Economic Affairs Archive
Parliament endorses EU-wide FTT
MEPs have overwhelmingly backed proposals to introduce an EU-wide financial transaction tax (FTT)
Wednesday 23rd May 2012
EU leaders urged to reject 'failed' austerity measures
EU leaders and heads of state gathered in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss ways of kick-starting Europe's stalled economies
Wednesday 23rd May 2012
EU leaders urged to address skills shortage at summit
Europe's business leaders have delivered a 'get tough' message to EU leaders ahead of a key summit in Brussels
Tuesday 22nd May 2012
EU efforts to improve food safety hailed a 'big success'
A senior commission official told a conference that efforts to tackle EU-wide food poisoning have proved "very successful"
Tuesday 22nd May 2012
EU 'set to' file WTO suit against Argentina
Sources have revealed that the EU is on the verge of announcing that it is to file a suit against Argentina in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in the coming days
Monday 21st May 2012
Ireland made 'fundamental mistake' in joining single currency
A new report says that joining the eurozone has proved to be a "damaging step" for Ireland now facing further economic decline
Wednesday 16th May 2012
EU condemned over 'ridiculous' wine ruling
The EU has been accused of not allowing a wine to be called wine because it is made from grapes sourced outside the EU
Tuesday 15th May 2012
Irish voters urged to back EU fiscal treaty
UK Liberal MEP Andrew Duff says EU states should get the fiscal compact treaty in place "as fast as possible"
Friday 11th May 2012
Public private partnerships key to growth of EU pharma research
Harnessing the 'potential' of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) can help put Europe at the forefront of pharmaceutical research and development
Thursday 10th May 2012
Campaigners press for 'fundamental change' at EU food agency
Campaigners have called on the EU to "break the systemic links" between European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and International Life Sciences Institute Europe (ILSI)
Thursday 10th May 2012
UK deputy calls for 'bonfire' of EU agencies
Agencies funded and operated by the EU have come under renewed spotlight after accounting 'errors' were found in three of them
Thursday 10th May 2012
EU commissioner defends cost of EU administration
EU commissioner Maroš Šefcovic has made robust defence of the cost of the EU civil service
Thursday 10th May 2012
Former EFSA chairwoman defends 'transparency' of under-fire EU agency
The former chairwoman of the under-fire European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has made a robust defence of the EU agency
Wednesday 9th May 2012
ALDE demands 'new approach' to intellectual property policy
Parliament's ALDE group has urged the commission to adopt a "new approach" on the issue of intellectual property rights (IPR)
Wednesday 2nd May 2012
Planned EU budget rise criticised
The leader of parliament's ECR group Martin Callanan has branded the commission's proposed budget increase as "out of touch with the real world"
Thursday 26th April 2012
Commission set to unveil plans for 6.8 per cent EU budget rise
The commission is set to ask for a budget increase of 6.8 per cent for 2013
Wednesday 25th April 2012
EU parliament president calls for 'open' debate on ACTA
Parliament's president Martin Schulz has called for debate on the controversial anti-counterfeiting agreement (Acta) to be "open and transparent"
Tuesday 24th April 2012
New report brands majority of EU agencies as 'wasteful'
A new report claims that the cost of EU quangos to European taxpayers has risen by 33 per cent over two years and now stands at €2.64bn
Monday 23rd April 2012
EU urged to 'put solidarity ahead of the euro'
Newly elected president of the European parliament's GUE/NGL group Gabi Zimmer has called for the EU to put social protection and solidarity ahead of the euro
Friday 13th April 2012
SMEs represent 'powerful engine' of economic growth
A conference was told that Europe's 1500 SMEs are one of the world's "most powerful engines of growth and jobs"
Thursday 29th March 2012
EU urged to consider closer trade links with Taiwan
A top Taiwanese official says that the recently-agreed economic cooperation agreement (ECA) with his country can help boost EU efforts to emerge from the economic crisis
Thursday 29th March 2012
EU parliament 'on track' for summer vote on ACTA
Parliament is set to continue with the ratification process for the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA), it has emerged
Thursday 29th March 2012
MEPs welcome further cuts to mobile roaming charges
Consumers will benefit from cheaper telephone calls and internet downloads abroad this summer following an agreement reached between national governments and MEPs on new mobile roaming legislation
Thursday 29th March 2012
MEPs set to back calls for improved air passenger rights
Parliament is this week expected to back calls for 'beefed up' rights for air passengers
Wednesday 28th March 2012
EU agency spends €300,000 'on plants for its offices'
The head of the EU's environment agency used taxpayers' money for training her staff in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and for spending around €300,000 on plants to spruce up her agency's offices in Denmark, it has been revealed
Tuesday 27th March 2012
New data protection rules will be 'hugely beneficial' to SMEs
A top EU official says that simplified data protection rules will be "hugely beneficial" to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
Tuesday 27th March 2012
Europe 'ill prepared' for economic crisis
Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker says that Europe was "unprepared" for the economic recession
Tuesday 27th March 2012
EU told to support role of SMEs in economic recovery
A conference in Brussels was told that with the "appropriate regulatory framework" SMEs could create "millions of jobs"
Monday 26th March 2012
EU urged to tackle excessive alcohol consumption
EU lawmakers have been urged to follow the UK's example in helping people to "turn their back" on potentially harmful excessive binge drinking
Monday 26th March 2012
EU urged to keep manufacturing know-how in Europe
A new report calls on EU policymakers to develop a "long-term" and "visionary" industrial strategy for Europe's manufacturing sector
Monday 26th March 2012
Derivatives and passenger name records to dominate parliament agenda
Monday sees transport commissioner Siim Kallas in the TRAN committee at urgent request to explain the commission's reinterpretation of the rules on longer and heavier trucks on Europe's roads
Monday 26th March 2012
MEPs back insurer-friendly capital rules
Parliament's influential economic affairs committee has overwhelmingly backed a draft proposal for a new capital regime for insurers, including amendments that make the new rules less burdensome for the industry
Friday 23rd March 2012
EU parliament president calls for 'pragmatic approach' to future EU budget
Parliament's president Martin Schulz has called for a "pragmatic" approach in the debate about the EU budget after 2013
Thursday 22nd March 2012
EU and US urged to 'avoid' protectionism
EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht has called for the "elimination" of trade tariffs between the EU and United States in order to boost jobs and economic growth
Thursday 22nd March 2012
New study says Dutch 'better off' with gilder
A new report suggests that the Netherlands would be economically better off outside the eurozone
Monday 19th March 2012
Economic affairs and EAS to be discussed in parliament
The economy and external action service are among the items on this week's parliamentary agenda
Monday 19th March 2012
EU parliament expected to endorse new insurance rules
Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee is set to vote on draft insurance law this week
Monday 19th March 2012
Anger over EU 'spending €11.1m on orchestras'
It has emerged that €11.1m was spent on 13 separate EU orchestras over the last four years
Wednesday 14th March 2012
Women's day brings pay gap and board quotas under spotlight
As events take place to mark international women's day, the EU is being urged to do more to reduce the gender pay gap
Thursday 8th March 2012
EU moves towards plain packaging for tobacco products
With tobacco related illness the single largest cause of preventable death in Europe, the EU must revise its tobacco products directive to match public health needs, a high level discussion in the European parliament has heard
Monday 5th March 2012
Improved infrastructure 'can help boost' jobs and growth
The body representing Europe's struggling building industry has highlighted the 'importance' of boosting economic growth through investment in infrastructure
Friday 2nd March 2012
MEPs say EU accounts 'should not' be given discharge
Some MEPs have refused to approve the latest set of EU accounts because of 'continued waste, misspending and potential fraud'
Friday 2nd March 2012
Putin victory 'will not affect' fresh business confidence in Russia
A new study says that nine out of 10 European business leaders credit Russia for an improved investment climate, despite acknowledged difficulties in doing business there
Thursday 1st March 2012
ALDE launches initiative to boost Europe's SMEs
ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt has launched a campaign aimed at boosting the economic fortunes of SMEs
Thursday 1st March 2012
Corporate social responsibility 'makes business sense'
There is a strong business case for companies to develop corporate social responsibility strategies ahead of the Rio +20 summit on sustainable development, a roundtable debate has heard
Wednesday 29th February 2012
Mixed response to Irish referendum move on EU treaty
Leading MEP Martin Callanan has welcomed Ireland's decision to hold a referendum on the EU's new fiscal treaty
Wednesday 29th February 2012
Barroso says 'firewall' unlikely to be decided at EU summit
Commission president José Manuel Barroso says that an EU summit later this week is unlikely to reach a decision on expanding the size of the eurozone's bailout funds, the so-called firewall
Monday 27th February 2012
ACTA set to dominate parliament agenda
The week ahead sees a full agenda of anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (ACTA)-related events, including the presentation of a petition signed by almost 2.5 million people
Monday 27th February 2012
EU aid to tackle climate induced natural disasters branded 'inadequate'
A conference in Brussels heard that EU overseas aid is "not sufficient" to prevent climate induced humanitarian crises
Thursday 23rd February 2012
Commission refers Acta to European court
The EU has confirmed that Europe's highest court will rule on the legality of the controversial anti-counterfeiting trade agreement (Acta)
Wednesday 22nd February 2012
New tools for businesses in combating counterfeiting
A two-day seminar on the fight against counterfeiting and piracy in Brussels was told that SMEs do not use registered industrial property rights nearly enough when it comes to combating piracy and counterfeiting
Wednesday 22nd February 2012
EU council president's term set to be extended
Herman Van Rompuy is expected to continue as president of the European council until December 2014
Wednesday 22nd February 2012
European leaders press EU to focus on growth
Twelve European leaders have signed a letter urging the EU to focus on growth in tackling the economic crisis
Tuesday 21st February 2012
EU commission outlines plans to tackle looming pensions 'crisis'
European commission plans to tackle the looming pensions crisis have met with a mixed response
Monday 20th February 2012
Barroso hails 'courage' of Greeks in face of budget cuts
Commission president José Manuel Barroso has praised the "courage" of the Greek public in tackling the country's "demanding and challenging" crippling debts
Thursday 16th February 2012
Senior MEP calls for Greece to 'leave the euro'
EU leaders have been urged to use the next summit in Brussels to prepare a plan for the "orderly withdrawal" of Greece from the euro
Wednesday 15th February 2012
Delors insists that the single currency has 'worked well'
Former commission president Jacques Delors has expressed "real" concern about the current economic crisis gripping Greece
Wednesday 15th February 2012
Economic turmoil dominates EU-China summit
A top Asian expert says no "headline-grabbing breakthroughs" should be expected at this week's China-EU summit in Beijing
Tuesday 14th February 2012
Greens co-leader calls for ACTA to be scrapped
Senior MEP Rebecca Harms has called for a controversial international copyright agreement to be scrapped
Tuesday 14th February 2012
EU austerity measures on Greece branded 'brutal'
The joint leader of the Greens group in parliament has branded austerity measures being imposed by the EU on debt-torn Greece as "brutal"
Tuesday 14th February 2012
EU and India move closer towards free trade deal
EU and Indian leaders have made "substantial progress" towards a free trade agreement
Monday 13th February 2012
Eurozone discussions top parliament agenda
Martin Schulz kicks off his first full week in Strasbourg as parliament president on Wednesday, with a discussion on the eurozone's economic prospects with Italian prime minister Mario Monti on Wednesday
Friday 10th February 2012
EU urged to avoid 'pressurising' India at summit
A leading charity is calling on the EU 'not to pressurise' India into agreeing new trade rules at a key summit in New Delhi on Friday
Friday 10th February 2012
Leading commission official allays fears of '1930s-style slump'
A senior commission official has moved to allay fears that the EU is heading towards a 1930s-style slump
Thursday 9th February 2012
Commission's FTT proposal 'a step in the right direction'
A financial transaction tax (FTT) is an important part of a "citizen friendly approach" to securing economic growth, according to parliament's rapporteur on the issue Anni Podimata
Tuesday 7th February 2012