Erik van der Marel
Email: erik.vandermarel@ecipe.org
Mobile: +32 (0) 499 053 104
Areas of Expertise: Russia and Eurasia
Erik van der Marel is a Chief Economist at ECIPE, Associate Professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and Consultant Economist at the World Bank. His areas of expertise are in digital trade, services trade, cross-border data flows, and their associated digital services trade policy.
Prior to his appointment at ECIPE, Erik was a full-time lecturing at the London School of Economics (LSE) where he taught international trade at post-graduate level. In the past, Erik also gained various professional experience as a consultant at the, OECD, APEC, ADBI, and the World Bank Trade Research Department. Erik received his PhD in economics from Sciences-Po Paris and did his post-doctorate at the LSE, too.
Erik has published peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, working papers and reports, and made contributions to ECIPE, the World Bank, and ADBI on digital trade and services, domestic regulations in digital services trade and data flows. He has also provided various capacity building courses for policy makers at National Ministries and taught at the European University Institute (EUI) and World Trade Institute (WTI).
To access personal website of Erik go here.
ECIPE Occasional Papers
The Services Revolution: Industrial Policy for a Modern Economy
A ”manufacturing-first” attitude has taken hold in the European economic policy discussion. New strategies and industrial policies are designed with the ambition of boosting development and output in traditional industrial sectors. These policies often build on the assumption that industrial development and jobs are “better” than new growth and employment in the services sector – that industry is a stronger source for innovation and higher productivity...
ECIPE Policy Briefs
Global Digital Trade Takes Off: Is EU Digital Policy Keeping Pace?
Global digital trade is increasingly shifting toward faster-growing regions outside Europe, driving greater external demand for the EU’s digitally deliverable services. As digital supply chains continue to mature, they present additional opportunities for the EU to expand and strengthen its digital trade. However, recent evidence suggests that the EU’s regulatory environment may be limiting its potential gains. Since its introduction in 2018, the GDPR’s...
ECIPE Occasional Papers
The Trade Effects of AI Provisions in PTAs: Does Non-Binding Matter?
This paper examines whether non-binding (“soft”) AI-related provisions in preferential trade agreements (PTAs) move trade and how their effects compare with binding (“hard”) provisions. The motivation is straightforward: digital rules are spreading quickly, but legal enforceability is uneven. We ask whether non-binding instruments (standards work, data-innovation clauses, interoperability programmes) can deliver trade gains in AI-intensive sectors even...
ECIPE Occasional Papers
Privacy at a Price? An Empirical Analysis of GDPR’s Impact on EU Trade Flows
The introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 created conditions that could raise the cost of trading services with the EU, especially where cross-border transfers of personal data are required. This paper examines whether the GDPR has truly affected trade in digital services between EU member states and third countries. Using a triple-difference strategy that compares EU trade with partners whose cross-border transfer regimes...
Media Mention
The Leverage That Europe Has Over the U.S. Economy
Erik van der Marel comments in the New York Times on the EU's leverage over the U.S. economy in trade.
Media Mention
Europe in the Age of AI: How Technology Leadership Can Boost Competitiveness and Security
The studies "Breaking Barriers, Boosting Growth: Unlocking the Power of Digital Technology for Europe’s Competitiveness" by Oscar Guinea, Vanika Sharma, Erik van der Marel, and Oscar du Roy, "The Future of European Digital Competitiveness" by Oscar Guinea and Vanika Sharma, and "Boosting Efficiency and Quality in EU Public Services: The Need for a European Multi-Cloud-First Strategy" by Matthias Bauer, Andrea Dugo, Dyuti Pandya, Vanika Sharma, and Elena Sisto are referenced in a paper published by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
Media Mention
Die EU verliert an Gewicht, China und Russland gewinnen
The Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index receives special coverage by the Frankfurter Allgemeine.
Media Mention
Donald Trump’s hard tariff deadline dissolves into whirl of endless confusion
The op-ed "Forget trade wars — the future isn’t about physical goods, but data, ideas and services" by Erik van der Marel published in The Hill is referenced via the Financial Times' "Trade Secrets".
Article
Germany should not squander its defence opportunity
Erik van der Marel writes for the Hertie School on Germany's defence opportunity
Article
The EU’s geopolitical dream is dying in its own neighbourhood
Erik writes for the LSE European Politics and Policy Blog (europpblog) on the EU's loss of power to turn its economic weight into geopolitical influence.
Article
Forget trade wars — the future isn’t about physical goods, but data, ideas and services
Erik van der Marel analyses how globalisation is evolving, driven by intangible flows like data and ideas, benefiting the US economy despite trade wars and populism, and requiring adaptive policies via The Hill.
Article
Europe’s digital competitiveness: where east meets west and not just Germany benefits
Erik van der Marel writes a blog for the Hertie School of Governance.
Book or Paper
The Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index
Report developed with Bertelsmann Stiftung and The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw). It presents how interconnected the EU is with its neighbours compared to China, Russia, and the US – across trade, finance, and economic policy.
Book or Paper
Digital Trade, Data Protection and the EU Adequacy Club
Erik van der Marel has an external publication at the Centre for European Policy Research (CEPR).
Book or Paper
The role of human-capital in artificial intelligence adoption
Erik van der Marel and Björn Brey publish in Economic Letters.
Book or Paper
Governing personal data and trade in digital services
Erik van der Marel and Martina Ferracane categorise 143 countries’ data regulations into open, conditional, or control models in their latest paper.
Speech or Presentation
Understanding the development impact of digital services trade
Erik van der Marel presents at the UNCTAD e-Commerce week in a panel together with GIZ and the World Bank.
Speech or Presentation
The CPTPP and UK’s accession: What global implications? Case of services
Erik van der Marel comments on the economic rationales for the UK in joining CPTPP
Speech or Presentation
Data and Services Trade: Regulatory Options for a New Globalisation
Erik van der Marel presents on data and new globalisation, including the regulatory options, for IIFT Economics Society
Speech or Presentation
To Adequate or Not to Adequate? What are the Trade Effects?
Erik van der Marel presents on adequacy and digital services trade at the World Trade Forum