Tech industry rejects EC’s ‘unbalanced’ evaluation on Digital Markets Act
The European Commission has declared its flagship Digital Markets Act (DMA) “fit for purpose” in its first statutory review, claiming it has delivered tangible…
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
French economy records zero growth in first quarter
France's economy recorded zero growth in the first quarter of this year due to "sluggish" domestic demand and a "strongly" negative contribution from foreign trade,…
Belgium takes over entire nuclear fleet from Engie in surprise move
In a dramatic policy shift that marks the final nail in the coffin of Belgium’s long-standing nuclear phase-out, the federal government has announced plans to…
Tech has broken our entire world model, but we are in denial
Geopolitics is in flux, history has “returned”, there is war, political upheaval and technological disruption everywhere: These matters command an overwhelming…
‘Total failure’: Leading economists tear into German federal budget
Several high-ranking German economists have expressed scorn and criticism of Germany’s federal budget plan for 2026 to 2030.
Ukraine and Israel clash over Russian shipments of ‘stolen’ Ukrainian grain
A sharp diplomatic row has erupted between Ukraine and Israel after Kyiv accused Jerusalem of allowing the import of grain it claims was stolen by Russia from occupied…
Ignore the Trump-haters, Iran is desperate
All those whose psychological equilibrium is disturbed by the ability of the United States to take dramatic unilateral action without collegialising its decisions…
European Parliament demands €2.2 trillion EU budget as it outbids EC proposal
The European Parliament has dramatically escalated its demands for the European Union’s next long-term budget, calling for a €2.
Germany slashes welfare state to fund rearmament
Merz has stated that the state pension will be reformed into what he described as “basic cover” for old age and will no longer be sufficient to maintain living…
Sweden warns of potential jet fuel shortage
Sweden's government warned today of a potential jet fuel shortage in the Scandinavian country due to supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war and the closure…
Spain’s housing market shifts from single-home ownership to wealth accumulation
Spanish society is slowly splitting into two groups: Those who own everything and those who own nothing.
Spain marks one year since Europe’s worst blackout in decades as accountability remains elusive
At 12:33 on April 28, 2025, the power systems of mainland Spain and Portugal collapsed simultaneously.
EU auditors warn budget reform does not guarantee better spending
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has warned that the European Commission's proposed overhaul of the EU's next long-term budget does not, on its own, guarantee…
EU now promises emergency farm aid after years of policies that pushed up costs
The European Commission has announced it is preparing urgent support measures for farmers across the bloc — after years of green regulations and energy policies…
Going Greek style? A brief note on Poland’s shocking budget deficit
Poland is around the EU average in terms of public debt-to-GDP.
City of Hamburg spent almost €600 million to house asylum seekers in hotels
The city administration of Hamburg has spent €593 million between 2022 and 2025 to pay for hotel rooms for asylum seekers.
BP and TotalEnergies propose delay to German offshore wind expansion, citing ‘wake’ effects
Energy multinationals BP and TotalEnergies, major investors in Germany’s North Sea offshore wind sector, are seeking to slow the pace of future auctions and capacity…
Italy’s Dep PM Salvini urges EU fiscal flexibility amid rising energy costs and inflation
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has renewed his call for the European Union to ease fiscal constraints, arguing that current budget rules limit governments’…
China vows countermeasures if EU enacts ‘Made in Europe’ plan
Beijing slammed on today an EU plan aimed to bolster the bloc's industries against fierce competition from China, vowing countermeasures if it is enacted.
Tech CEO warns age checks ‘kill anonymity’ online as EU pushes verification app
As the European Commission pushes ahead with plans for European Union-wide online age verification via a dedicated app, the tech sector warns about the potential…
Poland to take EU Mercosur trade deal to the ECJ
Poland has announced plans to file a legal challenge at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the European Union’s trade agreement with South America.
Poland’s budget deficit continues to rocket, now second-highest in EU
Poland has recorded the European Union’s second-largest budget deficit when compared with the size of its economy, raising fresh concerns over the country’s…
Trump threatens UK with ‘big tariff’ over digital services tax
US President Donald Trump has warned Britain that he will impose a “big tariff” on the United Kingdom unless it scraps its Digital Services Tax, which he says…
EU signs €20 billion ‘green’ fund for developing world as European households show growing uncertainty
The European Union and several development finance institutions have signed a new fund designed to channel up to €20 billion in private capital into sustainable…
German Government denies it misspent 95 per cent of record investment package
Germany’s finance ministry has countered claims by leading economists who accused the government of having misspent most of a debt-financed “special fund”…
Belgium’s sovereign wealth funds invests in the arms sector
Belgium is making a strategic shift by investing public money into the defence industry, marking what officials describe as a “historic turning point”.
Dutch Government moves cloud services to EU provider from US tech firms
The Dutch Government is adopting STACKIT, a German cloud provider, to reduce its reliance on US technology firms.
EU-Funded EV charger appears in Romanian meadow: No road, no cars
More than €100,000 of European Union money has been spent on an electric vehicle charging station that currently sits in the middle of a meadow with no access…
Investments in nuclear weapons production surge: study
Financial institutions are increasing their investments in atomic weapons production, anti-nuclear campaigners said Friday, warning the trend risked fuelling already…
Former Polish PM Morawiecki calls for ‘economic NATO’ to keep US in Europe
Mateusz Morawiecki, who was Polish prime minister in the last Conservative (PiS government between 2017 and 2023, has called for the building of a strong economic…