FAQs

When and by whom was the Stockholm Network founded?

The Stockholm Network was founded in 1997 by Helen Disney, a British journalist and policy specialist. The spread of market-oriented think tanks and independent policy research institutes across Europe from the mid-1990s onwards, created a niche for a network hub, capable of providing a bird's eye view of the policy environment. The network's early aims, which have continued to the present day, were to find an efficient method of connecting like-minded policymakers and thinkers; to encourage collaboration on joint research projects in order to share the most successful policy innovations and arguments more widely; and to ensure a wider audience and a more co-ordinated approach to the dissemination of market-oriented ideas within Europe and beyond its borders.

What type of organisation the Stockholm Network?

The Stockholm Network is a UK limited company. It provides independent pan-European research and networking services. Since it values its intellectual independence, it does not seek or accept financial support from political parties. Both a pan-European think tank and a networking organisation, its mission is finding and promoting successful market-oriented policy ideas as well as communicating these ideas in ways that are usable, accessible and relevant for policymakers, the media and the general public.

Who funds the Stockholm Network?

The Stockholm Network is funded by a wide range of individuals, corporations, trade associations and foundations. A mixture of for-profit and not-for-profit organisations, some SN supporters are large global enterprises, while others are small or medium in size. Subscriptions from individuals, commercial enterprises, and a range of NGOs make up the bulk of our funding. We also derive a small income from the sale of our publications and research materials to the public, bookshops, government agencies and private companies. Corporate subscribers come from a wide range of sectors that currently include information technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, entertainment, public affairs, and insurers. Subscribers do not have a veto over the outcome of Stockholm Network research or any influence over its media output. The Stockholm Network does not accept contributions intended to ‘purchase’ a predetermined research outcome or in any way compromise the intellectual integrity of our work. We do not act as a ‘front group’ for other organizations or individuals. A full list of our contributors is listed in our annual report on our website and we encourage other member think tanks to pursue a similar policy.

Does the Stockholm Network take money for specific projects?

While the Stockholm Network does consider funding for specific projects within its research areas, it fiercely guards its independence and integrity. Reputation is everything and the SN only takes on work that chimes with its areas of specialisation and its support for a more market-oriented economy. We believe that our work stands on its merit, through the integrity of our authors and rigorous documentation of our findings, Project sponsors do not have a veto over the outcome of project research and have no editorial control over any Stockholm Network research or publications.

Is the Stockholm Network Eurosceptic?

The Stockholm Network has never taken a corporate position on the single currency or the existence of the EU. Instead, we are focused on the policy and regulatory activities of the EU, and of its member governments and whether or not they contribute to a liberal, market-oriented society. The Stockholm Network is non-partisan and made available to the public without regard to party political affiliation.

What are the main policy achievements of the Stockholm Network?

The Stockholm Network and its members are at the vanguard of reform across Europe. Its work to raise the profile of specific policies such as US-style welfare-to-work schemes, the Stockholm healthcare revolution, and the need for greater vigilance in preventing the sale of counterfeit medicines, have all attracted the attention of high-profile decision makers and the media. Many of these ideas are now being piloted and are having a genuine impact across the EU. More widely, we also hope to influence the general climate of debate. We consider the growing popularity of flatter taxes and the ever-greater recognition that Europe's state health and welfare systems are in need of market-oriented reform as achievements for ourselves and our members.

What kind of feedback has the Stockholm Network received from EU policymakers regarding its work?

The most common feedback has been policymakers confiding to us that they tend to agree with our viewpoints and that they would appreciate us providing them with more intellectual ammunition for their own policy work. Our activities also provide a valuable forum and a neutral space where reformers' ideas can be discussed in a serious and non-adversarial way. In 2004, the Stockholm Network's publication Impatient for Change formed part of a testimony given to the European Commission and a copy was requested by MEPs for reference in the Commission library. In 2005, Stockholm Network author Graham Satchwell gave testimony to the US Senate HELP committee as a result of his investigation into the links between counterfeit medicines and organised crime, published in our study A Sick Business. As part of our direct policy contribution, we have also submitted evidence to a number of recent government consultations including the UK’s Gowers Review of Intellectual Property and the European Commission’s 2008 public consultation, ‘Creative Content Online in the Single Market’.

Who is on the Stockholm Network's board and why?

As we are not a charitable foundation, the Stockholm Network does not have a formal board. Instead, we consult informally with other think tank leaders, patrons and supporters on a regular basis to receive feedback on our work and ideas for future development.

What does to the Stockholm Network hope to achieve overall?

The Stockholm Network strives to create an intellectual climate in Europe in which ideas for economic and individual liberty thrive. Policy formation is based on a series of assumptions about the public good and how markets operate. The more we can communicate the public benefits - in terms of economic growth, opportunity, prosperity and liberty - of market-oriented policies, the more we can alter conventional assumptions which determine and all too often damage public policy.

What is the relationship between the Stockholm Network and its members?

All Stockholm Network's think tank members join on a voluntary basis and are not charged a subscription for membership. Their affiliation is based on a mutual desire to extend the market economy and to reform European welfare systems, via the creation of a wider and more efficient network of like-minded policy experts. Members may join simply to receive information and meet new contacts or indeed to partner on events, book launches and other market-oriented policy-related projects. The Stockholm Network is not a trade association and, unless otherwise stated,  its publications and press releases do not purport to represent the views of its member think tanks. The aim of the network is to act as an umbrella organization within which a free exchange of ideas can flourish.

Why should I support the Stockholm Network and its work?

The Stockholm Network is in the business of creating in Europe an intellectual climate in which human prosperity and your organisation can thrive. We strive to maintain the best knowledge of European market-oriented think tanks, ideas and thinkers, directing you swiftly to the expert or organisation you need and working with that network to create original, pan-European research. We already have a proven track record in influencing the policy debate and our network and influence is growing all the time.

* Elements of these FAQs are adapted from ‘Guiding Principles for Think Tanks’ compiled by Jeff Judson and Lawrence Reed.