Commission Grants €24.9 billion to Italy under NextGenerationEU

Next Generation EU

The European Commission has disbursed €24.9 billion to Italy in pre-financing, equivalent to 13% of the country’s grant and loan allocation for the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU.  Italy is one of the first countries receiving a pre-financing payment under the RRF. The pre-financing will help to kick-start the implementation of the crucial…

EIB approves €10.2 billion to strengthen economic resilience

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved EUR 10.2 billion of new financing to support business investment and strengthen economic resilience to COVID-19, accelerate the green energy transition, expand sustainable transport and improve health, education, social housing and urban development. “The COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, and economic consequences continue to be felt around…

30th Economic Forum – September 7-9 in Karpacz, Poland

Karpacz

The Economic Forum, which is the largest economic conference in Central and Eastern Europe, is changing its location. The jubilee 30th Economic Forum will be held in Karpacz on September 7-9, 2021. Located in the very centre of Europe, the hospitable land of Lower Silesia will open up to several thousand conference participants, offering a good…

Czech Recovery and Resilience Plan

The European Commission has adopted a positive assessment of Czechia’s recovery and resilience plan. This is an important step towards the EU disbursing €7 billion in grants under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). This financing will support the implementation of the crucial investment and reform measures outlined in Czechia’s recovery and resilience plan. It…

European Pillar of Social Rights

According to the EESC, the Commission’s Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights is both timely and necessary to thwart the threat of inequalities deepening across Europe in the aftermath of the pandemic. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has welcomed the European Commission’s Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR)…

Brexit Divorce Bill Sparks Acrimony

Jenny Chapman

Baroness Jenny Chapman, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Task Force Europe, commenting on the news that Britain and EU are £3bn apart on the Brexit divorce bill estimate, said: “Whatever we think of the sums involved, the difference between the EU’s and the UK’s assessment raises questions for Lord Frost. He was supposed to agree a formula…

Europe in Search of Leadership

2021 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Economic Forum  which is the largest conference in Central and Eastern Europe. The Forum is held every year at the beginning of September and brings together more than 4000 political leaders, decision makers and opinion formers. The conference is an elite gathering of political, economic and social leaders…

Eurobarometer Survey Marks Public Health as Top Priority for Parliament

European Parliament

Parliament’s latest public opinion survey shows support for EU remains high, despite the pandemic, but COVID-19 impact on personal finances felt or expected by more than half of Europeans. A new Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Parliament and conducted between March and April 2021 shows the increasingly felt impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on…

Pandemic Impact on the Self-Employed

Global pandemic impact on the economy

The SMEunited report published last week outlines the socio-economic impact of the pandemic and of the containment measures on the labour market and on households. Particular focus is put on the negative consequences faced by self-employed. They have been disproportionately impacted by the crisis. National Recovery and Resilience Plans should provide targeted measures to allow…

Fighting For a Fair Minimum Wage

Agnes Jongerius

Speaking ahead of the presentation of the Jongerius/Radtke draft report on Adequate minimum wages in the EU in the employment committee of the European Parliament, S&D MEP and European Parliament negotiator for minimum wages Agnes Jongerius said: “Currently one in six employees in Europe does not earn enough to make ends meet. Even though they work a tough…