• €3.3 billion of EU funds to reel in €44 billion in private investment • Reduce poverty by investing in jobs, SMEs, climate change measures • Strict rules on labour and human rights and on tax transparency The EU scheme aiming to mobilise €44 billion in private sector investment in Africa and the EU neighbourhood was backed by MEPs on Thursday. As part of the European External Investment Plan, the new European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD) wants to encourage €44 billion in private investments in fragile states...

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• Euro remains unchallenged as the second most used currency, but the international role of the euro slightly declined in 2016-2017, albeit not uniformly • Use of the euro as a funding currency decline • Share in foreign exchange reserves rebounded somewhat The use of the euro as a funding currency in international debt markets declined in 2016 and early 2017 compared to the same period last year, while the share of the euro in foreign exchange reserves rebounded slightly. These are...

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To achieve sustainable growth and create jobs in the EU, boosting investment in research, innovation, infrastructure, education and SMEs is key, say MEPs. Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution proposed by 2018 budget rapporteur Siegfried Mureșan  (EPP, RO) with principles to follow during the budget negotiations with Council. The resolution was adopted by 445 votes against 144, with 80 abstentions. In the resolution text, MEPs welcome the proposed increase in the budget of Horizon 2020 (research), the Connecting Europe Facility (infrastructure) and Erasmus+ (education); regret however...

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The number of credit institutions headquartered in the EU continued to decrease from 3,277 to 3,167. Total assets of these credit institutions also decreased slightly from € 33,798 bn to € 33,410 bn. This decrease was driven by non-euro area countries. The number of credit institutions with headquarters in the EU has continued to decrease from 3,277 end of 2015 to 3,167 at the end of 2016 according to the Consolidated Banking Data (CBD). Meanwhile also the total assets of these...

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On Wednesday 28th June 2017, the European Investment Bank (EIB), owned by the EU Member States and rated Aaa/AAA/AAA (Moody’s / Standard and Poor’s / Fitch), launched a new EUR 1bn Climate Awareness Bond (CAB) 2047. The issue has a final maturity date of 15 November 2047, making it the longest ever green bond. The ultra-long 30-year bond carries an annual coupon of 1.5% and was priced at a final spread of mid swaps plus 5bp, equivalent to a spread...

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Foreword On 1 March 2017, the European Commission published its White Paper on the Future of Europe as the starting point for an honest and wideranging debate on tomorrow’s Europe. To further contribute to this debate, the Commission is presenting a number of reflection papers on key topics that will shape Europe in the years to come. This paper – the final one in the series – focuses on the finances of a future Europe at 27 in a changing...

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Europeans expect their Union to do more. At a time when the EU is doing more than ever before to protect, empower and defend its citizens, resources continue to be stretched at the seams. As Europe decides on its future, the EU needs a budget that is fit for purpose and makes every euro work for its citizens. Published today, the Commission's reflection paper on the future of EU finances looks at the options to make that a reality. The issues...

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The European Commission has fined Google €2.42 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules. Google has abused its market dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to another Google product, its comparison shopping service. The company must now end the conduct within 90 days or face penalty payments of up to 5% of the average daily worldwide turnover of Alphabet, Google's parent company. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Google has come up with many...

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The EU is committed to gender equality and sustainable development. These values are in our DNA, in our founding principles, and they should be a natural part of our trade policy as well. For me, trade is about being open: About broadening horizons and opportunities, about bringing down barriers and empowering people. That means that we want more women involved in the labour market here in Europe, and we want to support women's economic independence around the world. Trade and...

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In the follow blog piece, originally posted on Social Europe, Carlos Vacas-Soriano and Enrique Fernández-Macías look at evolution of household disposable real income levels over the period 2004-2013, and the broader phenomenon on Europe's shrinking middle class. The Great Recession depressed real income levels across European countries. But the impact was very unequal across countries and income groups. Countries in the European periphery have been more affected than those in the core, halting the process of income convergence between European countries...

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