No Deal Brexit fears prompt financial market angst

The increasing prospect of a No Deal Brexit is prompting new concerns that there are still ‘substantial’ regulatory gaps between the EU and UK in parts of the financial services sector.

Finnish presidency commits to linking rule of law with EU funding

Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne told the European Parliament on Wednesday (17 July) that his country’s presidency of the Council of the EU would continue negotiations on how to link more closely the disbursement of EU funds with respect for the rule of law in member states.

Le Maire: ‘Capitalism is in a dead end, must reinvent itself’

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire is determined to chair an “efficient” meeting with his colleagues of the G7 countries on Wednesday and Thursday. His goal is no less than to refound capitalism. As a first step, he wants to reach an agreement on the main features of digital tax, to pave the way for an international compromise by early next year.

OECD calls on members to speed up reforms, focus on innovation

In its annual growth report, the OECD painted a gloomy picture: rising inequalities, slowing growth and strong headwinds for the global market economy, notably because of trade wars. EURACTIV Germany summarised the OECD's recommendations for Europe.

German ambassador to the EU: ‘China is changing us’

Europe should increase its economic assertiveness abroad and put forward a new strategy to face China’s rivalry, as the challenges posed by Beijing are already affecting the way European countries are preparing to compete with global powers, experts and diplomats agreed on Thursday (12 July).

Job cuts at Deutsche Bank are just the tip of the iceberg

Deutsche Bank will withdraw from its global equity business and cut 18,000 jobs over the next three years. This is part of a bigger trend: investment banks are looking more towards the US, which can sometimes be problematic for Europe. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Commission’s forecast paves the way for new ECB stimulus

The European Commission kept its growth forecast unchanged at 1.2% on Wednesday (10 July) but revised downwards inflation to 1.3% for this year and the next, strengthening the case for further monetary stimulus as global economic risks worsen.

Europeans tell Germany to spend more to boost euro economy

European ministers and institutions told Germany on Monday (8 July) to increase public spending in order to support the ailing growth in the eurozone, as decision-makers and investors see a growing risk of recession looming on the horizon.

Croatia launches bid to join euro waiting room

Croatia launched Thursday (4 July) a bid to join Europe's Exchange Rate Mechanism II, the two-year waiting room for eurozone candidates which pegs their currencies to the euro, the national bank said.

Italy escapes EU budget sanction procedure after spending cuts

The European Commission concluded on Wednesday (3 July) that Italy was no longer breaching the EU’s fiscal rules after the government reduced public spending by €7.6 billion in a last-minute effort to escape a sanction procedure.

Christine Lagarde, a non-conventional pick for the ECB presidency

A lawyer by training, Christine Lagarde has been nominated to succeed Mario Draghi as president of the European Central Banck (ECB). The IMF director has an atypical profile, due to her lack of banking experience and question marks over her past. EURACTIV France reports.

EU fiscal board insists on stabilisation mechanism

Any systemic shock will not affect just some countries but the whole euro area so if member states want to counter it adequately, they need to have a central fiscal capacity, European Fiscal Board (EFB) president Niels Thygesen told reporters on Tuesday (25 June). 

Italy’s Tria sees no obstacles to budget deal with EU

Italy's economy minister said on Tuesday (25 June) he was confident of reaching an agreement with the European Union over the country's budget, adding that deficit targets in a draft deal would reflect a "more than prudent" fiscal policy.

Stabilisation mechanism in induced coma after EU leaders’ meeting

EU leaders failed to inject further ambition to a Eurogroup deal on watered-down reforms of the Economic and Monetary Union, including a budgetary instrument for the eurozone, at the Euro summit on Friday (21 June). 

Rutte: ‘I will never support stabilisation mechanisms at euro level’

In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV.com after the European Council, Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, said on Friday (21 June) that he "will never support" new budgetary instruments to stabilise the euro area if an economic shock hits the region.

Divided EU to urge return to talks on eurozone integration

European Union leaders will urge finance ministers on Friday (21 June) to keep working on deeper euro zone integration as flagship ideas such as a euro zone budget or a deposit guarantee scheme either lack key elements or have not progressed at all.

How to pick the next saviour of the euro

EU leaders will try to pick the new European Central Bank president on Thursday evening (20 June), in times when further monetary flexibility is becoming more likely, but EU officials and diplomats have warned against politicising the election of Mario Draghi's successor.

Draghi brushes off Trump accusation of currency manipulation

European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi said Tuesday (18 June) that the institution “doesn’t target the exchange rate”, shrugging off an allegation of currency manipulation from US President Donald Trump. “We have our remit. We have our mandate. Our mandate...

No agreement on euro budgetary tool- ministers send ‘hot potato’ back to leaders  

EU finance ministers failed to reach an agreement in the early hours of Friday (14 June) on an anti-shock instrument to shield the euro, as they continued to clash over almost every feature on the agenda, including the source of funding.

Finance ministers press Italy to stick to EU fiscal rules

EU finance ministers told the Italian government on Thursday (13 June) to meet its fiscal obligations in order to reduce its high debt, with the European Commission insisting on “substantial corrections” to rein in public spending.

Trade tensions boosted international role of euro, ECB reports

Trade tensions, challenges to multilateralism and unilateral sanctions might be bad for the economy but they have helped boost the global use of the euro, the European Central Bank reported on Thursday (13 June).

Far from ‘devalued’, euro surges as trade war hits yuan

If evidence is needed of how far ripples from the Sino-US trade war are reaching, have a look at Europe where the yuan’s slump is driving up the euro’s value against trade partners’ currencies, handicapping the export-reliant bloc’s economy. Contrary...

Eurogroup to nudge forward EMU reform before next week’s EU summit

EU finance ministers will try to close a deal on deepening the Economic and Monetary Union, including a tentative new budget for the eurozone, during the Eurogroup meeting on Thursday (13 June) in an inclusive format. 

EU moves closer to debt action as Italy angles for compromise

The European Union moved closer on Tuesday (11 June) to taking disciplinary action over Italy's growing debt, as authorities in Rome made tentative steps to avert a procedure that could saddle the country with large fines and alienate investors.