By Oscar Arce, Agostino Consolo, António Dias da Silva and Marco Weissler | Foreign workers play an increasingly important role in the euro area labour markets. This ECB blog analyses the effects migrants had on growth across the largest countries in recent years. It also discusses changing labour market participation patterns among foreign workers. Sluggish productivity growth and weak capital accumulation have hampered post-pandemic recovery in the euro area. Amid this weakness, population growth and increasing labour force participation stabilised the...

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The European Central Bank (ECB) welcomes the European Commission’s targeted consultation on the application of the market risk prudential framework. Market risk is a significant risk for banks and was one of the main causes of the global financial crisis. Geopolitical risks, including trade tensions and ongoing military conflicts are having an impact on financial markets. We know from experience that adverse developments in financial markets can materialise very suddenly and with a highly amplified impact, for example through...

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The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) demands urgent action from the European Commission and EU Member States to dismantle barriers fragmenting the single market and keeping living costs high, even as inflation rates fall. Despite steadily decreasing inflation in Europe, cost of living remains a concern, as millions of Europeans — especially the 94.6 million people at risk of poverty or social exclusion — continue to struggle with elevated prices. In its opinion How single market dysfunctionalities contribute to the rising...

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Global Commodity Prices Expected to Drop to Six-Year Low by 2026 WASHINGTON, April 29, 2025—Faltering economic growth is coinciding with ample oil supply in ways that are expected to drop global commodity prices to their lowest level of the 2020s, according to the World Bank’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook. The decline could moderate near-term inflation risks emerging from rising trade barriers, but it could also hamper prospects for economic progress in two out of every three developing economies. Global commodity prices...

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By Gert Bijnens, John Hutchinson and Arthur Saint Guilhem | Lasting high energy prices are putting pressure on industries all across Europe. This is hitting some regions, such as southern Germany, the Ruhr and northern Italy, harder than others. The ECB Blog examines the implications for employment. High energy costs threaten the competitiveness of European firms and weigh on employment. Based on firm-level data, we estimate that a permanent rise of 10% in electricity prices could reduce employment in energy-intensive...

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EIB teams up with bourse Euronext to help European aerospace and defence entrepreneurs raise finance publicly EIB Advisory accord covers Euronext stock-listings programme planned for later this year    Deal to empower next generation of European innovators The European Investment Bank (EIB) is joining forces with bourse Euronext to bolster small and Mid-Cap companies in Europe’s aerospace and defence industries.  Under an advisory agreement, the EIB will support Euronext in setting up a programme to ensure scale-up companies in...

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“Check against delivery” Monsieur le Président, cher Emmanuel, Honourable Dean, Esteemed Professors, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is an honour to be here in the Sorbonne – surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the world. Dear Emmanuel, you once said that before being a university, the Sorbonne was an idea. An idea of scientific excellence, collaboration and – if I may add – of opportunity. And no story encapsulates this better than that of Maria Salomea Skłodowska-Curie, also known a Marie Curie. In...

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ECB establishes an innovation platform with around 70 market participants on new platform Participants to test digital euro payment functionalities and explore innovative use cases Findings to be shared in report later this year The European Central Bank (ECB) has established an innovation platform to collaborate with European stakeholders in the context of the digital euro project. almost 70 market participants – including merchants, fintech companies, start-ups, banks and other payment service providers – have signed up to work with the ECB...

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By Clémence Berson and Marco Weissler Published as part of the ECB Economic Bulletin, Issue 3/2025. In most euro area countries, average hours worked (AHW) per employee have been falling since 2020 and remain below their pre-pandemic levels. The decline was particularly strong in 2020 owing to policy measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. National accounts data show that, in the fourth quarter of 2024, AHW were still 1.8% lower than a decade before (Chart A) despite the proportion of part-time workers...

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