3: branch hitting the back, and you're a, that's our title. 663 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,120 Speaker 2: Let's leave it there before we go any further. 664 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:14,400 Speaker 3: Let's leave it there. Okay. 665 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,960 Speaker 2: This has been another episode of the aud Lots podcast. 666 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:20,120 Speaker 2: I'm Tracy Alloway. You can follow me at Tracy Alloway and. 667 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:22,560 Speaker 3: I'm Jill Wisenthal. You can follow me at the Stalwart. 668 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:26,160 Speaker 3: Follow our producers Carmen Rodriguez at Carmen armand dash Ol 669 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:29,279 Speaker 3: Bennett at Dashbot and kill Brooks and Kilbrooks. More odd 670 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,919 Speaker 3: Lots content go to Bloomberg dot com. 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All you need to do is 680 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 2: find the Bloomberg channel on Apple Podcasts and follow the 681 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 2: instructions there. Thanks for listening