Euro & Finance

Central and Eastern Europe needs a different type of eurozone

EU countries such as Czechia, Croatia and Bulgaria should have the courage to distinguish between the political realities of the European integration process and their own long term economic interests. They should leverage their future membership of the eurozone for significant structural change, writes Eoin Drea.

Why EU needs a stronger commitment from Member States to build efficient capital markets

The European Commission expressed commitment to stronger and more deeply integrated financial markets with its action plan on capital markets union (CMU) published one year ago. This objective cannot be achieved without a strong commitment from the EU Member States, even more crucial now, as Europe recovers from the COVID-19 crisis. 

Fiscal reform and why it matters for climate

The EU's economic governance must drive climate action for a just transition, not austerity, writes Isabelle Brachet.

The EU taxonomy can strengthen SMEs in the green transition

Small and medium-sized companies stay exempt from the new disclosure rules on the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy starting in 2022. However corporate leaders would be well-advised to follow its implications, including SMEs, writes Finn Wendland.

Banking and fintech: not a zero sum game

By working together, and with policymakers, banks and fintech businesses can speed up the EU's economic recovery, writes Ellen Moeller

The Brief, powered by EPRA — The politics of the pact

The EU’s fiscal rule book was an early victim of the COVID pandemic, correctly, pushed aside by the need to keep businesses afloat as lockdowns derailed economies. But it has not been forgotten.

The new crusade for fiscal prudence

The frugal alliance stands to gain very little if their campaign for premature fiscal consolidation following the pandemic succeeds, but they risk exposing the entire EU to serious political and economic consequences, writes Anna Peychev.

Revamping fiscal rules requires a new understanding on debt sustainability

It is necessary to reform the European Union’s flawed macroeconomic architecture as the post-pandemic world demands a new fiscal rulebook to boost our economies, argues Margarida Marques.

A fairer playing field for businesses and consumers

The EU's new VAT regime will create rules fit for the digital age and benefit businesses and consumers, writes Gerassimos Thomas.

The Brief, powered by UNESDA – Europe’s debt disciple raises the alarm

“Borrowing in times of crisis to stabilise the economy makes sense, as long as the question of repayment is not forgotten.” So says Bundestag president and former German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, a welcome, if unlikely, convert to Keynesian economics.

The real reason we need a digital euro

The ECB will decide this summer whether to continue its plans for digitalizing the euro. With bankers pushing back, the major advantage of a digital euro has gained little attention, writes Igor Pejic.

Where is social inclusion in the national recovery plans?

The Recovery Funds should respond to the strategic priorities set out by the European Commission, including employment and fighting poverty. However, an initial assessment of the submitted draft national recovery plans suggests that they largely miss investment in social inclusion and social services reform, writes Alfonso Lara Montero.

The ECB needs political guidance on secondary objectives

While EU Treaties clearly stipulate that the European Central Bank “shall support the general objectives of the European Union", politicians cannot simply stand by, hoping that it will use its discretionary power to act on them, writes Grégory Claeys.

No need to panic about the EU recovery fund

The EU recovery fund has been delayed by another court case in Germany. But there's no need to worry, writes Sony Kapoor.

Don’t impose new tax reporting burden on EU businesses

The competitiveness of European businesses is at risk if EU introduces unilateral public country-by-country reporting, writes Krister Andersson.

From financial solidarity to a social and federal union

The creation of a federal bond will pave the way for a treasury and common EU taxation. However, this ad-hoc financial union agreed by the European Council is mostly an intergovernmental affair and a stronger role of the European Parliament...

The Coronavirus exposes the Netherlands as a tax haven – again

Governments miss out on billions of tax revenues annually as the result of tax havens such as The Netherlands. The Coronavirus pandemic tellingly shows how such tax havens undermine public policy and cohesion within the EU, argues Boris Kowalski.