The FREE Network is a joint policy research initiative by leading economic think tanks in Eastern Europe - SITE, BEROC, BICEPS, CEFIR, CenEA, ISET, and KSE.
Joined March 2014
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🔎 How is cryptocurrency reshaping illicit finance? 📅 On Nov. 10, SITE and its partners will bring together experts in Stockholm to explore sanctions evasion, war financing, scams, and emerging risks, and discuss how to respond. ➡️ Register: hhs.se/news/site-publication… #FREEnetwork
🚢 Russia’s shadow fleet poses growing environmental and security risks. But what can states legally do? ⚖️ A new @KSE_Institute study examines the legal tools available to restrict risky tankers and protect critical infrastructure. kse.ua/en/news/russias-shado… #FREEnetwork
1/9 Most tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet are over 15 years old. Ownership and registration are often opaque, and in some cases even a vessel’s nationality is uncertain. Our new study examines what states can legally do. e.surl.li/fvuysa
💰 $1.3 trillion in net private capital has left Russia since 2008. 🔎 @TorbjornBecker from @SITEStockholm examines the scale and changing composition of capital outflows from Russia. freepolicybriefs.org/2026/10… #FREEnetwork #SITE #Russia #CapitalOutflows
🚨 Are official trade statistics underestimating Russia’s imports of military-use goods? 📊 @KSE_Institute Q3 2026 CHP Imports Tracker finds that Hong Kong’s estimated exports of critical components to Russia may be 3–4 times higher than reported. 🔗 kse.ua/en/news/official-trad…
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1/6 Official trade data may understate some of Russia’s war-critical imports. @KSE_Institute’s Q3 2026 Russian CHP Imports Tracker, reveals where official data may not fully capture Russia’s import flows: e.surl.li/iwonnk
🌐 Has Russia’s push to centralise its internet made it more vulnerable? Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centres have exposed the risks of digital dependence, as reported by @FinancialTimes. 📊 Explore the Kremlin’s efforts to control Russia’s internet: freepolicybriefs.org/2026/06…
🚆 Can the Middle Corridor become Europe’s backup trade route to China? 📈 Freight has grown 5–10 times since 2021, but major constraints remain. @jesperroine from @SITEStockholm examines its potential and limitations. hhs.se/news/site-publication… #SITE #FREENetwork
💡 Is AI adoption translating into real productivity gains? 📊 The latest research by Laura Kalniņa, Signe Nīgale, and Zane Vārpiņa from @SSE_Riga and @BICEPSorg examines 22 organizations and reveals gaps in data readiness and in measuring AI’s impact. freepolicybriefs.org/2026/09…
🇺🇦 How does war affect economic productivity beyond physical destruction? 📚 Yuriy Gorodnichenko, @UCBerkeley, explored how Russia’s invasion disrupts the allocation of workers, capital, and resources across Ukraine’s economy. hhs.se/news/site-publication… #SITE #Ukraine #FREEnetwork
🚀 Why do women founders face barriers to startup funding in Armenia? 📊 Vahagn Grigoryan from @auatweets and Suren Karapetyan from Charles University explore how investor networks and childcare responsibilities shape access to capital. 🔗 freepolicybriefs.org/2026/09… #FREENetwork
🔎 What does it mean to comply with sanctions? 📌 Maria Perrotta Berlin @SITEStockholm explains what is the difference between following the absolute minimum required by law and trying to act in line with the overall purpose of sanctions. ➡️ gp.se/nyheter/gp-granskar/ex…
🏗️ Can the Middle Corridor replace trade routes through Russia? 📈 Despite rapid growth, around 90% of China–EU rail freight still travels via Russia and Belarus. Jesper Roine from @SITEStockholm examines the limitations of this alternative route.
freepolicybriefs.org/2026/10…
🌍 How do climate beliefs, trust, and perceived fairness shape public support for climate policies? FREECE and @SITEStockholm invite researchers to a workshop in Stockholm on November 27. 📅 Submit by October 19, 2026. hhs.se/news/site-publication… #FREENetwork #FREECE
🇦🇲 Who gets access to startup capital in Armenia? 🔎 Vahagn Grigoryan at the American University of Armenia and Suren Karapetyan, a PhD student at Charles University, examine the gender gap in startup funding. freepolicybriefs.org/2026/09… #FREEnetwork #gender #entrepreneurship
🇺🇦 What are the hidden productivity costs of war? Join SITE on Sep 24 for a lecture with Yuriy Gorodnichenko (UC Berkeley) on how conflict disrupts resource allocation across firms, productivity and long-term growth. ➡️ Register: hhs.se/events/site-external-…
🇺🇦 What is holding Ukraine’s defence startups back from scaling? 📈 87% of surveyed manufacturers plan to grow in the near term. 📘 A new KSE Institute & BRAVE1 study examines the financing, production, and organizational bottlenecks behind the gap. 🔗 kse.ua/about-the-school/news…
⛽️ Does a higher biofuel blending mandate automatically mean higher fuel prices? 🔎 New research shows that the impact on fuel prices depends crucially on the price gap between biofuel and fossil diesel. freepolicybriefs.org/2026/09… #FREEnetwork #SITE
🔎 Pontus Larsson, Analyst at the Energimyndigheten, and Jakob Oberhammer, Pre-doctoral Research Assistant @SITEStockholm, discuss how Sweden’s Reduktionsplikt affects fuel prices. 🔎 Explore more policy briefs on environmental economics: freepolicybriefs.org/topics/…
📉 Is Russia’s war economy heading toward collapse? In Børsen, SITE’s Anders Olofsgård says an acute collapse is unlikely for now. But pressure on banks, fuel shortages, and weak growth are making the economy increasingly fragile. ➡️ Read more. borsen.dk/nyheder/udland/en-…
