Financing nuclear: from policy ambition to investable programmes
Nuclear power has returned to the centre of energy policy. Rising electricity demand, energy security concerns and the need for reliable, low-carbon generation have renewed interest in nuclear capacity expansion, life-extension programmes and emerging technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs). However, translating policy ambition into a financeable… Read More
Public control: a new direction for essential services?
Public control is back on the agenda. But what will it mean in practice for essential services, and for those who invest in them and run them? The UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has placed public control as part of his government’s strategy for economic and national renewal. Read More
Points of contention: what Burnley v Everton tells us about potential future compensation claims
In February 2023, the Premier League referred Manchester City FC to an independent commission over alleged breaches of the competition’s financial rules.1 The allegations concerned the accuracy of the club’s financial reporting, compliance with Premier League and UEFA spending limits, and co-operation with the League’s investigation. Manchester… Read More
Oxera AI policy map – October 2026
For this fifth edition of the AI policy map,1 we have updated our database that tracks key national and supranational AI policy developments across the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK. We have also introduced a new interface to make the map clearer and easier to… Read More
Calling time on the approach to performance incentives in water
The approach to incentivising performance in the England and Wales water sector requires substantial reform. The Independent Water Commission (IWC) has recommended rationalisation of the number of performance commitments (PCs) and a dampening of incentive rates.1 For two price reviews in a row, a significant number of… Read More
Oxera responds to proposed changes to the UK’s competition and regulatory appeals frameworks
In July 2026, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), then known as the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), launched a consultation on proposed reforms aimed at streamlining the UK’s competition redress, enforcement and regulatory appeals arrangements.1 Oxera provides economic advice to clients… Read More
Podcasts
How should sustainability considerations be reflected in European Merger control?
Against the backdrop of the European Commission’s draft merger guidelines, our latest episode explores how sustainability can be given appropriate weight when assessing mergers. Helen Jenkins is joined by Simon Holmes, a Member of the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal and Visiting Professor in Law at the University of… Read More
Valuing the right to operate: an economic perspective on concession disputes
What is the value of the right to operate a regulated asset for a finite period of time? And how should that value account for the power of the state or the regulator to alter its terms? These are questions that often sits at the heart of disputes involving… Read More
Bridging the water investment gap: how can investment be secured?
This latest episode of Top of the Agenda, recorded in front of a live audience at Oxera’s new London office, explores how the investment needed to meet global commitments to safe water and sanitation can be encouraged and secured. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6)… Read More