Europe faces considerable challenges, EIB President Werner Hoyer warned in his speech at the Columbia University in New York on 10 April 2017. “Brexit confirmed the severity of the disenchantment,” said President Hoyer. “Some European citizens may have taken for granted the Union and some of the values it represents.” But multilateralism remains crucial for a functioning global economy in his view. “Going forward, an important factor will be the strength of multilateral institutions”, he said and called for equal...

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Environment MEPs put forward a number of possible measures to cut the EU 88 million tonnes per year food waste by half by 2030 on Tuesday. MEPs called on the European Commission to lift existing restrictions on food donations and stressed a solution is needed for the confusion created for many consumers by the “best before” and “use by” labelling. “In developed countries food is wasted mostly at the end of the chain, at distribution and consumption. Everyone has a...

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On 12 April 2017, EU ambassadors agreed the Council's negotiating stance on macro-financial assistance for the Republic of Moldova. Up to €100 million is proposed in EU assistance, of which €60 million in loans and €40 million in the form of grants. It would supplement resources provided by the IMF and other multilateral institutions. The assistance would be aimed at supporting the country's economic stabilisation and structural reform agenda, helping to cover its external financing needs over the coming two years. Ambassadors asked the presidency to...

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