Farmers cause chaos in Brussels again
Smoke and the sound of horns filled Brussels’ European quarter today.
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
Cost of European goods for US consumers up 30% in a year
European goods have become around 30 per cent more expensive for US consumers over the past year.
Farmers set to descend on Brussels in Mercosur protest
Thousands of farmers are to take to the streets of Brussels to protest European Union plans for a trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur and reforming agricultural…
‘Phase out of Russian gas is too little, too late,’ campaigners say
European plans to get rid of Russian gas have left campaigners lukewarm, calling the target date too distant.
Former head of ESM foresees drastic loss of prosperity for Germans
The former head of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Klaus Regling has warned Germans they will be facing unforeseen losses of wealth and prosperity.
German ‘car capital’ in dire straits as automotive sector crisis intensifies
The city of Stuttgart in southwestern Germany might be facing insolvency.
Ford drops electrical vehicle strategy on lack of demand, writes off €16.6 billion
US carmaker Ford has announced far-reaching changes to its electrical vehicle (EV) strategy.
European Commission looks set to drop 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars
The European Commission looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, as part of a package of reforms aimed at supporting Europe's embattled…
Greece repays €5.29 billion early under first bailout loan
Greece completed an early repayment of €5.
Spain fines Airbnb €64 million for posting banned properties
Spain's leftist government said Monday it had fined Airbnb more than 64 million euros, notably for posting listings for banned rental properties, at a time the country…
EU Finance Ministers seal deal on €3 duty on cheap Chinese parcels.
European Union Finance Ministers today struck an agreement to impose a flat €3 customs duty on small e-commerce parcels valued under €150 entering the bloc,…
Offshore wind farms produce much less energy than projected, study finds
A landmark study published in Cell Reports Sustainability has cast serious doubt on the ambitious targets set for offshore wind energy.
Polish doctor’s late abortion case dropped, right-wing MEP on trial instead
Poland’s prosecution service has dropped a criminal investigation of a doctor who carried out an abortion on a woman who was in the ninth month of pregnancy.
Russia sues European banks over billions in frozen assets
Russia’s central bank and several Russian billionaires have launched legal actions to recover their frozen assets in Europe.
As Europe roars against Russia, India doubles down on Moscow
Vladimir Putin lands in Delhi. Narendra Modi greets him with full honours.
German economy will continue to struggle with minimal growth, say leading institutes
Germany’s economy is expected to expand only modestly over the next three years, as structural obstacles, global trade pressures, and cautious private investment…
French court liquidates appliance giant Brandt, 700 jobs to go
The French court pulled the plug on Brandt, the century-old appliance maker once seen as a pillar of national industry.
Industry leaders warn EU over sweeping tobacco tax hikes
A coalition of international tobacco sector companies, including packaging, transport and agriculture, has issued a strong warning to the European Commission.
ECB says EU has ‘adapted faster’ than expected to US tariffs
The European Union has “adapted quicker” than expected to the US tariffs shock, according to European Central Bank (ECB) executive board member Isabel Schnabel.
‘EU is trying to export its disastrous economic model,’ warn US lawmakers and industry
US lawmakers and industry groups are intensifying criticism of the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
Allied military support for Ukraine at lowest level since war started
Europe’s military assistance to Ukraine is losing momentum, with new allocations in 2025 on track to fall to their lowest level since Russia’s full-scale invasion…
Ryanair to cut 1m passengers from Belgium over doubling of aviation tax
Irish airline Ryanair will cut more than one in five flights in Belgium in response to the Belgian Government's decision to double aviation tax to €10 per passenger…
Sharp rise in bankruptcies burns Swedish solar installation sector
The Swedish solar installation industry, already battered by a wave of failures throughout 2025, has seen no let-up in the final months of the year.
IMF issues warning over EU’s push to tap frozen Russian assets
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged European leaders to respect national and international law regarding their plans for using Russian assets.
Flood of EU money headed for Bosnia ahead of bloc membership
Bosnia and Herzegovina has moved a step closer to receiving almost €1 billion in European Union funds after the European Commission approved its programme of reforms…
EU climate regulations show it can’t compete in ‘pugnacious new world’
The recently completed COP-30 in Brazil begat no roadmap for a fossil fuel phaseout, disappointing an EU delegation that had hoped to rope the rest of the world…
China-Spain trade deal saves EU country from pork export collapse
New trade protocols including regional tracing, with help from China, are helping Spain’s pork industry survive the economic fallout of a recent outbreak of African…
A new tripolar world order is emerging without Europe
Europe has had a good run.
Belgian PM: ‘We’ll not saddle Belgium with billions of debt over Russia’
Belgium says the European Union pushed ahead with the plan to use frozen Russian assets without properly addressing the country's financial and legal risks.
Belgium says No: Confiscating Russian frozen assets could bankrupt Belgium
Today the European Commission finally revealed its proposed legal texts on how to finance a new round of at least €90 billion of support for Ukraine.