Euro & Finance
ECB to assess six Bulgarian banks as step towards Banking Union membership
European Central Bank (ECB) will conduct a comprehensive assessment of six Bulgarian banks as part of the Balkan country's bid to join the European Union's banking union, Bulgaria's central bank said on Monday (12 November).
Italy sticks to its guns in revised budget submitted to EU
Italy defied Brussels again on Tuesday (13 November) as Finance Minister Giovanni Tria presented only a slightly modified draft budget, despite the European Commission rejecting the previous spending plan in an unprecedented decision.
Parliament urges Council to start negotiating on next EU long-term budget
The European Parliament laid down funding priorities for the next long-term EU budget on Tuesday (13 November) and urged the Council to agree on a common position so that talks be completed before next May. But differences still remain about the level of member states' contributions.
Luxembourg reprimanded over slow transposing of money laundering laws
The European Commission has reprimanded Luxembourg once again for delays in transposing European anti-money laundering rules into its legislation. EURACTIV France reports.
No compromise on EU budget rules, Moscovici warns Italy
The EU’s Economics chief Pierre Moscovici insisted on Thursday (8 November) that there was little room for Brussels to compromise with the Italian government over its budget plans as he unveiled the European Commission's latest economic forecasts.
Greek banks’ foul play suspected in Bulgaria
A Greek bank bought the Bulgarian subsidiary of another Greek bank on Wednesday (7 November). The deal seems totally at odds with the terms of Greece’s bailout deal, but not only that.
Eurozone ministers urge inflexible Italy to drop budget defiance
Eurozone finance ministers urged Italy on Monday (5 November) to reverse course on its rule-breaking budget amid fears of market turmoil and a return of the debt crisis.
Some countries ‘more comfortable’ with interim deal on digital tax, EU diplomats say
Some EU member states are likely to feel “more comfortable” with a temporary agreement on the EU’s digital tax plans rather than wait for international consensus, EU diplomats said on Monday (5 November), ahead of a meeting of EU finance ministers.OpinionPromoted content
Building a stronger Europe – the case for listed real estate
Listed real estate plays a key role in all aspects of our everyday lives and should be strongly represented in EU policymaking. From spearheading transparency to creating jobs across Europe, the unique contributions of listed real estate is more vital than ever to the EU economy, writes Tobias Steinmann.
The euro ‘hawks’ want bigger say for crisis fund in cuts and reforms
The so-called Hanseatic League of EU countries called for a “strict conditionality” and more powers for the European Stability Mechanism over those countries requesting assistance to avert a full-blown crisis.
Europe’s top banks in EU stress test spotlight
Europe's top banks will learn on Friday (2 November) how they have fared in their latest stress test, which could require some to raise capital or shed assets, with Italian lenders expected to come under close scrutiny.
Member states must not let Commission stand against Italy alone
The rejection of Italy’s draft budget by the European Commission on Tuesday is unprecedented in the history of the Stability and Growth Pact. Member states cannot sit idly by but must take a more active role in the political conflict over fiscal sovereignty.
Wary of crypto, UK government blocks Royal Mint’s digital gold
Britain’s Royal Mint has frozen plans to launch a digital gold token after a partnership with U.S. exchange group CME failed and the government vetoed a plan to have the tokens trade on a cryptocurrency exchange, three sources told Reuters.
Former IMF chief to serve four years in prison over ‘black cards’ case
Former managing director of the International Monetary Fund and ex-Finance minister of Spain Rodrigo Rato entered into prison on Thursday (25 October) to serve four-and-a-half-years term over ‘black cards’ case.
Commission eyes FinTech to boost euro’s role on global stage
New pan-European payment instruments, including solutions based on emerging technologies in the financial sector or FinTech, are a part of the European Commission’s plan to boost the euro's standing in international markets.
French people barely comforted by positive economic conditions
France tends to develop in the opposite direction to the rest of the eurozone and the economic lights are now on green. However, French morale tells a very different story and the international situation raises concerns among economic forecasters. EURACTIV France reports.
Draghi ‘confident’ about a deal on Italian budget
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi expressed his confidence on Thursday (25 October) about the likelihood of an agreement between the European Commission and the Italian government over Rome's spending plan for next year.
European funds: What next for the Polish economy?
European funds were one of the factors that helped Poland avoid the serious effects of the financial crisis. Negotiations on the new seven-year financial framework have already begun in the European Parliament. The outcome could have a major effect on how Poles vote in next May's elections.
Italian budget standoff may consign eurozone integration drive to slow lane
An uncompromising challenge to EU budget rules by Italy is providing the first big test for reforms introduced to save the euro zone nine years ago as financial crisis threatened to tear it apart.
Bruegel: EU needs anti-money laundering body with staff of hundreds
The European Union should set up a new agency to counter money laundering after a series of high-profile cases at banks bared weaknesses in the system, an influential think-tank said in a report, urging full disclosure of fines imposed on wrongdoers.
Course unchanged for ECB as growth worries bubble under
The European Central Bank seems certain to keep policy unchanged on Thursday (25 October) but likely to acknowledge the growth outlook is deteriorating, even if not yet enough to derail a carefully crafted retreat from stimulus.
German economy booms but Brexit and US clouds are on the horizon
The German economic powerhouse is booming. But its export-centric model is drawing complaints from other eurozone countries and the United States.
Commission rejects Italian draft budget in unprecedented decision
The European Commission rejected Italy’s 2019 budget in an unprecedented decision on Tuesday (23 October), after the government in Rome failed to give a substantial response to the executive's allegations of a breach of the EU law.
Dijsselbloem: Greek government will gradually access markets more and more
The Greek government will be able to gradually have more and more access to markets as the end of the bailout, the current economic outlook and a sound budget allow Greece to regain its financial independence, former Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said in an interview with EURACTIV's media partner Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA).