Export-oriented Belgium’s unemployment rate rises as EU’s edges lower
Belgium’s unemployment rate rose to 6.5 per cent in June 2025, up from 5.5 per cent the year before.
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
BP reports largest oil and gas discovery in 25 years off Brazilian coast
British company BP has discovered a giant oil and gas reservoir via deep-sea drilling off the coast of Brazil.
India hits out at EU, US ‘targeting it over purchases of Russian oil’
India's foreign ministry said the European Union and US were "targeting" it due to its buying of Russian oil, adding that the moves were "unjustified" and that it…
Wind-turbine dismantling costs are more than claimed, study reveals
Completely dismantling wind turbines is significantly more expensive than many assume, according to a new Finnish study that cast doubt on the industry’s assumptions…
Jaguar CEO resigns after controversial ‘woke’ makeover of British brand
Adrian Mardell, CEO of British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, has announced his resignation.
UK bans Coinbase advert criticising country
The UK has banned a musical advertisement that sharply criticised the situation for much of the population in the country.
Italy fines fast-fashion giant Shein for ‘green’ claims
Italy's competition watchdog (AGCM) said August 4 it has fined the company responsible for Shein's websites in Europe €1 million for false and confusing claims…
EU’s maths on costly ‘green’ hydrogen does not add up, says expert
The European Union’s hydrogen strategy is facing growing scrutiny as cost-efficiency concerns have mounted and deployment targets missed.
Despite euro-fantasies, Trump, Xi and Putin do not regard the EU as a sovereign state
Much has been made of the lopsided deal Ursula von der Leyen struck with Donald Trump, which among other things traded zero tariffs on US goods for a 15 per cent…
EC retaliation on hold until Trump reveals details of trade deal
Brussels is delaying its €93 billion retaliation package against the United States, saying it must first see how US President Donald Trump implemented the terms…
EC gives Denmark €36M to help uptake of ‘sustainable aviation fuel’
The European Commission gave Denmark €36 million to subsidise more climate-friendly fuel in domestic aviation.
US hits Brazil with 50% tariffs and judicial sanctions
Washington has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on more than half of Brazilian exports.
France’s Airbus posts 85% profits lift-off
France-based aerospace group Airbus posted an 85 per cent rise in first-half profits to $1.7 billion (€1.
EC gives €3M to workers after US tyre factories in Germany close
The European Commission will release more than €3 million to support 915 workers affected by US multinational Goodyear’s closure of one tyre plant and partial…
Mercedes-Benz profits plunge
German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz suffered a huge drop in profits in the first half of this year, down by 55.8 per cent.
Ryanair says dropping three French airports over ‘harmful’ tax
Irish airline Ryanair said on July 30 it was dropping three French airports over a "harmful" tax hike on air tickets and urged Paris to change course.
Investors dump wind-power projects in northern Sweden
Investors are trying to dump northern Swedish wind-power projects, citing an "absurd" market that was losing almost all value.
Who will pay for US tariffs?
Despite US President Donald Trump’s claim that “Europe will pay,” evidence suggests US businesses and consumers will be footing the bill for the newly agreed…
Italian police roll up massive illegal tobacco factory
In a significant blow to organised crime and illicit trade, Italy's financial police has uncovered one of Europe’s largest illegal cigarette production plants.
US tech firms could leave EU over DSA, Republican lawmakers warn
US tech giants will abandon the EU if the Digital Services Act (DSA) is not amended, three members of a visiting Republican congressional delegation told Brussels…
Export-oriented Belgium badly needs free‑market reform, reports warn
Even while Belgium's economy remains focussed on exports, its internal market suffers from excessive regulation, fragmented governance, and blurred public‑private…
As Bulgaria enters the euro, Greece’s pricey tragedy calls for caution
Welcome, Bulgaria, to the eurozone’s arena.
Tariff in EU-US deal ‘burdens’ German carmakers: industry group
The 15-per cent tariff that the United States will apply to exports of cars from the European Union as part of a new deal "burdens" Germany's carmakers, an industry…
US flattens EU: Brussels is too weak to be a pole in a multipolar world
The trade deal on July 27 between America and the European Union was disastrous for Europe. The Financial Times described it as “the EU to Trump’s steamroller.
Is an ‘uneven’ EC-US tariffs deal better than no deal?
After tense negotiations with the US, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emerged from a last-minute meeting in Scotland with a preliminary trade…
Hit by strong euro and tariff war, Germany’s Puma sees sales plummet
German sportswear group Puma slashed its 2025 outlook after an 8.3 per cent drop in second-quarter sales, which gave it a €135 million quarterly loss.
No progress in EU-China talks as tensions mount
EU-China talks stalled this week amid growing global tensions and an unwillingness to compromise on either sides.
Intel cancels multi-billion euro chip factory in Germany
US technology giant Intel said will not move ahead with a controversial €30 billion chip factory in the German city of Magdeburg, as part of a new cost-cutting…
Volkswagen profits collapse amid US tariffs and electric-vehicle disappointment
Germany's auto giant Volkswagen has reported a 36.3 per cent drop in its net profits, citing US tariffs and ongoing struggles with its electric vehicle strategy.
German environmentalists obtain court injunction suspending construction of Polish container port
A regional administrative court in Warsaw has granted an initial injunction suspending the construction of a Polish deep-water container port near the German border…