Italy’s €600 million subsidies for electric vehicles snapped up immediately
Italy’s €600 million subsidy scheme for electric cars was snapped up in a day - one of the fastest take-ups of "green" mobility funding seen in the Europe Union.
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Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
EU seeks to pull Uzbekistan away from China’s orbit
The European Union has taken a step towards pulling Uzbekistan away from China’s growing sphere of influence — using trade, investment and raw materials cooperation…
EU could end up in an ‘economic cocoon’ says India minister
The European Union has too many regulations and meeting them all was “nearly impossible”, according to India's commerce minister.
Corporate sustainability and the EU’s muddled energy mire
The economist Thomas Sowell once observed that there are no policies, only tradeoffs.
Swiss bank creates stir by charging customers 3 per cent negative interest
Swiss bank Postfinance has shocked investors with news of a 3 per cent negative annual interest rate on certain types of deposits.
One-in-five German cities plan to shut down gas networks
Germany's Greens party is no longer in power but the country’s quest for “climate neutrality” continues unabated.
Polish PM Tusk rejoices after word ‘revision’ is added to EU climate law
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said the European Union is ready to slow down the implementation of the second instalment of the EU Trading Emissions System…
Maritime sanctions against Russia have backfired badly
If an uninsured Russian rust-bucket goes down off your coast causing massive environmental damage and loss of life, it will be easy to point the finger of blame.
Germany to buy Israeli missiles in €2 billion deal despite weapons embargo
Germany is refusing to sell weapons to Israel but has no problem buying Israeli missiles, to judge by a deal revealed on October 21 by Israeli media.
Apple faces €1.7bn hit as UK tribunal finds it guilty of abuse of power
Apple has lost a UK lawsuit that accused it of abusing the dominant position of its App Store, with claimants seeking more than £1.5 billion (€1.72 billion).
French court convicts TotalEnergies over misleading climate claims
A French court ruled oil and gas giant TotalEnergies had engaged in "misleading commercial practices" by overstating its climate pledges, in what activists said…
Belgian Government on the brink over budget crisis
Belgium’s ruling centre-right coalition is deadlocked over crucial budget negotiations, with senior government figures suggesting its collapse is now a real possibility.
Poland’s Sikorski hopes Ukrainians ‘destroy pipeline supplying Hungary with Russian oil’
Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski has said he hopes that Ukrainian forces succeed in destroying an oil pipeline that supplies Hungary with Russian oil.
The paradox of Europe’s latent power and the fine line in Putin’s strategy
It is no secret that Europe is in a woeful state and continues to decline. It has long fallen from the peak of its economic success on the eve of the Great Recession.
EU tries to curb self-imposed energy price volatility
European Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to launching the Emissions Trading System for buildings and road transport…
‘We can’t militarily beat Russia, but we can economically ‘, Belgian defence minister says
According to Belgian defence minister Theo Francken, Ukraine and Western counties won't be able to defeat Russia in the field.
Why the West’s war on industry has become its greatest weakness
The post-war order of free trade is dying before our eyes—and perhaps that's the best thing that could happen to the West.
UK’s Channel 4 uses AI presenter to host show
The UK's Channel 4 TV station has aired the country's first programme hosted entirely by an AI-generated presenter. The episode, titled Will AI Take My Job?
Time’s up for daylight saving time, says Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is pushing Brussels to end seasonal time change in the European Union, saying "it no longer makes sense".
Digital euro ‘seeks to solve nonexistent problem’
European banks are pushing back against plans for a digital version of the euro, warning they are being asked to cover the costs of the European Central Bank’s…
Hungary slams Poland for freeing Ukrainian accused of blowing up Nord Stream
A Polish court's decision to free a Ukrainian man wanted by Germany for blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines has been criticised by Hungarian foreign minister Peter…
The euro is a ‘decaying currency’, Orbán is smart to stay out
When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared that Hungary should refuse the euro—because the European Union itself is "disintegrating"—he was being anything…
European Parliament pushes for Russian energy ban
A majority in the European Parliament voted yesterday to bring forward the full ban on Russian oil to 1 January 2026 and on Russian gas to 1 January 2027.
EC accused of ‘pandering to the US’ with deforestation rules
The European Commission announced it would delay its anti-deforestation regulation for a second time.
Even with free gas, net zero policies would drive up UK energy bills, say experts
Bosses from the largest UK energy suppliers say "green" policies are so costly that bills would go up for consumers even if it were free.
Trump tells the Dutch to go seize that tricky Chinese chip maker, and they do
With the plethora of news happening across the West – and indeed, across the world – you may have missed a seemingly small story out of the Netherlands this…
Nestle says to cut 16,000 jobs worldwide over next two years
Nestle, the Swiss food giant whose brands include Nespresso coffee and Perrier water, will eliminate 16,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years, its new chief…
Belgium calculates US tariffs will cost €4 billion but Belgians may not be the ones paying
A new analysis by Belgium’s economy ministry puts a price tag on US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Belgian exports at more than €4 billion this year.
Machiavelli, Keynes, and using Russia’s frozen assets to arm Ukraine
“Men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their property,” Machiavelli wrote in his classic treatise, The Prince.
Corporate bankruptcies in Germany hit 12-year-high
The number of companies sliding into insolvency in Germany rose by 10.4 per cent in September compared to the year before, according to preliminary data.