Chapter News

Chapter News

EIB lends EUR 1bn to e-distribuzione for New Smart Meters

First EUR 500m tranche of loan to the Enel Group signed. The EU bank will support the investments covering the period 2017-2021. E-distribuzione's plan to replace digital meters in Italy is fully supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which has approved total financing of EUR 1bn for the operation. A first tranche of EUR 500m was signed today in the presence of Dario Scannapieco, EIB Vice-President, Francesco Starace, CEO of Enel S.p.A., the company that provided security for the loan, and Gianluigi Fioriti, CEO of...

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Chapter News

Smart Specialisation for European regions

Commission acts to help regions build resilient economies in the era of globalisation Globalisation has brought enormous benefits to the less-developed economies of the world and many opportunities for Europeans; but while the benefits are widely spread, the costs are often borne unevenly as the Commission's reflection paper on harnessing globalisation highlighted. To take up the challenge of economic modernisation, Europe needs to empower its regions and help them create value. This means embracing innovation, digitisation, decarbonisation and developing people's skills. Today,...

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Chapter News

Werner Hoyer re-appointed as President of the European Investment Bank Group

President Werner Hoyer will lead the European Investment Bank (EIB) for another six-year term, starting on 1st of January 2018. He was reappointed today by the Board of Governors of the EIB, consisting of the Economy and Finance ministers of the 28 EU Member States. Werner Hoyer started his tenure as President of the EU bank on 1 January 2012, and is also the Chairman of the EIB’s Board of Directors. Over the last five and a half years he has...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News

State of play of Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. What has happened since then on the EU side? On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom notified the European Council of its intention to leave the European Union, in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. On 29 April 2017, the European Council at EU27 adopted a set of political guidelines, which define the framework for the negotiations and set out the EU's overall positions and principles. On 3...

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Chapter News

The Future of the EU: optimism is on the rise

Optimism about the future of the European Union and about the economic situation is on the rise, says the latest Eurobarometer survey, which polls citizens’ views in the EU. The image of the EU and trust in institutions are also recovering. Key trends of Spring 2017 Standard Eurobarometer have just been published. And they are good news as far as the vision of the future of the EU, the economic situation in the member states, trust in the EU and...

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Chapter News

EU consumers show growing demand for cross-border online shopping, new survey reveals

The 2017 edition of the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard shows that more and more EU consumers are shopping online and that their trust in e-commerce has increased, in particular in buying online from other EU countries. For retailers, however, the Scoreboard shows that many are still reluctant to expand their online activities and continue to have concerns about selling online to consumers in other EU countries. Such concerns are mainly linked to a higher risk of fraud and non-payment in cross-border...

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Brexit News, Chapter News

Border Communities Against Brexit is one of the winners of the European Citizen’s Prize 2017

The national award ceremony took place in the Garage Theatre, Monaghan Town on Friday 14th July. Since 2008, this prestigious award has recognised projects and initiatives that facilitate cross-border cooperation or promote mutual understanding and EU values.  Border Communities Against Brexit was nominated for the prize by Matt Carthy MEP, Liadh Ní Riada MEP, Lynn Boylan MEP, Marian Harkin MEP and Nessa Childers MEP. Martina Anderson MEP said "Border communities against Brexit stretches along the partitioned border of Ireland and represent a range of sectors including representatives from vulnerable adults, to SMEs, Hoteliers,...

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Chapter News

Central Banking in Times of Technological Progress

Speech by Yves Mersch, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the Bank Negara Malaysia Monetary Policy Conference, Kuala Lumpur, 24 July 2017 There have been many significant advances in technology over the three and a half centuries that central banks have existed: railways, electrification, computerisation, and the internet to name but a few. Each of these great waves of technological revolution has transformed how economies function. While not all have had such a marked impact on central...

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Chapter News

Monetary policy decisions: The ECB and Interest Rates

At today’s meeting the Governing Council of the ECB decided that the interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 0.00%, 0.25% and -0.40% respectively. The Governing Council expects the key ECB interest rates to remain at their present levels for an extended period of time, and well past the horizon of the net asset purchases. Regarding non-standard monetary policy measures, the Governing Council confirms...

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Chapter News

EU customs seized over 41 million fake goods at EU borders last year

New figures released by the European Commission today show that customs authorities detained more than 41 million fake and counterfeit products at the EU's external border in 2016. The goods had a total value of over €670 million. Everyday products which are potentially dangerous to health and safety – such as food and drink, medicines, toys and household electrical goods - accounted for over a third of all intercepted goods.  Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs,...

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