It’s time to create an independent European Digital Authority to strengthen the position of the European Union vis-à-vis the United States and avoid blackmail, which would protect the integrity of EU laws, promoting competition and innovation.
The relationship between spending per student and educational outcomes is weak and inconclusive, with recent research showing small but positive effects on average. Large funding differences between states do not ensure better test scores. Factors such as family income and poverty have a greater impact than school spending. Increasing funds without additional reforms does not guarantee improvement. The key question is whether investing more in schools is the best strategy to improve educational quality, especially for disadvantaged students, opening the need to address systemic barriers to achieve significant progress.
Supply chains adapt to rapid changes through innovation, response to the climate crisis, and geopolitical shifts. The RETHINK-GSC research project, with over 30 researchers, develops new datasets on the role of knowledge, surveys companies on business strategies, models economic shocks, and studies related topics. Companies adjust their supply chains uniquely, with knowledge-sharing networks facilitating adaptation. Understanding the interconnection of goods trade and the knowledge economy is crucial. Innovation enhances resilience, linked to job growth and regional development. Despite challenges, supply chains evolve and resilience is achievable by strengthening the link between research and commercialization.
The credibility of U.S. government data is crucial for the economy and strategic decision-making of businesses. Sectors such as retail trade, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, transportation, and insurance rely on these data to plan and operate. Additionally, they affect citizens through economic and financial policies that impact employment and inflation.
The testimony highlights the need to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in financial services to protect consumers from risks such as discrimination and lack of access to economic opportunities. Despite its advantages, implementation must be careful and ethical, with safeguards that ensure regulatory compliance and protect marginalized populations. It advocates for responsible and ethical use of AI in financial regulation to avoid widening the wealth gap.
