The EU debate

Analytically Driven has worked with a variety of clients to help them understand the implications of leaving the EU. For example, following the vote to leave the European Union, Analytically Driven produced a background briefing for the City of London on trade and trade policy, focusing on trade in services, to help them develop their policy options. The full report has not been published. However, a summary of the findings and recommendations was used as a background briefing for the All Party Parliamentary Group for London on April 25, 2017. Analysis of the implications of leaving the EU for the aviation sector also formed one of the key strategic challenges highlighted in a report for the Independent Transport Commission published in November 2017. One of the issues identified in this report, was the implications for Air Service Agreements and more information on this issue can be found here.

Analytically Driven Ltd was actively involved in the EU debate from 2014, when Dr Rebecca Driver's report on "Analysing the case for EU membership: How does the economic evidence stack up?" was launched by TheCityUK on April 28, 2014. The report assessed what we know about how economies work, and used that to analyse the implications of EU membership for the UK. It showed that EU membership was particularly beneficial for high productivity firms that trade, and that all the alternatives to EU membership would increase costs for these firms, with implications for growth and output. To hear more on the debate, including from MPs and a Government Minister, check out the recap from the launch event.

Dr Driver was asked to present her findings to a number of groups, in both the public and private sector. This included taking part in EU The Jury, and EU debates at the UK Trade and Export Finance Conference (part of the International Festival for Business in Liverpool); Queen Mary's College London; and the ESRC's Festival of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She was also interviewed about the economics of EU membership and how alternative trading arrangements compare by the press, including the Financial Times and BBC's Newnight. 

"Five facts about how economies work, and what they mean for the UK's membership of the EU" summarizes of her arguments and was shortlisted for the Society of Business Economists' 2014/15 Rybczynski Prize.