Serbia ‘still on path to join EU’ despite Moscow trip
The European Council's president António Costa has taken a soft stance toward Serbia’s populist leader, Aleksandar Vučić—even after Vučić stood beside Vladimir…
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Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
EC probes UK-US trade deal as EU mulls ‘massive’ sanctions on Russia
The European Commission is analysing the trade deal struck between the US and the UK for implications for the 27-nation European Union and global trade, European…
Slashed US drug prices test Belgian pharma resilience
Belgium’s pharmaceutical industry — which recently posted record exports to the US — now faces pressure from Washington’s new drug-price reforms.
Energy company Statkraft halts all new “green hydrogen” projects
Norwegian energy company Statkraft announced it is putting on hold all development of new projects for producing “green hydrogen”.
US and China reach deal to slash tariffs, lifting dollar
The United States and China have agreed to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs in a deal that surpassed expectations as the world's two biggest economies seek…
Poland’s gold reserves exceed even those of the European Central Bank
According to the head of Poland's central bank, Poland now holds 509.3 tonnes of gold, more than the gold reserves of the European Central Bank (ECB).
No French nuclear umbrella for Poland in new bilateral defence treaty
Poland has signed a defence cooperation treaty with France that promised joint military exercises and increased military arms sales to Poland but did not provide…
UK PM Starmer inks tariffs deal with Trump
US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have announced a "breakthrough deal" on trade that left in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods…
EU’s tariffs ‘higher than those of US’, says BMW CEO
German luxury car maker BMW said it expected both Brussels and Washington to back away from escalating trade war threats.
Median German household wealth drops by 15 per cent, says central bank
The median net worth of a German household has dropped from €90,500 in 2021 to €76,000 in 2023, after adjusting for inflation.
European Parliament approves loosening of emission rules for vehicle manufacturers
The European Parliament has approved a relaxation of emission rules to help manufacturers avoid additional fines, offering relief to the already struggling European…
A 10% rise in electricity prices could kill 1 in 50 manufacturing jobs, say ECB economists
Economists from the European Central Bank (ECB) have calculated what they said was the detrimental effect of lasting high electricity prices on European employment.
EU energy policy-makers in the dark due to lack of clear data, conference told
A lack of co-ordination and poor access to energy data has hampered the European Union’s ability to deliver energy security, a think-tank conference was told.
Incoming EU Council president Denmark asked to kick new digital laws into long grass
The European technology industry has urged a pause on the introduction of new digital regulations and demanded the European Union concentrate on implementing existing…
Spanish PM champions renewable energy post-blackout
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has doubled down on his plans to expand on renewable energy while continuing to fiercely oppose nuclear power, apparently ignoring…
Ukraine mulls peg to euro and ditching US dollar as ties to EU strengthen
Ukraine has started to consider a shift away from the US dollar, possibly linking its currency more closely to the euro amid the splintering of global trade and…
Slovakia and Hungary reject EU plan to phase out Russian gas by end-2027
Slovakia and Hungary May 7, condemned European Commission plans to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports, deepening a rift with Brussels over relations…
EU’s Russian gas ban relies on its ‘weakest link – traceability’
The European Union’s plan to phase out Russian gas by 2027 hinged on traceability, and that may be its weakest point, experts and officials told Brussels Signal.
Ørsted cancels huge British wind-farm project over soaring costs
Ørsted, the world's biggest offshore wind-farm developer, has decided to drop a major offshore project in the UK, saying it lacked economic sense.
EU auditors slam ‘weak and insufficient oversight’ of costly Covid recovery fund
In a highly critical report, the European Court of Auditors (ECS) has sharply condemned what it said was the European Union’s lack of oversight in spending €650…
UK-India free-trade deal may offer EU an example of US tariffs relief
Britain and India have clinched a long-coveted free-trade pact after tariff turmoil sparked by US President Donald Trump forced the two sides to hasten efforts to…
European car-giant chiefs say EU’s ‘disastrous’ regulations crippling business
The European car market was said to be in great peril because of "green" overregulation from Brussels, killing the industry.
Swedish PM believes NATO defence spending target will hit 3.5 per cent of GDP
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he anticipated that the NATO members' defence spending norm would sharply rise in the short term.
EU’s Russian gas ban in doubt amid bloc unanimity concerns
The European Union's plan to ban Russian gas imports by 2027 was at risk of being derailed by internal divisions and procedural burdens, according to Belgian MEP…
Belgium says medicine security should be a matter of national defence
Amid growing geopolitical strain and supply chain vulnerabilities, Belgium’s health ministry has called for medicine security to be treated as a matter of national…
Trump’s demand for US tariffs on foreign movies may put EU film industry at risk
US President Donald Trump has demanded a 100 per cent tariff on foreign films, meaning the European movie industry might be badly hit.
Global energy: Meetings in Riyadh between Russia and US weren’t merely about Ukraine
Could a great bargain be lurking just beneath the surface, ready to be struck in the fog of geopolitical manoeuvring?
Fed up with delays: Switzerland severs two train links with Germany
The Swiss State railway company SBB has announced it was severing two train connections with Germany, effective immediately.
Ryanair ‘could abandon’ huge Boeing order over US tariffs, cites Chinese alternatives
Irish airline Ryanair has warned it may reconsider its multibillion-dollar aircraft deal with Boeing if proposed US tariffs significantly raised the cost of US-made…
Parts of Brussels housing market impacted by drugs issues
The Belgian capital Brussels has remained the country’s most expensive region for real estate but concerns over illegal drug activity have driven sharp local price…