Letter from the editor

August 2019

Dear reader, Since launching Agenda as a monthly publication in 2005, it has been our ambition to provide you with engaging and relevant insights underpinned by economics as it applies to business, markets, law and regulation.

Blinded by the sun: the future of renewables disputes

August 2019

New kid (needed) on the block? Vertical Block Exemption Regulation in the digital age

August 2019

Water sector draft determinations: a stocktake

August 2019

State of play: what’s going to happen with UK freight after Brexit?

August 2019

The Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, has pledged to deliver Brexit on 31 October 2019, without further delays, whether or not a deal is in place. Retailers and manufacturers are preparing their supply chains, with companies and organisations reviewing their distribution networks and, in many cases, stockpiling inputs. On 18 August, a UK government report on the detailed preparations and scenario modelling undertaken by HM Treasury was leaked to The Sunday Times. In this article, we review some likely sources of friction and delay and quantify the potential impact on supply chains.

Sharing is caring: supporting the roll-out of 5G networks

July 2019

Early 5G services are being launched in major towns and cities around the world, providing enhanced mobile broadband services to users. However, further investment in new network infrastructure will be required to support widespread deployment of 5G and take full advantage of the technology’s transformational capabilities. Given the significant costs involved, network sharing agreements may be increasingly important. Will this greater industry collaboration have an impact on head-to-head competition? If so, how should this tension be assessed?

Women in Economics

‘There was a time when women in the economy, women in employment, women in finance were not seen as macro-critical. That’s no longer the case.’

Those are the words of Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director, ahead of International Women’s Day. It’s true, as Lagarde observes, that the landscape is changing. But is gender balance happening quickly enough?

Read the full article