MEPs propose updating EU rules to ensure that toys sold on the European market do not put children at risk. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will vote on a report on toy safety. The report contains proposals to strengthen current legislation and ensure that toys on the European market, including those imported from […]
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EU strengthens protection to prevent “economic bullying”
The European Commission has proposed a new instrument for a new, more powerful and agile trade weapon to be able to impose sanctions quickly and decisively against third countries that are subjecting an EU member state to “economic coercion”. This legal instrument is a response to the deliberate economic pressure to which the EU and […]
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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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European Semester Autumn Package 2021
The European Commission has launched the 2022 European Semester cycle of economic policy coordination. The European Semester Autumn Package includes the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey, Opinions on euro area Draft Budgetary Plans (DBPs) for 2022, policy recommendations for the euro area and the Commission’s proposal for a Joint Employment Report. The package draws upon the Autumn […]
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How digitalised are EU’s enterprises?
The uptake of digital technologies by businesses has the potential to improve services and products as well as to increase competitiveness. The crisis caused by COVID-19 has also shown that digitalization is a crucial tool to improving the economic resilience of businesses. In 2020, only 1% of EU enterprises with at least 10 persons employed reached a […]
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Signs of recovery of the tourism sector in summer 2021
In the summer of 2021, tourism showed signs of recovery following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. August 2021 showed the most promising signs of recovery to pre-COVID figures in terms of the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU, such as hotels, holiday and other short-stay accommodation, and campsites. August 2021 recorded a 20% decline when compared with […]
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The EU wins against the US on Spanish black olives
A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel report ruled that US countervailing duties applied on imports of ripe olives from Spain, put in place during the previous administration in 2018, are illegal under WTO rules. The EU now expects that the US will take steps to bring itself in compliance with the panel’s recommendations. Executive Vice-President […]
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