Euro & Finance
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?
How Portugal became Europe’s accidental ‘bitcoin heaven’
As governments slowly shackle the crypto industry with regulations and obligations, Portugal is increasingly isolated in Europe -- a place with few rules that investors describe as a crypto paradise.
EU body sets out draft sustainability disclosure standards
Companies will have to set a much broader range of sustainability targets under draft new European Union reporting standards, environmental impact body CDP said on Tuesday (3 May).
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.
German inflation hits 40-year record, fuelled by high energy prices
Inflation in Germany rose at its fastest pace in four decades, data published Thursday (28 April) showed, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed up energy prices.
IMF cuts eurozone 2022 growth forecast on Ukraine war
The war in Ukraine will weigh heavily upon economic growth in the eurozone, the IMF said Tuesday (19 April), as the conflict wreaks havoc on energy prices and the manufacturing sector.
German economic institutes see sharp recession if Russian gas cut off
Germany would face a sharp recession if gas supplies from Russia are suddenly cut off, the country's leading economic institutes said on Wednesday, and the government said the war in Ukraine poses "substantial risks" for Europe's largest economy.
EU lawmakers faced with sexist and racist abuse from crypto advocates
As EU institutions are moving to regulate the crypto industry, European lawmakers have been subjected to unprecedented levels of online harassment. Two female members of the EU Parliament have been especially targeted by the predominantly male advocates of cryptocurrencies.
Ukraine war pushes eurozone inflation to new record
Spiralling energy bills and disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine caused consumer prices in the eurozone to surge by a new record of 7.5%, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said on Friday (1 April).OpinionPromoted content
Financing the digital transition
The tragic war in Ukraine – and the many direct consequences it has on the whole European continent – naturally puts any other political priority into perspective. Nonetheless, the shockwave of the ongoing humanitarian, geopolitical and economic crisis reinforces rather...
EY Brexit tracker finds 7,000 finance jobs have left London for EU
More than 7,000 finance jobs have moved from London to the European Union as a result of Brexit, down 400 from the total anticipated in December, consultants EY said on Tuesday (28 March).
Putin says Russia will start selling gas to EU clients in rubles
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (23 March) Russia would start selling gas to "unfriendly" countries in rubles, after a freeze on Russia's assets by foreign nations had destroyed Moscow's trust. The "unfriendly" countries include the 27 EU members.
Euro zone ready to reverse planned fiscal policy tightening amid Ukraine war
Euro zone finance ministers agreed on Monday (14 March) to tighten fiscal policy a little next year after three years of pumping billions into the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, but also to be ready with more cash should the war in Ukraine make it necessary.
Macron cautious about joint EU debt plan
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday (10 March) the war in Ukraine will require joint EU investments which may lead to a new bout of joint debt, but added he would prefer to talk about the goals first rather...
Auditors slam French recovery plan as ‘too complex and confusing’
France's recovery plan, dubbed 'France Relance', is challenging to implement due to being over-complicated, difficult to monitor, and involving too many actors that are not immediately identifiable, according to Pierre Moscovici, the French court of auditors president.EURACTIV France reports.
Russia adopts list of ‘enemy’ countries to which it will pay its debts in rubles
Russia adopted a list of “enemy countries” in which the whole of the EU is included. The first announced sanctions against the “enemy countries” were that Russian counterparts would settle their debts with them only in rubles.
Bulgaria may seek exception to any EU sanctions on Russian gas and oil
Bulgaria supports sanctions on Russia as a means to halting its invasion of Ukraine, but will likely seek an exception on banning Russian natural gas and oil imports if such a proposal is put forward, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said.
Sberbank Europe likely to fail according to European Central Bank
The European Central Bank (ECB) concluded on Monday (28 February) that Sberbank Europe is failing or likely to fail, following considerable withdrawals from the accounts of Sberbank’s European subsidiary over the past week.
Comply or disengage, businesses ask after proposal of due diligence law
While the new EU directive on corporate sustainability due diligence aims at making companies engage more actively in improving conditions, some argue that the risks of sanctions and civil liability might deter investment to the detriment of economic development.
Reshaping cities to speed up post-COVID normality
An increasing number of EU countries have started lifting COVID-related restrictions in a first sign of returning to normality. However, there are doubts as to how ready societies are for a full return to "old normal", after two years of varying and often frustrating public measures.
Public investment: EU gives with one hand and takes with the other
The new cohesion report by the EU Commission shows that a large part of public investment in cohesion countries stems from EU cohesion funds rather than from member states themselves whose own investments are constrained by EU fiscal rules.
Facebook’s crypto project Diem sold after pushback
The Facebook-backed digital currency project Diem announced Monday (31 January) the winding down and $182-million sale of its technology, capping a years-long initiative that drew significant concern from regulators.
Lithuanian growth prospects unfazed by China row – for now
While the row with China has not yet influenced the short-term economic development of Lithuania, jittery investors might be a risk for medium and long-term growth prospects, Tadas Povilauskas, chief economist of Lithuania’s largest bank, told EURACTIV.