About: corporate governance

High stakes for the future of European sustainable corporate governance

Europe needs a Copernican Revolution in corporate behaviour in order to tackle both the climate crisis and social disparities, write Wojciech Baginski and Katie Hill. To do that, the EU should start with clarifying the fundamentals of corporate law, they argue.

$2 trillion investors challenge 55 companies on climate lobbying

Five weeks before a pivotal UN climate conference (COP24) starts, a group of investors led, by the Church of England Pensions Board and Swedish national pension fund AP7, sent a letter to 55 companies to challenge them on climate lobbying.

EU clamps down on letter box firms’ tax avoidance, social dumping

The European Commission on Wednesday (25 April) proposed new rules to clamp down on firms that relocate within the EU for the purpose of cutting their tax bills, setting up mere letter box companies.

EIB needs to commit to responsible taxation policy, NGO coalition says

On the second anniversary of the Panama Papers tax scandal, the European coalition of development and environmental non-governmental organisations Counter Balance calls the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop a comprehensive and responsible taxation policy.

Jourova: EU rules on company seat transfers means savings for business

European firms could save millions in start-up and merger costs if they could use EU rules on cross-border transfer of registered office, says Věra Jourová, adding the saved money would be better invested in jobs, innovation and growth.

EU eyes corporate rules shake-up with law on seat transfer

The European Commission is preparing a new directive on the cross-border transfer of company seats, a move that could have far-reaching implications for other areas of corporate governance, including tax planning and cross-border mergers, EURACTIV has learned.

SDGs can be a test for European public-private partnerships

Sustainable Development Goals pose a considerable test for governments and EU institutions. Yet in a world in which the corporate sector is likely to enjoy greater agency, there is a concomitant opportunity to use the SDG process as a trial for European diplomacy, argue Jan Melissen and Ries Kamphof.

Business and human rights: The world is still waiting for action

The international community adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in June 2011, pledging to address the adverse impacts of business activities. Five years later, progress has been minimal, writes Jerome Chaplier.

Five ways COP21 can enhance corporate accountability

The Paris climate change talks could - or should - also be a watershed for corporate transparency and behind-the-scenes lobbying, argues Jerome Chaplier.

EU lawmakers back rewards for long-term shareholders

Long-term shareholders in companies in the European Union will be rewarded with extra voting rights or loyalty dividends if a draft law backed by a panel of EU lawmakers comes into force.

Corporate transparency part of the solution

Information on companies’ performance and prospects is of key interest to investors, decision-makers, the citizen and consumer; so why are member states now blocking corporate social responsibility rules, Jérome Chaplier wonders.

Commission accuses companies of ‘group think’, demands social responsibility

SPECIAL REPORT / The EU executive is due today (16 April) to accuse corporate Europe of lacking innovation and diversity as a result of “group think”, as it unveils new proposals requiring larger companies to disclose information on a range of environmental and social impacts.

UK threatens firms with gender quotas as women’s appointments fall

SPECIAL REPORT / The British government, which has staunchly opposed EU efforts to set gender quotas for corporate management, has warned it could introduce quotas if British companies fail to appoint more women to their boards.

Reding in uphill fight over corporate gender quotas

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding was in last-minute negotiations on Monday (22 October) to rescue her plan to boost gender diversity on corporate boards, officials said a day before she is to unveil proposals that face withering opposition within the European Commission and from some member states.

Germans reject Commission’s audit proposals

Key German decision-makers last week (5 May) rejected the scope and content of a planned radical overhaul of corporate governance rules affecting auditors, due to be launched by the European Commission later this year.

EU floats ideas to make companies more ethical, diverse

Enforcing gender quotas on company boards and making existing voluntary ethical codes binding are all options that may emerge from a European Commission consultation paper published yesterday (5 April).

Survey reveals future trends in EU public relations

Corporate communication is of growing importance to companies and will become the most important area of communication management within three years, according to new research from the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (Euprera).

New voting rights for cross-border shareholders

The Commission is to legislate to improve shareholder participation in the running of European companies in which they invest outside their own member state.

Corporate Governance

The collapse of Enron in the US and European scandals such as those revolving around Dutch retailer Ahold and Italian agri-food giant Parmalat, all in 2003, forced the issues of corporate governance and financial reporting to the fore in the EU. The Commission therefore began to systematically address these issues through its company law and financial services policies.

Financial industry must self-regulate for risk

A high-level conference in Brussels on 25 October discussed the issue of how investors and industry could best be protected from any future accounting debacles.

EU steps up auditing rules of listed companies

Euro MPs have backed a proposal aimed at guaranteeing the independence of auditors against the management of major listed companies in a bid to prevent further Parmalat and Ahold scandals.