The energy price index rose 12.1% in April, driven largely by crude oil (+8.7%). The non-energy price index increased 3.2%. Agricultural prices gained 1.5% in April, led by food prices (+1.5%); raw materials rose 2.5%, while beverage prices edged up 0.4%. Fertilizer prices surged 14% Metals edged up 1.4% in April, led by aluminum (+6.7%), zinc (+5.7%), and nickel (+5.2%). Precious metals fell 2.7%, weighed down by a decline in gold (-2.8%). The Pink Sheet is the World Bank’s monthly report on commodity...

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The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a key instrument to improve market openness and fairness, competition, and user choice in the EU New challenges posed by generative AI and cloud services need to be addressed External pressure must not compromise the EU’s sovereignty and autonomy to define its rules Effective and proportionate fines essential to ensure deterrence and safeguarding DMA’s effectiveness MEPs are pushing for the Commission’s timely and effective enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act and closer...

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The European Commission today presented its plan to modernise EU lawmaking, ensuring that laws are clearer, simpler, more efficiently enforced, based on solid evidence and better aligned with the needs of citizens and businesses. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: "Europe needs clear and coherent legislation that fully responds to the needs of our citizens and businesses. Today, we deliver our plan to make EU lawmaking more efficient, more effective, and more transparent. We will apply simplicity by...

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Commodity prices forecast to rise by 16% this year, fueling inflation and slowing growth.  Energy prices are projected to surge by 24% this year to their highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as the war in the Middle East sends a severe shock through global commodity markets, according to the World Bank Group's latest Commodity Markets Outlook. Overall commodity prices are forecast to rise 16% in 2026, driven by soaring energy and fertilizer prices and record-high prices for several key metals. The shock will have serious implications for job creation and development, the analysis indicates. Attacks...

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European Card Payment Cooperation (ECPC), nexo standards and Berlin Group to work with ECB to implement digital euro Standards to allow European payment solutions to minimise costs, expand geographical reach and diversify use cases Adoption of the digital euro regulation by co-legislators to unlock potential and provide certainty for market actors’ future investments in payments The European Central Bank (ECB) has signed agreements with three European standard‑setting organisations – ECPC, nexo standards and the Berlin Group – to reuse...

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Today marks the 10th anniversary of the GDPR’s adoption, the first comprehensive data protection framework spanning an entire continent, establishing clear rights for individuals and obligations for organisations across Europe. The moment that led to the creation of the EDPB The GDPR led to the establishment of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) on 25 May 2018, replacing the Article 29 Working Party that was previously in charge of dealing with issues relating to the protection of personal data. The GDPR gave the Data...

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