Ireland’s economic data ‘distort eurozone outlook as growth cracks emerge’
Ireland’s industrial production fell by 13.7 per cent in April, reversing a sharp 14 per cent surge in March.
Belgium, Germany hit hardest by huge drop in chemicals industry activity in EU
Belgium and Germany have borne the brunt of a sharp downturn in Europe’s chemicals industry. The sector has been shrinking fast;
China widens industrial lead over Europe but figures not straightforward
China has pulled ahead of Europe in terms of factory output but the numbers, and what they mean, were not as straightforward as they may look.
Investor mood jumps in Germany, hinting at end to stagnation
A sharp rise in investor confidence has fuelled hopes that Germany’s long-running economic stagnation could be nearing an end — a potential shift that would carry weight…
Macron ‘misusing the EU to advance own foreign policy’
French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism in Brussels and beyond for repeatedly speaking in the name of the European Union to advance what opponents call “personal”…
China’s structural slump may fuel flood of cheap goods to EU
China's factories have been producing more than its domestic market can absorb, and those goods are headed to Europe.
Ireland marks highest employment rise in sluggish EU labour market
Ireland has left the rest of Europe in the dust when it comes to job creation.
Belgium is leaving NATO free-riders’ club, but ‘not just to please Trump’
Belgium’s defence spending is "about to leap" — and not just to stay in US President Donald Trump’s good books, the country's defence minister has said.
Brussels government asks EU to pay for site revamp near bloc’s institutional HQs
The region of Brussels has asked the European Union for cash to cover unexpected costs of redevelopment works around the Schuman roundabout, home to most EU institutions.
EU to cut Russia’s oil cash, if the West can agree
Brussels said it wanted to squeeze Moscow's war chest by slashing the price Russia charged for crude oil.
EU swaps UAE for Monaco on list of financial high-risk countries
The European Commission swapped the United Arabic Emirates (UAE) for Monaco, in its recently updated list of third countries with "strategic deficiencies" in their anti-money…
Workers’ rights ‘deteriorating’, EU bodies warn
Labour rights have been coming under strain across the European Union, according to warnings issued by several groups including EU bodies citing what they said was an apparent…
IEA and EC signal China’s clean-tech ‘paradox’
China has been driving a global boom in clean energy investment while expanding its coal footprint at home and abroad.
ECB signs co-operation pact with China, pushing for policy reforms
The European Central Bank (ECB) signed a non-binding co-operation agreement with the People’s Bank of China and ECB President Christine Lagarde used the occasion to urge…
Belgian finance agency warns debt to reach 120% of GDP
Belgium’s public finances have veered further off track, with official projections now pointing to a national debt load of 120 per cent of GDP by 2030 – a level unseen…
EC wants to educate senior citizens in finance
The European Commission said it wanted to boost financial literacy among older Europeans — and saw pensions as the way to approach the issue.
Much-needed critical minerals require ‘investments, not commitment’, IEA warns
Investment in critical minerals has started to fall, just as global demand accelerates, warned the International Energy Agency.
‘Economic liberalism no longer working,’ international officials warn
Japan’s economy minister Minoru Kiuchi has warned that the risks of economic liberalism now rivalled its benefits as a growing number of governments have been questioning…
‘Europe overestimates Ukraine,’ says its ambassador
The European Union has grown accustomed to the war in Ukraine and was overestimating the country’s resilience, Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU in Brussels said.
‘Stop flood of incoming steel,’ EU industry begs Brussels
The steel industry has issued a stark warning in Brussels, urging the European Union to take decisive action against surging imports of cheap metal.
Will QR codes on wine bottles give consumers more info or less?
A shift to digital labelling in the wine sector, with paper labels being partially replaced by QR codes, has raised questions about whether consumers would actually get information…
If Germans invaded Belgium (again), would they use Google Maps?
On 29 May, the national holiday of Ascension Day, Google Maps displayed large swathes of the German autobahn network as closed, prompting widespread detours and congestion.
Secret ‘no-poach’ deal led EC to uncover illegal food delivery cartel
Big food delivery apps Delivery Hero and Glovo have been hit with fines after European Union investigators discovered they worked together instead of competing with each other.
AI could block fraud before it happens under EU plan, report says
European banks could soon use AI not just to catch fraud — but to stop it before their clients even hit “send”.
Euro continues decline in share of global payments despite Trump tariff chaos
The US dollar is now used in nearly 50 per cent of global payments, the highest level in over 12 years, according to newly released data.
Dutch offshore wind boom could trigger huge household bill increases
Dutch consumers could pay three times as much for electricity after an ambitious offshore energy expansion, barring a massive change to the current financing model.
Opinion split in EU quarter as terrace smoking ban looms
The imminent smoking ban applying to all Belgian restaurant and cafe terraces has split opinion among waiting staff and bar managers, particularly in Brussels' European quarter.
Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein may have to pay EU under three different regulations
Shein, the Chinese global e-commerce platform specialising in fast fashion, could soon find itself paying more than just shipping costs to the European Union.
‘Green investing rules could be legally exploited to weaken EU firms,’ report warns
Hostile foreign powers no longer need hackers or armies to target the European Union — they can now do it with investment portfolios, shareholder votes and sustainability…
Another U-turn: Trump lets the EU off the hook – for now
US President Donald Trump has once again reversed course on a steep tariff hike for the European Union.