The European Commission proposed the Digital Networks Act (DNA) to modernise, simplify and harmonise EU rules on connectivity networks. The current rules must be updated to create the conditions for operators to invest into rolling out advanced fibre and mobile networks. High-capacity networks enable innovative tech, like Artificial Intelligence and Cloud. The widespread availability of advanced connectivity for people and businesses across the EU is the foundation of Europe's competitiveness. Strengthening the single market for connectivity The proposal aims at creating...

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Blog Post by  Tobias Adrian and Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas Global Economy Shakes Off Tariff Shock Amid Tech-Driven Boomrisks are rising, including from the concentration of tech investment and the negative effects of trade disruptions, which may build over time. Global economic growth continues to show notable resilience despite significant US-led trade disruptions and heightened uncertainty. Our latest projections indicate that global growth will hold steady at 3.3 percent this year, an upward revision of 0.2 percentage points compared to October estimates, with most of the...

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In 2025, the European Union Intellectual Property Office received 327 735 new applications for EU trade marks and EU designs. It is the highest annual number of intellectual property (IP) applications since the Office began accepting filings in 1996. Overall, it represents a 7.8% increase compared to 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2021 (313 928 applications received) Trade Marks Drive Overall Growth European Union trade marks (EUTMs) accounted for the largest share of applications in 2025. The EUIPO received 196...

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The Council has adopted today an amendment to the regulation governing the activities of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), extending its objectives to facilitate the creation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) gigafactories in Europe and to include a dedicated quantum technologies pillar. The amended regulation allows for the development and operation of AI gigafactories in Europe, a world-class AI compute infrastructure that will strengthen Europe’s industry and competitiveness, while fostering cooperation through public-private partnerships that include member states...

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WASHINGTON, January 13, 2026 Yet one in four developing economies remains poorer than it was in 2019 The global economy is proving more resilient than anticipated despite persistent trade tensions and policy uncertainty, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report.  Global growth is projected to remain broadly steady over the next two years, easing to 2.6% in 2026 before rising to 2.7% in 2027, an upward revision from the June forecast. The resilience reflects better-than-expected growth—especially in the United States, which accounts for about two-thirds of the upward revision to the forecast in 2026. Even so, if these forecasts hold, the 2020s are on track to be...

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Speech by Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, at the 16th edition of Spain Investors Day Madrid, 14 January 2026 The global economy is facing a period of profound transformation and heightened uncertainty. The past year has brought major shifts in the international economic environment, driven by significant changes in US policy and the erosion of the multilateral, rules-based system which has long supported global trade and international relations. The introduction of substantial tariffs on US imports has disrupted trade...

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Keynote Speech by Philip R. Lane, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the Danish Economic Society Conference Kolding, 9 January 2026 I am grateful to the Danish Economic Society for the invitation to participate in this conference. In line with the overall theme of the event, I will speak today about the implications of a changing world for the euro-denominated monetary system. In our 2025 assessment exercise that reviewed the monetary policy strategy of the ECB, the Governing Council...

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