Photo by Bruno Aguirre on Unsplash The impact of Europe’s rapidly ageing population is coming under increasing scrutiny, including by British peers. The UK House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has just concluded an inquiry into Preparing for Ageing. Britain is an ageing society, the birth rate is declining and life expectancy increasing. It can…
Economy
Bulgaria Set to Join the Eurozone
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash The European Commission and European Central Bank’s recommendations for Bulgaria to join the Eurozone as the 21st member state by January 1 2026 have been welcomed by leading MEPs. “We support Bulgaria’s entry in the Eurozone and expect our potential new member to contribute to the success of the common European currency”, said…
Mixed Reaction to New Plans for EU Single Market
Photo by Masood Aslami on Unsplash A campaign group claims that plans outlined recently by the European Commission will boost corporate power. Campaigners allege that the Commission’s Single Market Strategy communication will limit the democratic space that national and local authorities need to protect people and the environment. The Commission’s plans were launched in the…
Improving Working Conditions
Photo by Lola Kümmecke on Unsplash A new report has identified areas for improvement in working conditions. Over 14 million EU citizens work and live in a Member State other than their own, new figures show. But many face possible inequalities when it comes to employment rights and working conditions. That is one reason why…
EU Not Effective in Supporting Pension Schemes
Photo by ev on Unsplash The EU has not been effective in supporting the development of supplementary pensions, which complement state pensions and help ensure an adequate retirement income for EU citizens, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). Against the backdrop of an ageing population in the EU, the…
EU Increases Aid to Caribbean and Latin America
Photo by Richard Lu on Unsplash The European Commission says it will provide €120 million in new humanitarian aid to several Latin American and Caribbean countries this year. This, it says, is to help the region’s most vulnerable, in view of the recent natural disasters and armed conflicts. Part of the aid will also bolster…
MEPs Back New Measures Against Russia
Photo by Roger Starnes on Unsplash The EU parliament’s International Trade Committee has approved a 50% increase in tariffs on certain Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods to further reduce EU dependency. MEPs on Thursday backed a Commission proposal to increase EU tariffs by 50% on those agricultural products from Russia and Belarus that are still…
Cohesion and Agriculture Key Pillars for EU Budget
Photo by Divaris Shirichena on Unsplash MEPs say the next long-term EU budget must be better aligned with the Union’s new priorities of competitiveness and defence. These are the main expectations people have of Europe, and the EU should always align budget priorities with them. That is the message from the EPP group in the…
European Defence Industry Programme
Photo by Bedirhan Akyüz on Unsplash MEPs will next week vote on the report for the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). The aim is that the EDIP lays the foundation for deeper integration of the European defence industry and serves as a cornerstone of a common European defence. With an ongoing war in Ukraine and uncertainty about the scale of future U.S…
Trump’s Global Trade War
Photo by syahmi syahir on Unsplash The ongoing global trade war has created major uncertainty for businesses operating on both sides of the Atlantic, including the EU. One key area of Donald Trump’s trade policy is China and the question is: how will China respond to these policies and what will be the impact on…