The European Commission has today adopted a number of measures to increase its level of ambition on sustainable finance. First, the new Sustainable Finance Strategy sets out several initiatives to tackle climate change, and other environmental challenges, while increasing investment – and the inclusiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – in the EU's transition towards a sustainable economy. The European Green Bond Standard proposal, also adopted today, will create a high-quality voluntary standard for bonds financing sustainable investment. Finally, the Commission adopted...

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130 countries and jurisdictions have joined a new two-pillar plan to reform international taxation rules and ensure that multinational enterprises pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate. 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 90% of global GDP, joined the Statement establishing a new framework for international tax reform. A small group of the Inclusive Framework’s 139 members have not yet joined the Statement at this time.  The remaining elements of the framework, including the implementation plan, will be finalised in...

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Speech by Isabel Schnabel, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the Petersberger Sommerdialog | Frankfurt am Main, 3 July 2021 | After having lived through the deepest contraction in post-war times, the euro area economy has embarked on a strong recovery from the pandemic. Confidence indicators are at their highest level in more than two decades, reflecting surging optimism among firms and consumers. According to the June 2021 Eurosystem staff projections, the euro area is expected to grow...

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The Commission adopted today a package of decisions supporting the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the EU defence industry. The adoption of the first European Defence Fund (EDF) annual work programme paves the way to the immediate launch of 23 calls for proposals for a total of €1.2 billion of EU funding in support of collaborative defence research and development projects. Furthermore, under the EDF's precursor programme, the European Defence Industry Development Programme (EDIDP), 26 new projects with a budget of more than €158 million were selected for funding....

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Today the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy outlined a proposal on how to take forward priorities for cooperation with our Eastern partners in the years to come. This agenda is based on the five long-term objectives, with resilience at its core, as defined for the future of the Eastern Partnership in March 2020. It will be underpinned by a €2.3 billion Economic and Investment plan in grants, blending and guarantees, with a potential to mobilise up...

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Financial stability vulnerabilities from climate change concentrated in certain regions, sectors and firms, with evolution of risks conditional on effective and timely transition to low carbon economy Granular exposure mapping of climate hazards to financial risk reveals vulnerability to river flooding widespread across countries, compounded by wildfire, heat and water stress risk in some regions Transition risk resulting from financial market repricing has cross-sector impact and varies within sectors owing to differences in emissions efficiency Long-term scenario analyses...

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Today, the European Commission has proposed revisions of two sets of EU rules to enhance consumer rights in a world reshaped by digitalisation and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission is reinforcing its safety net for EU consumers, for example, by making sure that dangerous products are recalled from the market or that credit offers are presented to consumers in a clear way, easily readable on digital devices. The proposal updates both the existing General Product Safety Directive as well as the EU...

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The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing structural weaknesses in the corporate sector and capital markets. Without an effective policy response, the number of undercapitalised and underperforming firms will likely rise and remain high, while an increasing amount of productive resources will be tied up in non-viable companies, dragging down investment and economic growth, according to a new OECD report. The Future of Corporate Governance in Capital Markets Following the COVID-19 Crisis says that substantial financial resources will be needed for...

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Today, the Commission published EU guidelines to ensure the safe resumption of activities in the cultural and creative sectors across the EU. At a time when the epidemiological situation is improving and vaccination campaigns are speeding up, Member States are gradually reopening cultural venues and activities. Today's guidelines aim to provide a coordinated approach in line with the specific national, regional and local conditions. They are expected to guide the design and implementation of measures and protocols in EU countries to...

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