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EU Bank launches ambitious new climate strategy and Energy Lending Policy

The board of the European Investment Bank (EIB) today agreed a new energy lending policy and confirmed the EIB’s increased ambition in climate action and environmental sustainability. “Climate is the top issue on the political agenda of our time,” said EIB President Werner Hoyer. “Scientists estimate that we are currently heading for 3-4°C of temperature increase by the end of the century. If that happens, large portions of our planet will become uninhabitable, with disastrous consequences for people around the...

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Chapter News

Europe: Facing Spillovers From Trade and Manufacturing

As in the rest of the world, European trade and manufacturing have weakened. There are some signs that this slowdown is spreading into the rest of the economy. While services and consumption have remained relatively resilient in line with strong labor markets, investment is starting to lose steam. These developments have slowed economic activity in the region, especially in advanced Europe, according to the IMF’s latest health check of Europe’s economy. The report predicts growth will moderate from 2.3 percent in 2018 to 1.4...

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Chapter News

Eurobarometer Survey: Majority of EU Citizens Positive about International Trade

The results of a special Eurobarometer survey published today by the European Commission show that 60% of Europeans feel that they personally benefit from international trade, 16 percentage points more than 10 years ago at the time of the previous poll. The survey also revealed that 71% of respondents believe that the EU is more effective in defending their countries' trade interests than these countries acting on their own. Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström said: ”When I took office five...

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Member News

Retail’s Difficult Year Holds Clues on What to Do Next

By Jacqueline Chiu, Alexa Driansky, and Ryan Poole, of AlixPartners As retail takes stock of another up-and-down year and gets ready for 2020, several key themes are emerging. In addition to the expected global economic slowdown and ongoing trade uncertainty that is likely to affect all businesses at some level in the coming year, retail is facing additional trying headwinds. Key among them is the fact that many retailers have taken on increased debt and, consequently, are needing to service...

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Member News

Littler’s 2019 European Employer Survey Report

European companies are navigating a variety of social and equality-related issues impacting their workplaces and, according to Littler’s second annual European Employer Survey, are increasingly channeling their concerns into concrete actions. Faced with an aging workforce, rapidly evolving technology and market pressures requiring employees to do more with less, the vast majority of respondents are taking steps to support the mental health of employees. Improving workplace equality is also top of mind for European employers, with many taking greater action...

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Member News

Nordic Model: Sweden’s Welfare System & Future of Work

How has Sweden managed to become a dream location for entrepreneurs and innovation despite high wages, strong unions, generous welfare, and regulated markets? What does the future of work look like in the age of digitalization and automation, and what lessons can be learned from Sweden and the US? The Seminar at Scandinavia House features: David Crouch, author of books Bumblebee Nation: The Hidden Story of the Swedish Model and Almost Perfekt: How Sweden Works and What We Can Learn From It Sarita Gupta,...

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Member News

Ogletree Deakins Boosts Employment and Benefits Capabilities in Indiana

Ogletree Deakins, one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that Scott Preston and Tiffany Hofmeister have joined the firm’s Indianapolis office as shareholder and of counsel respectively. Preston joins the firm from Jackson Lewis, where he was a principal and the Indianapolis office litigation manager. Hofmeister joins from Krieg DeVault, where she was senior corporate counsel. With the addition of Preston and Hofmeister, the Indianapolis office has grown to more than...

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Member News

Two Steps Closer to a College of Commissioners

On Thursday 14 November, the final three Commissioner hearings were held in Brussels for the French, Romanian and Hungarian candidates. Thierry Breton (France) and Adina Vălean (Romania) were approved by the relevant European Parliamentary Committees, while Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary) was blocked pending further scrutiny. French Commissioner-Designate Thierry Breton has gained approval from MEPs for the sizable ‘Internal Market’ portfolio. “Investing today for growth tomorrow” was key to Breton’s powerful opening speech which insisted on a vision of protection and transformation...

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Chapter News

EU launches legal action after UK fails to nominate commission candidate

British taxpayers face paying out for a large fine after the EU launched a legal action against Boris Johnson’s government over his failure to abide by the law and nominate a candidate for the new European commission. Despite knowing for weeks that the UK would remain in the EU beyond 31 October, when a new EU executive had been due to be in place, Downing Street failed to put someone forward to join the bloc’s 28-strong top team. Johnson instead belatedly...

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Chapter News

The EU Steps Up its Cooperation with the U.S. Climate Alliance

Climate change induced natural disasters are growing in frequency and intensity. Social and economic impacts are already being felt across the globe today. Thus, increasing resilience and adapting to the worst effects of climate change is a critical priority for both the European Union (EU) and the U.S. Climate Alliance, which can also bring world class expertise and solutions to address those challenges.   By hosting a forum in Washington, DC on 8 November 2019 where practitioners can share experiences and identify...

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