About: Eurozone
EU ministers to agree virus rescue plan, not ‘coronabonds’
EU countries are nearing an economic rescue plan for European countries worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak, sources said on Monday (6 April), but not at the level of ambition called for by Italy and Spain.
EU open to ‘coronabonds’ to cushion economic fallout – von der Leyen
The European Commission is ready to consider backing common debt issuance in the eurozone to help the bloc weather the massive economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, its president said on Friday (20 March).
Coronavirus will send EU spiraling into recession in 2020: Breton
The coronavirus pandemic will plunge the European Union into recession this year, the EU’s internal market Commissioner Thierry Breton said, estimating the bloc’s economy risked a 2-2.5% hit.
EU ministers hold videoconference to agree coordinated economic coronavirus response
European Union finance ministers plan to agree on Monday (16 March) on a coordinated economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the European Commission forecasting the effects of the virus could push the EU into a recession. The action would...
Coronavirus deaths rise in Italy, government prepares economic support
The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen to 34, five more than a day earlier, officials said on Sunday (1 March), as the government prepared to boost spending to help the fragile economy.
Bulgaria’s balance of payments reporting to Brussels ‘seriously flawed’
Eurostat and the European Commission have been informed of a serious problem with the reporting of the balance of payments of the Bulgarian economy to the EU institutions, which may have presented the country's GDP growth as much higher than it is. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.
Bulgaria delays entry into euro ‘waiting room’ until July
Bulgaria has delayed until July its plans to join the ERM2 Exchange Rate Mechanism, also known as the eurozone "waiting room", Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said Friday (21 February).
Eurozone ministers discuss fiscal boost options as coronavirus worries weigh
Euro zone finance ministers discussed ways to pursue a more growth-friendly fiscal policy mix on Monday (17 February), in a potential nudge to Germany and the Netherlands to spend more as fears of a downturn grow in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.
Bulgaria changes legislation to join euro ‘waiting room’
Bulgaria's parliament adopted on Thursday (6 February) changes to the country's central bank law so as to allow its accession to the "waiting room" of the eurozone.
EU eyes phasing out smallest euro cent coins
The European Commission is considering a proposal to phase out 1-euro cent and 2-euro cent coins, an EU document showed, in what would be a cost-saving move as the coins' production and handling costs often exceed their face value.
In blow to Eurogroup head, EU Commission criticises Portugal’s budget
The European Commission said on Wednesday (15 January) that Portugal's draft budget for 2020 was at risk of breaking European Union fiscal rules because of insufficient progress in reducing its structural deficit.
No progress on reform of eurozone bailout fund until March
Reform of the eurozone bailout fund will remain frozen until at least March, a senior official said on Wednesday (15 January), as governments are still divided over technical details on bond restructuring.
Croatia highlights its Schengen and Eurozone ambitions
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković made it clear that Croatia, the latest EU newcomer, wants to join as soon as possible the Union’s inner circles – the borderless Schengen space and the Eurozone.
Eurozone growth driven by services, weighed down by industry slump
While the eurozone's private sector stagnated until December 2019, the manufacturing sector saw a prolonged slump. It is the services sector that continues to drive the Eurozone's growth. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Late Erasmus founder Lenarduzzi said Europe ‘as we conceived it’ is blocked
To honour the legacy of late Erasmus "father" Domenico Lenarduzzi, who passed away on Tuesday (3 December), EURACTIV is reposting an interview with him that was originally published on 22 September 2011.
France to convince member states on size of eurozone budget
Since the June agreement on the eurozone budget, blockages have persisted between the 19 members of the euro area. But France is now taking an active role in persuading the others of the need to pin down practical details. EURACTIV France reports.
France urges Germany to follow its example with budget stimulus
France will cut taxes by more than €10 billion next year and Germany should follow Paris' footsteps with fiscal stimulus to revive its flagging economy, France's finance minister said on Thursday (26 September).
French business expansion slows amid sluggish eurozone
France's private sector is growing at a slower rate and has reached the lowest level in the past four months, according to forecasts published by IHS Markit on Monday (23 September). For the eurozone, business expansion fell to the lowest level since June 2013. EURACTIV's partner La Tribune reports.
Growing pressure on eurozone economies to launch stimulus
The European Commission and some member states including France followed the ECB in pressing Germany and other countries with fiscal space to invest more to counter the risk of recession.
The seven-point recipe to improve EU’s messy fiscal rules
The European Fiscal Board has recommended major reform of the Stability and Growth Pact in order to simplify the EU’s spending rules and favour productive investment in the era of low-interest rates.
Italy’s PM seeks EU reform as government wins confidence vote
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called Monday (9 September) for the reform of European Union budget rules and cooperation on immigration as his new government won a parliamentary confidence vote.
Recession fears grow as euro area inflation hits three-year low
Inflation in the euro area fell to 1% in July, its lowest level since 2016, according to Eurostat data released on Monday (19 August), adding pressure on the European Central Bank to consider relaunching its economic stimulus program in September.
Germany’s slowing growth is penalising the whole of Europe
The European train is slowing down as one of its main drivers, the German economy, is experiencing a slowdown. At the same time, job creation across the EU is declining. EURACTIV's partner Euroefe reports.