Jorge Valero
Green package unleashes criticism against von der Leyen inside the college
Some EU Commissioners expressed concerns on Wednesday (14 July) about the landmark ‘Fit for 55’ climate legislation package and criticised the way the massive initiative to transform the European economy was handled by the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, various officials told EURACTIV.com.
EU unlocks first recovery funds amid growing Delta fears
EU-27 finance ministers in the Ecofin Council approved on Tuesday (13 July) the first batch of twelve national recovery plans, paving the way for the first payments by the end of this month, as the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 across Europe increases the risk of new restrictions.
EU puts its digital tax on hold after US pressure
The European Commission announced on Monday (12 July) it will put on hold its own proposal for a digital levy in Europe in order to facilitate a global tax agreement. The digital tax, which would have affected US tech giants, was postponed following repeated calls from Washington on the Europeans to cancel their plans.
EU to detail future relationship with Gibraltar next week
The European Commission will put forward a mandate to negotiate a post-Brexit relationship with Gibraltar next week that would bring EU Frontex agents to its territory to avoid a hard border with Spain.
Released Catalan leader: Catalan issue requires a ‘multilateral solution’
Oriol Junqueras, former Catalan vice-president and pro-independence leader who had been jailed for his role in Catalonia's failed secession attempt, visited Strasbourg and Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday (6-7 July), after being released from prison with a pardon from the Spanish government.
Lagarde makes a case for ‘green’ capital markets union
The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, on Wednesday (29 June) called for initiatives to create a capital markets union for sustainable finance.
Commission spending on Big Four consultancy firms grows in 2020
The European Commission’s contracts with PWC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG, known as the ‘Big Four’, continued to increase last year surpassing €156 million, partly due to their rising billing as part of the reform support programme, according to estimates made by EURACTIV.com.
Commission to ease state aid straitjacket as recovery fund kicks in
The European Commission will present in the second half of this year a wide-ranging review of its state aid rules to facilitate public funding to strategic areas, as member states await the first transfers of the EU's recovery funds.
Eurogroup fails to agree on a calendar to complete banking union
Eurozone finance ministers (Eurogroup) failed to agree on Thursday (17 June) on a calendar to complete the banking union with a common deposit insurance scheme, as Germany continued to oppose any progress unless member states address other issues, including bank exposure to sovereign debt.
Euro fiscal watchdog endorses suspension of Stability Pact in 2022
The European Fiscal Board supported on Wednesday (16 June) maintaining the suspension of the Stability and Growth Pact throughout next year but called for reinstalling a revised set of fiscal rules from 2023 to minimise risks.
Commission convinces markets with first issuance of recovery bonds
The European Commission raised €20 billion in the markets on Tuesday (15 June) to start financing the EU’s €800 billion recovery fund, beating its expectations for the planned monthly bond sale.
EU-US aircraft deal heralds new trade cooperation in Biden era
The first summit between the EU and US President Joe Biden concluded on Tuesday (15 June) with a deal on a five-year suspension of tariffs in the longstanding Airbus-Boeing dispute, paving the way for stronger cooperation against the challenges posed by China’s economic model.
Europe turns to active labour market policies to beef up job recovery
The European Commission wants member states to adopt measures to support workers’ hiring and retraining in the aftermath of the pandemic, as the green and digital transitions will shake up a European job market already in pain because of COVID-19.
Dombrovskis: ‘We are quite satisfied with the recovery plans submitted’
The EU’s framework to coordinate national economies this year has been shaped by the recovery and resilience plans. The Commission’s executive vice-president for economy, Valdis Dombrovskis, told a group of media including EURACTIV that overall, the EU executive is satisfied with the recovery plans submitted by 23 member states.
EU member states overcome nine-year blockade on procurement instrument
EU countries reached an agreement on Wednesday (2 June) on the instrument first proposed in 2012 to ensure that European companies have access to third countries’ public procurement markets as foreign companies enjoy in Europe.
Commission to start borrowing recovery funds in June
The European Commission confirmed on Monday (31 May) that it will start borrowing the €800 billion needed to finance the recovery fund in June, after all member states gave their approval to the issuance of EU debt which is on an unprecedented scale.
Pressure mounts on member states to ensure successful roll-out of recovery fund
As the EU recovery fund slowly nears its implementation phase, member states’ absorption capacity and control mechanisms are considered among of the main challenges for its successful roll-out.
Fund unleashes resources to finance European recovery
The EU's recovery fund and private investors will push investment to a level not seen for more than a decade, but the risk of corporate insolvencies could hamper the European economy take-off.
European recovery gains speed as COVID-19 fund kicks in
Europe's economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 is gaining momentum, the European Commission concluded in an economic forecast presented on Wednesday (12 May), with the rebound credited to the recovery fund, vaccines, global trade and the lifting of lockdowns.
Kyriakides: AstraZeneca remains an important part of the EU portfolio
After months of broken promises and unmet contractual targets, the European Commission has stepped up its legal offensive against pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca. But EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides says its vaccine remains an “important part” of the EU portfolio in the efforts to protect Europeans against the COVID-19.
EU recovery fund struggles to find its true nature
Amid doubts around the implementation of the €800 billion recovery fund, European Commission and experts stress that the EU instrument is not a US-like emergency stimulus but an investment tool for the medium-term to transform the European economy.
EU leaders to give strong backing to new social targets at Porto summit
The 27 heads of EU national governments will commit to “closely following” progress towards new jobs, skills and poverty reduction targets and will be open to adding new indicators to the GDP to measure national progress, according to the latest draft of the Porto social summit declaration seen by EURACTIV.
Commission bolsters toolbox against disruptive foreign subsidies
Companies subsidised by foreign governments will have to win EU authorities' green light to acquire European firms or to bid in public procurements, according to a European Commission proposal published on Wednesday (5 May).