Euro & Finance
OECD’s Gurría: ‘People are angry and frustrated’
OECD Secretary-General Ángel Gurría has blamed governments for the rise of populism and political fragmentation across Europe, claiming they also did not deliver benefits that were promised to citizens, he told EURACTIV in an interview.
MEP Rodrigues: Imposing eurozone ‘as it is’ on Italy is not the answer
Populist forces in Italy are “playing with fire” and exposing the country to market pressure, vice-president of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Maria João Rodrigues warned in an interview.
Manfred Weber: We have to find consensus with France
While the debate about the future of Europe is gaining momentum, the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, calls on the German Christian Democrats to show more willingness to compromise in an interview with EURACTIV’s media partner Der Tagesspiegel.
Minister: EU cohesion policy served Greece well, should be upgraded in future
The EU's cohesion policy supported Greece in its most serious crisis, demonstrating the value of the bloc's second-biggest funding scheme, Greece’s Alternate Economy Minister Alexis Charitsis told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Eurogroup chief: ‘I see enormous potential in Greece’
Greece has enormous potential and is getting ready to stand on its own feet when it exits its EU bailout in August, Eurogroup leader Mario Centeno told EURACTIV.com's media partner Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) in an interview.
Moscovici: ‘The credibility of the EU tax haven black list is at stake’
The EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Pierre Moscovici is determined to table a digital tax proposal at EU level, despite warnings from the OECD. In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, he also warns EU countries for failing to publish the commitments made by tax havens to exit the EU’s ‘black list’.
Dastis: ‘Not all our bold ideas for eurozone reform will be fulfilled’
Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Alfonso Dastis had to deal with a diplomatic crisis with Venezuela in the midst of an exclusive interview with EURACTIV in the margin of the World Economic Forum, where he said that concrete steps forward in the eurozone should be made by June.
PwC boss: Businesses ‘sceptical’ about Merkel-Macron EU reform push
Europe will be high on the agenda of the World Economic Forum on Wednesday (24 January), as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take the stage in Davos. But there is “a lot of scepticism” about what the two leaders can do to push forward EU integration, PwC’s chief Bob Moritz told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Membership in eurozone unlikely for Denmark, Sweden-adviser
The cooperation forum of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden is "in search of new relevance", Christian Opitz and Tobias Etzold explained in a recent analysis paper by the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP). EURACTIV Germany spoke with Tobias Etzold.
EIB president: Europe needs a paradigm shift in development policy
The Juncker Plan has been a "miraculous instrument", and Europe now needs the same paradigm change in development policy. That means moving from social policy to economic development, and from grants to loans. The EU will play a huge role in that shift, Werner Hoyer told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Champion of ‘helicopter money’ questions universal basic income
As chair of Britain's Financial Services Authority, Adair Turner saw the collapse of the financial system from the very top. In the aftermath of the crisis, he became one of the main advocates of helicopter money - but today he doubts if universal basic income is the best way to address growing inequality.
Business chief: Greece is politically stable and now needs productive investment
Greece is politically and economically stable and now it’s the time for productive investment that will create jobs and increase the country’s GDP, Greek business leader Konstantinos Michalos told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Tomáš Zdechovský: The EU begins in the stomach of a Czech citizen
The Czechs do not know anything about the EU’s global strategies or the interconnection of energy networks. But they know very well that they can buy cheaper and better food in Germany, says MEP Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP).
Johnson: ‘I was hired by Soros for ‘Black Wednesday”
It is now 25 years since George Soros and Robert Johnson speculated against the pound, costing £3.3 billion in losses, and forcing the UK out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) that paved the way for the euro currency.
Zurich boss: ‘We need to look at protection, savings and retirement together’
Amid growing social inequalities and the digital transformation of the economy, Zurich’s Gary Shaughnessy believes public officials, employers and insurers should all cooperate to provide protection to the most vulnerable groups.
European Parliament VP: ‘We must use the window of opportunity’ to deepen EU integration
Current conditions are ideal to push the EU towards becoming a European federal state, according to one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, Rainer Wieland. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Transparency International: German criticism of ECB ‘a tad dishonest’
As Germany prepares for general elections in September, Leo Hoffmann-Axthelm reminds about Berlin’s responsibility in the politicisation of the European Central Bank (ECB), saying it is largely due to German inaction during the Eurozone crisis.
HSBC economist: Europe’s south can live with a strong euro
HSBC Germany’s chief economist still sees a bright future for the euro and insists that the heavily-indebted countries of southern Europe should not be put off by the resurgent single currency, in an interview with EURACTIV’s partner WirtschaftsWoche.
Dublin’s man in Berlin: Confidence growing in Irish economy despite ‘Brexit challenges’
Ireland’s priority in the Brexit negotiations is to ensure 1998’s Good Friday Agreement is protected, as well as maintaining close as possible ties between the EU and the UK, explained Dublin’s ambassador to Germany.
Greek minister: With progressive federalism EU will regain citizens’ trust
In order for Europe to address the current governance issue and convince citizens that it works in their interest it should turn to a left-wing progressive federalism model, Nikos Pappas told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
European fiscal board chief: ‘Stop talking about recovery, we are approaching normality’
Arguably, the EU’s economic governance framework is one of the most divisive issues among member states and top priority in Europe’s to-do list of outstanding reforms. Niels Thygesen does not shy away from this challenge. After questioning European Commission fiscal stance for this year recommendation, he proposed a return to a more ‘prudent’ orientation for 2018. In October, he will address one of the hottest topics: whether the application of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) unfairly favoured countries like France.
Macron: Germany is competitive thanks to eurozone weaknesses
Ahead of Thursday’s (13 July) Franco-German Ministerial Council, Friday’s Bastille Day celebrations and Donald Trump’s visit to Paris, President Emmanuel Macron spoke to EURACTIV’s partner Ouest-France about Europe's future, and France’s relations with the US.
Dombrovskis: ‘There is appetite for a pan-European pensions product’
The European Commission will propose a new pan-European personal pension today (29 June). In an interview with journalists, Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis argues that the new scheme would help save more money in an ageing society.