The ECB's key interest rate remains at zero and is expected to be at that rate at least until summer 2020. However, ECB chief Mario Draghi is suggesting that a decisive fiscal policy is far more important for the eurozone, especially for Germany and Italy. EURACTIV Germany reports.
With majorities in the European Parliament becoming more unstable, votes are becoming more unpredictable. The power structure has shifted considerably as a result of the European elections. While the liberal group Renew Europe will likely be decisive, German MEPs are set to be the most influential. EURACTIV Germany reports.
The EU-Canada summit focused on the free trade agreement (CETA), saving the WTO and doubling investments in research and development for the energy transition. However, the meeting was more symbolic, confirming that Canada, rather than the US, is now the EU's closest ally. EURACTIV Germany reports.
In its annual growth report, the OECD painted a gloomy picture: rising inequalities, slowing growth and strong headwinds for the global market economy, notably because of trade wars. EURACTIV Germany summarised the OECD's recommendations for Europe.
Deutsche Bank will withdraw from its global equity business and cut 18,000 jobs over the next three years. This is part of a bigger trend: investment banks are looking more towards the US, which can sometimes be problematic for Europe. EURACTIV Germany reports.
"A sustainable Europe - a sustainable future". This is Finland's motto to kickstart its presidency in the European Council for the next six months. The Finnish programme seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, expand the digital internal market and strengthen military cooperation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
The GCF, the world’s biggest climate fund, tries to channel more money into climate projects – EU leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to the replenishment of the fund in their June summit’s conclusions. But its decision-making takes too long, critics say.
The board of the UN Green Climate Fund is meeting from 6 to 8 July in Songdo, South Korea. The board is set on heralding a "paradigm shift" in climate financing and intends to accelerate the decision-making process to boost the fund's replenishment. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Last week, the UK became the first major industrialised country to pass a law to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Now London is publishing a strategy for redirecting global financial investments into climate-friendly projects. The idea of bankers investing in the environment should sound less paradoxical in the future. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Social media platforms in Germany are obliged to report hate speech and other illegal content. Germany's Federal Office of Justice is expected to slap a €2 million fine on Facebook for reporting only a fraction of such activity on its platform. EURACTIV Germany reports.
As Brussels relies on bilateral talks to increase trade relations with the ASEAN group, it is getting closer to concluding two free trade agreements with Vietnam. But the European Parliament could yet prove to be a significant obstacle. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Artificial Intelligence has taken huge strides in the last decade. It can now recognise faces, coordinate self-driving cars or even compose music. W. Brian Arthur talked to EURACTIV Germany about why AI is "an enormous change for our society" and why it is important to regulate it carefully.
Only days after the NATO-led maritime manoeuvre BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) tested the waters in the Baltic Sea region, Northern Group defence ministers met on Tuesday (25 June) in Berlin in an attempt to deepen their cooperation. The so-called Northern Group...
EU leaders wrapped up a two-day summit on a low note on Friday (21 June), having failed to agree on the distribution of the EU's top jobs for the next five years.
EU leaders failed to reach an agreement in the early hours of Friday (21 June) on the EU's top jobs, as divisions over the process and the distribution of the posts impeded any progress.
EU leaders will try to pick the new European Central Bank president on Thursday evening (20 June), in times when further monetary flexibility is becoming more likely, but EU officials and diplomats have warned against politicising the election of Mario Draghi's successor.
European sustainable finance got an additional boost on Tuesday (18 June), following the release of three reports by the Technical Expert Group on sustainable finance (TEG) focusing on taxonomy, green bonds standards and climate benchmarks.
European member states want to commit to increasing international climate financing to a new level. They want to replenish the UN's Green Climate Fund, according to a draft of a European Council statement, which is to be adopted at the EU summit next week. EURACTIV Germany was able to see the declaration in advance.
The leader of German Christian Democrats, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK), stated on Wednesday (12 June) that German military expenditures would have to be raised to NATO's 2% spending target, while former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel proposed splitting Germany's military spending into two funds. EURACTIV Germany reports.
One would expect that increased digitisation would ensure less work is needed but the European Commission has stated that EU member states will face exactly the opposite. It has also warned Germany that it needs to invest more in education. EURACTIV Germany reports.
In an interview with EURACTIV Germany, Deutsche Börse Group's head of sustainability management, Kristina Jeromin, spoke about the increasing involvement of shareholders in the activities of their respective companies and explained why she considers 'Greenwashing' accusations to be destructive.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas launched a call for action on Tuesday (4 June) that aims to develop real solutions that would mitigate the security risks of climate change. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Germany is currently preparing a new cyber defence strategy. An internal concept paper of the German government foresees the use of so-called hack-backs and changes to the German Basic Law. But the change is happening and the general public is being excluded from the discussions, experts criticise. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Across Europe, green parties have benefited from the fact that the climate crisis has become the focus of attention, including in Austria. The Austrian Green Party, which has had no seats in the national parliament since 2017, is now gearing up for snap parliamentary elections in autumn. EURACTIV Germany reports.
