János Ammann
Former economy minister: Ukraine needs grants, not loans
In an interview with EURACTIV, the former Ukrainian economy minister and current advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Tymofiy Mylovanov welcomed EU help but called for the use of grants instead of loans since an over-indebted Ukraine would scare off private investors and make reconstruction more difficult.
Four-day work week: How competitive is mental health?
The Brussels economic policy crowd seems to be positively inclined towards the idea of a four day work week if a recent debate at the Brussels Economic Forum is anything to go by.
EU Commission proposes Ukraine reconstruction platform
Along with a €9 billion increase in short-term budgetary aid to the Ukrainian government, the European Commission proposed on Wednesday (18 May) setting up a reconstruction platform for Ukraine to help with the massive financing needs of rebuilding the country.
Access to justice key in corporate sustainability due diligence directive, stakeholders say
Giving those harmed by multinational companies a way to seek recourse, reparation, and justice is one of the goals of the corporate sustainability due diligence directive, but in practice, it may be easier said than done.
Social Taxonomy risks death by Commission neglect
While the debate regarding the environmental taxonomy is raging between EU member state governments, the project of establishing a social taxonomy is put on the backburner by the EU Commission, according to multiple sources.
EU Commission proposes tax cut to incentivise equity investments
As most corporate tax systems in the EU currently prefer debt financing over equity and EU companies are highly indebted, the EU Commission proposed the introduction of a tax allowance that should incentivise the accrual of new equity rather than debt.
Commissioner Schmit: You cannot make money on social services
Social economy should not be thought of as an alternative to public services, according to the European Commissioner for jobs and social rights, who nevertheless argued there was a need for a "third way" between the private, profit-oriented economy and publicly provided services that can be served by social economy.
The cost of market concentration
Technological progress and lax anti-trust enforcement have led to high market concentration, which in turn led to ballooning profits of some big corporations, to the detriment of economic development, economics professor Jan Eeckhout told EURACTIV in an interview.
State of play in social economy finance in the EU
Trying to push the social economy as a flourishing sector of the economy, the EU is using a variety of ways to overcome the tension at the heart of the social economy: How do you attract money to a sector that defines itself as not being about the money?
The EU works – when it ignores its rules
Given the circumstances, the European Union's economy is doing reasonably well. However, this success currently relies on the EU circumventing its own rules, putting into question how sensible they are in the first place.
EU starts negotiations on distortive foreign subsidies regulation
The European Parliament and EU governments on Wednesday (4 May) each agreed their negotiating position on a proposal aimed at levelling the playing field for European companies facing competition from foreign companies that receive financial support in their home countries.
Commission pitches post-war recovery plan for Ukraine
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (4 May) made a pitch for a post-war recovery package for Ukraine to help it rebuild after the war Russia is waging on its neighbour ends.
Eurogroup president launches new push to complete banking union
On Tuesday (3 May), euro area finance ministers met virtually via videocall to discuss new measures to integrate the European banking system, that were proposed by the Irish finance minister and Eurogroup president Paschal Donohoe.
Four countries enter race to nominate new EU bailout fund chief
As the term of the current managing director of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Klaus Regling draws to a close in October 2022, four men have been proposed by their government to succeed him.
Obstacles on the way to green capital markets
Recent studies suggest that much needs to be done in the EU if private capital markets are to play a role in financing the green transition.
The EU moves cautiously to fill the skills gap
On Wednesday (27 April), the EU Commission presented its proposals for a legal migration package that should make it easier for EU companies to find workers from third countries and should protect migrants from abusive labour practices.
EU Commission wants to scrap import tariffs for Ukraine
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (27 April) scrapping for one year all EU tariffs and quotas on products imported from Ukraine, in a bid to support the Ukrainian economy that is suffering heavy losses due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
ECB board member slams crypto finance as dangerous ‘house of cards’
In a speech in New York, a member of the European Central Bank's executive board criticised crypto finance for its lack of transparency and the risks it poses to financial stability, describing crypto-assets as "speculative assets that can cause major damage to society" and calling for a faster and more stringent regulation.
Funding Ukraine’s reconstruction
While Russia's invasion of Ukraine rages on, a group of renowned economists have devised a plan to reconstruct Ukraine after peace returns. The amount of money and planning needed is daunting, but maybe the EU can learn something from this as well
EU starts consultation for Single Market Emergency Instrument
The EU Commission opened a month-long consultation period for stakeholders and citizens to voice their opinions on a new tool that aims at securing the functioning of the single market in times of crisis.
How Russia can avert sovereign default and why it might not care
The Russian government has enough funds to prevent a default on its sovereign debt. However, it is unclear whether Moscow has much interest in preventing a default and creditors may have a hard time getting at Russian assets to compensate for their loss.
ECB confirms plans to roll back stimulus, end bond buys in Q3
The European Central Bank kept policy unchanged on Thursday (14 April), signalling a steady reduction of stimulus over the coming months as inflation remains uncomfortably high.
The looming public debt crisis
Already strained due to the COVID pandemic, public finances in many countries of the Global South might not be able to cope with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, leading to the possibility of sovereign defaults.