Stockholm network
Encyclopedia
The Stockholm Network is a pan-European think tank
and network, located in London. In addition to its own policy research, it is an umbrella organisation for market-oriented think tanks in Europe. It has over 130 member organisations.
Emphasising the benefits of globalisation, trade and competition and creating an understanding of free market ideas and institutions.
and the International Policy Network
(IPN).
In 2008, four think tanks, out of a membership of over 130, chose to leave the voluntary membership of the Network. They are the Institute of Economic Affairs
the International Policy Network
, the Hayek Institut and the Venezie Institute
. In 2009 The Adam Smith Institute
, also left and membership was withdrawn from the Libertarian Alliance
and Nurses for Reform. New members include the Ohrid Institute (Macedonia), the Murray Rothbard Institute (Belgium) and Innoval (Germany).
The Stockholm Network has made efforts to be transparent regarding the sources of its funding http://www.stockholm-network.org/downloads/publications/SN_WEB_AN_REPORT_1.pdf, and has advocated that other think tanks should also list their funders on their websites. This would make accusations of potential conflicts of interest, or lobbying, which can be impossible to either corroborate or refute (given their often unattributed and/or unverified nature) less likely.
The Stockholm Network acts as a broad church of market-oriented think tanks with a variety of viewpoints – some of whom disagree on policy issues. The Stockholm Network has not attempted to deflect or ignore criticism of its activities, such as the recent debate over its Carbon Scenarios project, but has openly acknowledged it and sees this intellectual debate as an important part of the work of a think tank http://www.stockholm-network.org/Conferences-and-Programmes/Energy-and-Environment/carbonscenarios/mediacoverage".
The Stockholm Network Intellectual Property & Competition Programme was established in January 2005 and aims to achieve four key objectives:
The Stockholm Network Energy & Environment Programme was created in early 2005 in order to promote a practical market-oriented approach to environmental problems. Environmental problems are critical issues for the general public and for policy makers alike. The Stockholm Network work in this programme recognises the importance of environmental policies in safeguarding future prosperity and endeavours to produce practical solutions - solutions that recognise economic realities - to environmental policy dilemmas.
The Stockholm Network's Health & Welfare Programme was established at the end of 2005. The programme has the following key aims and objectives:
More recently, similar criticisms have also been voiced:
Alex Singleton (Daily Telegraph/Globalisation Institute): "The Stockholm Network ... called on the Government to formulate a cohesive and creative industrial policy to reverse the current trend of decline and international displacement in pharmaceutical manufacturing, even though free marketeers normally campaign against the whole concept of having industrial policies, believing that decisions about what to invest in should be left to the market." Free-market network demands bail-out for pharmaceutical industry.
Johan Norberg (Cato Institute/ex-Timbro): "The free-market group Stockholm Network demands more government funding and subsidised energy prices for the pharmaceutical industry, so that they can cope with the financial crisis. What´s next? Will free-marketeers demand nationalisation of the drug companies in return for preferred shares?" Do you have something for a sudden headache?
Stockholm Network Director Helen Disney, responded as follows:
"The Stockholm Network is not calling, and never would call, for a 'bail out' of the UK pharmaceutical industry. These words are not used anywhere in the paper being cited. The report is far from being in favour of state intervention. In fact, the authors argue for reducing corporation tax, simplifying tax rules and reducing legislation and regulation. The reference to industrial policy concerns ideas for making the UK economy more competitive in global markets."Free-market network demands bail-out for pharmaceutical industry
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
and network, located in London. In addition to its own policy research, it is an umbrella organisation for market-oriented think tanks in Europe. It has over 130 member organisations.
Aims
The organisation was founded in 1997 by Helen Disney in response to the growth in market-oriented think tanks across Europe, with the aim of providing a forum for sharing, exchanging and developing pan-European public policy research. Interested in ideas which stimulate economic growth and help people to help themselves, it promotes and raises awareness of policies which create the social and economic conditions for a free society. Its stated goals include:- Reforming European welfare states and creating a more flexible labour market.
- Updating European pension systems to empower individuals.
- Ensuring more consumer-driven healthcare, through reform of European health systems and markets.
- Encouraging an informed debate on intellectual property rights as an incentive to innovate and develop new knowledge in the future, whilst ensuring wide public access to such products in the present.
- Reforming European energy markets to ensure the most beneficial balance between economic growth and environmental quality.
Emphasising the benefits of globalisation, trade and competition and creating an understanding of free market ideas and institutions.
Presentation
The Stockholm Network was founded in 1997 by Helen Disney, a former journalist and Deputy Director of the Social Market Foundation. It began with a small group of like-minded think tanks after planning meetings in London and Stockholm (from where it takes its name). It initially had staff of 3 people including Sacha Kumaria and Nicole Gray Conchar, who had previously worked as a fundraiser for numerous think tanks including the Cato InstituteCato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
and the International Policy Network
International Policy Network
The International Policy Network is a global think tank headquartered in the City of London. It defines itself as a non-partisan, non-profit organization, but has also been described as a "corporate-funded campaigning group"...
(IPN).
In 2008, four think tanks, out of a membership of over 130, chose to leave the voluntary membership of the Network. They are the Institute of Economic Affairs
Institute of Economic Affairs
The Institute of Economic Affairs , founded in 1955, styles itself the UK's pre-eminent free-market think-tank. Its mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social...
the International Policy Network
International Policy Network
The International Policy Network is a global think tank headquartered in the City of London. It defines itself as a non-partisan, non-profit organization, but has also been described as a "corporate-funded campaigning group"...
, the Hayek Institut and the Venezie Institute
Venezie Institute
The Venezie Institute is a non-profit, independent, research think-tank based in London. Its mission is to undertake and support institutional, social and economic research based on the principles of individual liberty, institutional integrity, free enterprise, limited government and commonwealth...
. In 2009 The Adam Smith Institute
Adam Smith Institute
The Adam Smith Institute, abbreviated to ASI, is a think tank based in the United Kingdom, named after one of the founders of modern economics, Adam Smith. It espouses free market and classical liberal views, in particular by creating radical policy options in the light of public choice theory,...
, also left and membership was withdrawn from the Libertarian Alliance
Libertarian Alliance
The Libertarian Alliance comprises two libertarian think tanks in Great Britain that promote free-market economics and civil liberties...
and Nurses for Reform. New members include the Ohrid Institute (Macedonia), the Murray Rothbard Institute (Belgium) and Innoval (Germany).
The Stockholm Network has made efforts to be transparent regarding the sources of its funding http://www.stockholm-network.org/downloads/publications/SN_WEB_AN_REPORT_1.pdf, and has advocated that other think tanks should also list their funders on their websites. This would make accusations of potential conflicts of interest, or lobbying, which can be impossible to either corroborate or refute (given their often unattributed and/or unverified nature) less likely.
The Stockholm Network acts as a broad church of market-oriented think tanks with a variety of viewpoints – some of whom disagree on policy issues. The Stockholm Network has not attempted to deflect or ignore criticism of its activities, such as the recent debate over its Carbon Scenarios project, but has openly acknowledged it and sees this intellectual debate as an important part of the work of a think tank http://www.stockholm-network.org/Conferences-and-Programmes/Energy-and-Environment/carbonscenarios/mediacoverage".
Programmes
Currently, the Stockholm Network has three programmes: The Health & Welfare Programme, the Intellectual Property & Competition Programme and the Energy & Environment Programme. Each was developed in order to further the objective of the Network in searching for practical market-oriented solutions to the endemic problems Europeans face today.The Stockholm Network Intellectual Property & Competition Programme was established in January 2005 and aims to achieve four key objectives:
- First, to make the field of intellectual property more mainstream and accessible to the general public.
- Second, to increase the interaction between specialists focusing on different aspects of intellectual property rights.
- Third, to encourage discussion, as well as debates, on different IP issues.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, to promote European competitiveness.
The Stockholm Network Energy & Environment Programme was created in early 2005 in order to promote a practical market-oriented approach to environmental problems. Environmental problems are critical issues for the general public and for policy makers alike. The Stockholm Network work in this programme recognises the importance of environmental policies in safeguarding future prosperity and endeavours to produce practical solutions - solutions that recognise economic realities - to environmental policy dilemmas.
The Stockholm Network's Health & Welfare Programme was established at the end of 2005. The programme has the following key aims and objectives:
- To provide a comprehensive resource on European think tank initiatives in the field of Health and Welfare
- To promote competition and choice in healthcare, through reform of European health systems and markets;
- To promote more flexible labour markets in Europe
- To promote market oriented reform of Europe's failing pensions systems
Criticism
Some anti-globalisation groups have criticised the SN for receiving corporate funding or being a "corporate-funded campaigning group". " Covert industry funding fuels the expansion of radical rightwing EU think tanks".More recently, similar criticisms have also been voiced:
Alex Singleton (Daily Telegraph/Globalisation Institute): "The Stockholm Network ... called on the Government to formulate a cohesive and creative industrial policy to reverse the current trend of decline and international displacement in pharmaceutical manufacturing, even though free marketeers normally campaign against the whole concept of having industrial policies, believing that decisions about what to invest in should be left to the market." Free-market network demands bail-out for pharmaceutical industry.
Johan Norberg (Cato Institute/ex-Timbro): "The free-market group Stockholm Network demands more government funding and subsidised energy prices for the pharmaceutical industry, so that they can cope with the financial crisis. What´s next? Will free-marketeers demand nationalisation of the drug companies in return for preferred shares?" Do you have something for a sudden headache?
Stockholm Network Director Helen Disney, responded as follows:
"The Stockholm Network is not calling, and never would call, for a 'bail out' of the UK pharmaceutical industry. These words are not used anywhere in the paper being cited. The report is far from being in favour of state intervention. In fact, the authors argue for reducing corporation tax, simplifying tax rules and reducing legislation and regulation. The reference to industrial policy concerns ideas for making the UK economy more competitive in global markets."Free-market network demands bail-out for pharmaceutical industry
External links
- Stockholm Network web site
- Stockholm Network Memberlist
- Companies House Company Details
- http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/alice_thomson/go/tag/view/all/Stockholm%20Network Daily Telegraph
- Simon Moore Memorandum by the Stockholm Network Select Committee on European Union Written Evidence 20 June 2006.
- Populus Stockholm Network Environment Poll
- Sourcewatch Stockholm Network
- Spinprofiles Stockholm Network
- "Covert industry funding fuels the expansion of radical rightwing EU think tanks", Corporate Europe Observatory, July 2005.