Euro & Finance
EU grandees send Draghi to ‘euro pantheon’
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi chairs his last governing council on 24 October, before Christine Lagarde takes over on 1 November. EURACTIV contacted eight politicians, decision-makers and analysts from different countries to review Draghi's eight-year mandate at the ECB.
Commission wary of side effects of Libra regulation
The European Commission has called for a “proportionate” and differentiated approach to regulating digital currencies including Facebook’s Libra, as the EU needs to preserve is developing Fintech environment.
German plan brings ‘new impetus’ to banking union, Eurogroup says
Finance ministers on Thursday (7 November) welcomed a German initiative to unblock proposals for a common bank deposit guarantee scheme in the eurozone, but questioned Berlin's request to ask additional capital buffers in return for banks holding sovereign debt.
As economy slows, Commission tells member states to be ready for ‘all scenarios’
EU member states should be prepared for “all scenarios” as the European economy continues to decelerate, and is not expected to pick up in the near future, the European Commission warned in its latest economic forecast published on Thursday (7 November).
Scholz’s proposal to complete EU banking union greeted with cautious optimism
European decision makers welcomed on Wednesday (6 November) German finance minister Olaf Scholz’s attempt to unlock the European Deposit Insurance Scheme (EDIS) proposal, but warned of the long process still ahead to reach an agreement.
EU maintains option of blocking Facebook’s Libra
Europe is ready to “prevent the development” of risky digital currencies including Libra until all concerns have been addressed, according to the latest proposal to be discussed by EU finance ministers and seen by EURACTIV.com.
Amid Brexit and trade wars, European industry faces economic gloom
The eurozone's manufacturing sector contracted for the ninth consecutive month in October, based on the latest Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) calculated by the Markit firm. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.![Klaus Regling, CEO of the European Stability Mechanism, at the Eurogroup, 19 June 2014 [Photo: Council of the EU]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/klaus_regling_june_2014.jpeg)
Eurozone equipped to save big economies, says euro rescue fund chief
The European Stability Mechanism, the euro area’s rescue fund, would have enough firepower to save large economies if necessary, including Italy, the fund’s chief Klaus Regling said on Tuesday (29 October).
Draghi attempts to heal divided ECB in farewell speech
Departing ECB president Mario Draghi tried to restore unity among eurozone central bankers in his farewell speech on Monday (28 October) but he continued to defend his recent controversial monetary decisions.
French financial sector poorly accounts for climate risks, says Bank of France
In a note published on Friday (25 October), the Bank of France noted that the risks associated with climate change are taken into account in a "partial and heterogeneous" manner by France's financial institutions. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Ciao, Mario: ECB’s Draghi hands baton to Lagarde
ECB chief Mario Draghi bows out Monday (28 October), passing the baton to former IMF head Christine Lagarde whose first task will be to heal rifts among policymakers.
Draghi’s farewell demand: the eurozone budget
Outgoing European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stressed in his farewell press conference on Thursday (24 October) that a truly eurozone budget “with an adequate size" would be the number one issue to fix in the eurozone.
Smart taxation in a fast-changing global economy
Smart taxation is the solution to drive growth, address current and future challenges of economic change and fulfill international goals, whilst at the same time taking into consideration national needs.
EU investment plan helped create 1.1 million jobs
Outgoing European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, announced on Tuesday (22 October) that the investment plan launched at the beginning of his mandate helped create 1.1 million jobs in Europe and boosted the European economy by 0.9%.
Commission tells member states to adjust their economies further
The European Commission is putting the final touches to a number of letters to various national governments that are at risk of missing their fiscal targets for 2020. Brussels wants more information on how they intend to to balance their public finances.
Why it makes sense to adopt new own resources for the EU budget
The European Union is forgetting the revenue side of the EU budget to pursue its policies. The new own resources can provide a link to an EU policy, increase ownership, and shape behaviour of citizens, businesses and governments, write a group of Slovak diplomats.
Visegrad countries slam Finnish presidency MFF paper
Ahead of an EU summit starting on Thursday (17 October), diplomats from the four Visegrad countries harshly criticised the Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU for a paper it prepared to help the leaders’ discussion on the bloc’s...
Tatra Summit: Europe’s competitiveness in a global economy
Politicians and business stakeholders from Europe and beyond agree on the pressing need for Europe to adjust in the rapidly changing global environment. What should the EU focus on in order to ensure its seat in the world's future?
Tatra Summit: EU competitiveness in midst of global ‘crossfire’
Europe’s competitiveness in a world characterised by disruptions has been in the spotlight of the GLOBSEC Tatra Summit. The Green New Deal, sustainable finance and leveraging the EU budget were identified as the keys to help Europe resist the global...
Eurozone sharpens up new anti-shock fund
Finance ministers of the 19-member euro area reached agreement late on Wednesday (9 October) on the details of a "budgetary instrument" for the eurozone, including stronger measures to support countries hit by a sudden economic shock.
France to convince member states on size of eurozone budget
Since the June agreement on the eurozone budget, blockages have persisted between the 19 members of the euro area. But France is now taking an active role in persuading the others of the need to pin down practical details. EURACTIV France reports.
Practise what you preach: banks should endorse the sustainability practices they publicly support
Paul Tang questions why bank lobbyists are seeking to delay transparency measures that they have publicly endorsed.
Will Germany block EIB plans to ditch natural gas?
The European Investment Bank wants to purge its loan books of fossil fuels, including natural gas, by 2020. Although the Bank's final decision is expected to be delivered on 15 October, resistance, especially from Germany, is brewing. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Gentiloni wins broad approval with ‘ambitious’ EU economic and social agenda
Paolo Gentiloni won the European Parliament's approval on Thursday (3 October) to become EU Commissioner for the Economy, with ambitious plans to unblock tax proposals and to design the European unemployment reinsurance scheme.