Economy Archives

A debate over how public procurement rules should be reformed and whether they should include social conditionalities such as mandatory collective agreements clauses seems poised to move from Berlin to Brussels in the upcoming months.

Discussions about tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) are intensifying following a recent meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday (26th). Member states are split on supporting these tariffs, with undecided countries like Sweden and Germany potentially abstaining.

While EU industry broadly agreed with former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s “valid” diagnosis of Europe’s economic ills, they remained deeply divided on Thursday (26 September) over how to fund the bloc’s bulky  investment needs.

Italy’s Minister for Enterprises Adolfo Urso will seek a broad alliance with other industry ministers on Thursday (26 September) to move the review of EU’s Co2 reduction targets for cars forward but shield the bloc’s 2035 zero-Co2 emissions goal - as long as three key conditions are met.

Ahead of a meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday (26 September), twenty EU countries signed an initiative to remove single market barriers, an effort they feel has received too little attention by the recent reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi.

Google has filed an antitrust complaint accusing Microsoft of unfair licensing practices in cloud computing contracts with the EU Commission on Wednesday (25 September).

Deutsche Boerse and Nasdaq are being investigated as part of an European Union probe into possible antitrust violations in financial derivatives. A spokesperson for Deutsche Boerse said on Tuesday the German stock exchange operator had been searched as part of …

While EU policymakers step up efforts to convince Europeans to invest more of their savings into European assets rather than abroad, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Tuesday (24 September) that citizens would be well-advised to invest globally.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz slammed as "an unfriendly attack" UniCredit's move to become the biggest investor in rival Commerzbank with a potential 21% stake, marking growing hostility towards the Italian bank.

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) joined calls on Monday (23 September) for a quicker revision of the EU’s CO2 standards for cars after the Italian government and industry had previously pushed for such a move.

Eurozone business activity contracted sharply and unexpectedly this month as the bloc’s dominant services industry flatlined while a downturn in manufacturing accelerated, a survey showed on Monday.

The head of the EU financial markets supervisor threw her weight behind calls to cut requirements on the bloc's securitisation market on Monday (23 September), signalling that policymakers will set out proposals to loosen current rules "in the coming weeks."

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) will have little time on Monday (23 September) to digest the results of the third round of local elections as he prepares for talks with car sector leaders on getting the country’s largest industry back on track.

Italy will formally present a proposal at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday to bring forward to the first half of 2025 the review of the EU's 2035 ban on combustion engine vehicles, currently scheduled for 2026, announced Italy’s Business and Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso.

When thinking about industrial policy and how to restore Europe’s economic stance in the world, Europe should secure funding for research and development (R&D), rather than subsidies, a Finnish government representative urged in Berlin this week.

China and the EU have agreed to re-examine the possibility of setting a minimum price for Chinese automakers selling electric vehicles (EV) to avoid definitive tariffs, signalling a negotiated solution to the year-long trade dispute between the two blocs could be within reach.

The EU’s new clean industrial strategy must strike a balance between protecting key industries, not unduly shielding others, and creating a strong business case for clean products, key EU officials said on Wednesday (18 September).

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is set for a crunch meeting with Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels this morning (19 September), in a last-ditch effort to prevent the EU from imposing definitive duties on China-made electric vehicles,