Economy & Jobs

Europe’s need for an investment plan sustaining its future

The EU should to co-finance independent investments with equity in growth enterprises by guaranteeing public funding as pooled at EU level, write Christian Motzfeldt, Erika Mann and William Stevens.

EU must end investment protection in the fossil sector

The Energy Charter Treaty, which dates back to the 1990s, severely restricts Europe's ability to change regulations in the energy sector, with many EU member states facing court actions worth billions of euros, write a group of MEPs. If the treaty cannot be reformed, then it must be scrapped, they argue.

Digital tax could hinder European digitalisation when we need it most

The European Commission wants to create a Europe fit for the digital age. Its digital tax proposal goes in the opposite direction, argues Jörgen Warborn.

Moment of truth for the Youth Guarantee

The Youth Guarantee scheme will be relaunched this week and the Commission must  learn from the mistakes of its first run, argue Ludovic Voet and Tea Jarc.

The new ERA must do more for gender equality

As we slowly emerge from the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, one thing is clear – it has brought to the front various aspects of gender equality issues in Research and Innovation (R&I), writes Marcela Linkova.

Staying on course during the storm – EU tools for a sustainable future

The proposed EU recovery plan aims to keep our economies afloat, but it is vital not to lose sight of the journey towards a more sustainable economy, write Sirpa Pietikäinen, Bas Eickhout and Paul Tang.

Digital tax: Stage set for EU leadership after Trump’s OECD withdrawal

Amazon does not need another massive handout, but that is what the Trump administration gave the US behemoth by withdrawing from international digital tax negotiations at the OECD. The timing could not be worse, write Christy Hoffman and Oliver Roethig.

Fair treatment of Europe’s cross-border workers

A truly integrated EU labour market cannot exist without a fair level of coordination for social security, writes Dragoș Pîslaru, who insists that Europe must learn the lessons of the COVID-19 crisis.

Germany’s EU presidency: A chance to boost electric cars at home and abroad

Germany’s six-month-long stint at the helm of the EU Council Presidency will see it preside over talks on the Commission’s planned €750 billion recovery fund. Stef Cornelis explains why Berlin should ensure those talks result in a green agreement between...

The Brief – Ceci n’est pas une troïka

The Commission is going to great lengths to stress that the proposed recovery fund will not be a bailout programme. “This is not an adjustment program with a different name,” the Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said in May. We are not back to troïka times.

Bikes and trains, the tandem to tackle the climate crisis

Bicycles and trains have become the mobility keystone of the ‘new normal’ with great potential for the green European recovery. The EU must ensure they go hand-in-hand, according to the European Cyclists Federation.

Homelessness cannot be just another ‘Fact of Life’ in the EU

Homelessness is increasing across the EU. It's time for the Commission and governments to turn the tide, write Nicolas Schmit, Ana Mendes Godinho and Yves Leterme.

Protecting the seasonal workers in Europe

If we have fresh strawberries on our table these days, if we can enjoy delicious asparagus from our fields, it is thanks to the people who work outside. Quite often, they are seasonal workers, and we have to protect them, write Dan Nica and Jens Geier.

Morawiecki: United we can do more

The current crisis can be a great turning point in the history of the European Union. However, we must remember that the recovery fund should correspond with all real economic problems of the member states, with their specificity, expectations and current needs, writes Mateusz Morawiecki.

Let us not confine global trade

COVID-19 has stalled economies in the EU and the world, revealing vulnerabilities and shortcomings in global value chains. We need a resilient and sustainable European recovery by fostering sustainable and digital industrial ecosystems that diversify trade, stimulate sustainable growth and create jobs, write Reyes Maroto and Simon Kollerup.

Weaponizing transparency: Dealing with security risks of Chinese investments

Increasing transparency is a key measure to manage and mitigate many security risks posed by Chinese investments into sensitive sectors. Slovakia's experience in fighting shell corporations and oligarchs offers an example of how to do it, writes Matej Šimalčík.

An EU minimum income framework is an urgent safety net after Covid-19

The upcoming German EU presidency intends to take up an initiative for an EU framework for minimum income systems. Shannon Pfohman looks at what this should look like.