Photo by L N on Unsplash MEPs are pushing for the European Union to develop its own capacity for the production of semiconductor chips to keep industry running and jobs in Europe. A majority in the European Parliament’s committee on industry, research and energy improved the legislative proposal made earlier by the European Commission on the measures for…
Business
Unshell Directive Seeks Tax Justice
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash The European Parliament has adopted a near-unanimous position on proposed EU legislation intended to prevent tax evasion by establishing fake companies. Some 637 members voted in favour of what has become known as the Unshell Directive and only two against, an endorsement the Parliament says gives a “uniquely strong message in support…
Croatia Adopts the Euro and Joins Schengen
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash Today, 1 January 2023 Croatia adopts the euro as its currency and fully joins the Schengen area. The EU said last Friday that this “marks an important milestone” in the history of Croatia, of the euro and Schengen areas and of the EU as a whole. “It follows a period of intensive…
Société Générale’s Russian Chapter Continues to Draw Scrutiny
Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash French bank Société Générale had perhaps hoped to have heard the last of its Russian adventures when it closed its sale of its Russian business Rosbank to the Interros group, a firm linked to Russian oligarch Vladimir Potantin. The sale resulted in Société Générale taking a 3.2 billion Euro hit, according to…
New Building Wave Provokes Asbestos Crisis
Millions of construction workers risk getting cancer from asbestos exposure during the EU-wide building renovation wave, it is claimed. To better protect them, organised civil society has called for stricter exposure limits than the European Commission proposes in its amended asbestos at work directive. This call was made at the European Economic and Social Committee…
The Risks of a Digital Euro
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) says it supports the European Central Bank (ECB) in its assessment of the risks and benefits of introducing a digital euro. The EESC believes the adoption of a digital euro will benefit everyone in the euro area by making payment transactions quicker and more efficient, but financial and…
Cyberattack Threats on EU Banks
MEPs have called for action to protect banks in Europe against possible attacks from Russia, China or Iran. Senior MEP Frances Fitzgerald said, ““We are now all more conscious than ever of the threat posed by hackers to European citizens, including from regimes such as Russia, China, or Iran. “Recent months have highlighted the need…
WhiteBIT crypto exchange expands functionality
WhiteBIT crypto exchange expands the functionality of its services: withdrawal of dollars and euros to Visa/Mastercard, as well as hryvnia to IBAN account number. The largest cryptocurrency exchange in Europe of Ukrainian origin, WhiteBIT continues to expand the functionality and capabilities of its services. From now on, WhiteBIT users can withdraw dollars (USD) and euros (EUR) to…
EU to Ban Products Made with Forced Labour
The EU Commission has proposed to prohibit products made with forced labour on the EU market. The proposal covers all products, namely those made in the EU for domestic consumption and exports, and imported goods, without targeting specific companies or industries. This comprehensive approach is important because an estimated 27.6 million people are in forced…
The impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine on World Food Security
The international community has been warned it should not rely on the unconditional support of poorer nations in the war against Russia. The stark warning came at a conference in Brussels on the Russian theft of Ukrainian grain produce and the impact this is having on international food prices. The event, organised to highlight the…