EU and Ukraine strike a food trade deal
After years of contention over agricultural imports and foods, the European Union and Ukraine finally signed an updated trade agreement on June 30.
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Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
French Greens MP: ‘Sabotage by environmentalists is legitimate’
French Greens MP Lisa Belluco sparked controversy during a protest in Vienne, France, against the Duplomb Law, which lifted constraints on farmers regarding pesticide…
Belgium imports more Russian gas than before Ukraine war
Belgium imported more Russian gas in 2024 than before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Almost three million Germans are unemployed as economic slump drags on
As Germany’s economic malaise persists, the number of unemployed people has climbed by 7 per cent in June compared to a year before.
‘Big beautiful bill’ makes European renewable energy companies’ shares tank
US President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB) is causing shares to slide in Europe's renewable energy sector.
Tougher Belgian pensions rules backfire, as more people retire younger
Belgium’s effort to push people into working longer looks to be backfiring — at least in the short run.
EU wants more Chinese cash and know-how on EV’s but also more control
As Chinese money and technology pour into Europe’s electric vehicle and battery industries, Brussels is torn. It wants the investment – but not the dependence.
Defeated Simion may be back if new coalition fails to grasp gargantuan deficit
The Brussels elite breathed a sigh of relief last month when Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan defeated conservative populist George Simion to become Romania’s new…
Dazzling solar panels blind pilots during approach to Schiphol airport
A solar panel park near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is posing a serious safety risk and disrupting air traffic, according to airport authorities.
EU wine sector says Mercosur deal can save ‘declining market’
The European Union wine industry has rallied behind the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, framing it as a necessary means to save the "declining market" in the bloc.
Trump fumes as Spain goes rogue on NATO defence spending
All NATO 32 members agreed on an increased defence spending target, reaching 5 per cent of GDP in 10 years.
Family of late German industrialist must pay record €4 billion inheritance tax
The heirs of German business magnate Heinz Hermann Thiele have paid a record amount of almost €4 billion in inheritance taxes.
Police raid Société Générale offices in alleged tax fraud probe
Société Générale, the major French multinational banking and financial services company, has been raided by police as part of a high-profile alleged tax fraud…
Broken promise of electricity tax cut causes first rift in Germany’s new government coalition
A cancelled cut of the tax on electricity is causing friction between Germany’s Conservatives (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD) who formed a coalition government…
NATO members delight Trump with defence boost pledge – apart from Spain
NATO countries have agreed to vastly ramp up their defence spending to satisfy US President Donald Trump.
Wealth consultancy points to exodus of millionaires from Western Europe
High-net-worth individuals have been turning their backs on Western Europe in favour of more attractive destinations.
MEPs urge EU support for firms seeking to exit long-term Russian energy contracts
A cross-party group of MEPs has urged the European Union to help companies extricate themselves from long-term contracts with Russian energy providers.
German national debt to rocket with borrowing to double in 2025
German national debt looks set to climb to record heights this year, according to the country's latest budget.
EU, Canada sign defence deal on eve of NATO summit in The Hague
Canada and the European Union signed a defence and security pact as the transatlantic partners sought to better confront Russia, with worries over US reliability…
Steel sacrificed to save EU-US relationship, experts say
Europe’s steel sector says it is being sacrificed to preserve broader trade relations with Washington.
France: stagnation or worse
France, once the steady top performer of the eurozone, has fallen behind.
Dollar shows no sign of being replaced, despite Middle East strikes
The US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites confirmed what markets had already priced in: Even amid war, volatility, and mounting distrust in Washington, the dollar…
Exclusive: Minister says EU energy policies frustrate Member States’ efforts to lower prices
Csaba Lantos, Hungary’s Minister for Energy, tells Brussels Signal that plans by the EU for a full embargo on Russian energy will lead to a price explosion across…
ArcelorMittal cancels German ‘green’ steel projects and shifts focus to France
International steel giant ArcelorMittal said it would no longer pursue plans to “decarbonise” its German steel mills.
Renewable energy ‘puts Germany at risk of major blackout’
The Berliner Zeitung newspaper reported that the high uptake of solar energy in Germany had increased the chances of an overload and an electricity blackout like…
EU’s defence chemicals shortage ‘exposes further dependency on China’
Europe's shifting ties with Asia have aggravated its growing defence production crisis, as shortages of key chemical inputs including nitrocellulose threaten to…
Spooked by Middle East war, investors quietly return to Europe
Amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East, an unexpected trend has emerged: Investors are quietly moving their money back into European markets.
Majority of Swiss still support neutrality despite global tension
Almost nine out of 10 Swiss citizens say they supported their country's neutral stance.
Outdated rent grid renders 50% of Brussels rentals ‘legally abusive’
Half of all new rental contracts signed in Brussels were now officially considered "legally abusive" because the city’s rent control tool was based on years-old…
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.