Twenty years ago, on 1 January 2002, twelve EU countries changed their national currency banknotes and coins for the euro in the largest currency changeover in history. In these two decades, the euro has contributed to the stability, competitiveness and prosperity of European economies. Most importantly, it has improved the lives of citizens and made […]
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Online sales continue to grow among EU enterprises
In 2020, 22% of EU enterprises had e-commerce sales and 19% reported that their online sales reached at least 1% of their total turnover, a 1 percentage point (pp) increase compared with 2019 and 6 pp up from 13% in 2010. The steady growth in the use of e-commerce sales in many countries was heightened by the coronavirus pandemic and movement […]
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Commission proposes to end the misuse of shell entities for tax purposes within the EU
The European Commission has presented a key initiative to fight against the misuse of shell entities for improper tax purposes. This proposal should ensure that entities in the European Union that have no or minimal economic activity are unable to benefit from any tax advantages and do not place any financial burden on taxpayers. This […]
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Tourism nights booked online drop by almost 50% in 2020
In 2020, guests spent around 272 million nights in short-term rental accommodation in the EU booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia Group or Tripadvisor, representing a decrease of around 47% compared with 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic. These data on short-stay accommodation offered via these platforms are the result of a landmark agreement between the European Commission and […]
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Long-term unemployment in the EU requires more targeted measures
Long-term unemployment can have serious consequences, both for the unemployed and for growth and public finances. Even so, according to a report published by the European Court of Auditors, the measures taken to combat it are not sufficiently targeted. Since 2014, the EU has funded through the European Social Fund (ESF) various measures to promote […]
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The Commission approves an aid of ¤3,000 to promote R&D&I in Spain
The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €3 billion Spanish scheme to support research, development and innovation (RD&I), as well as environmental protection and energy efficiency measures of companies in the value chain for electric and connected vehicles. The measure will help Spain to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable […]
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New green policies for companies and banks
Firms and banks to be severely affected if climate change issues not addressed Orderly and swift transition to minimise costs and maximise benefits outweighs short-term cost of transition to zero-carbon economy over medium to longer term Investment in sectors and regions heavily exposed to climate risk set to suffer most The European Central Bank (ECB) […]
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EU Budget 2022 approved
For next year’s EU budget, MEPs have secured better support for health, research, climate action, SMEs and the young. Parliament has obtained in total €479.1 million for its priorities, on top of what the Commission proposed in the draft budget updated by the amending letter. MEPs were successful in increasing funding for programmes and policies that […]
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Agreement reached on 2022 EU budget
The Council has reached an agreement with the European Parliament on the 2022 EU budget, setting total commitments at €169,5 billion and payments at €170,6 billion. Next year’s budget strongly reflects the EU’s main priorities: economic recovery, fighting climate change, and the green and digital transitions. It also leaves enough resources under the expenditure ceilings […]
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