Baden-Baden, the German spa town built on ancient thermal springs, is a fitting venue to discuss the health of the global economy during this week’s meeting of the Group of Twenty finance ministers and central bank governors. Policymakers will likely share a sense of growing optimism, because the recent strengthening of activity suggests that the world economy may finally snap out of its multi-year convalescence.  Economic prescriptions have played an important part in the recovery, and will continue to do so...

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Today, the European Commission presented its latest report on the Rapid Alert System for dangerous products. In 2016, the system was more actively used by national authorities, who removed more dangerous products from stores. However, more and more of the dangerous products notified in the Rapid Alert System are sold on online platforms. This is why the Commission has stepped up its cooperation with Amazon, Ebay and Alibaba to tackle more actively potentially unsafe or non-compliant products from their websites...

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Plans to tighten up official food inspections, from farm to fork, were adopted by Parliament on Wednesday. The new rules, already informally agreed by MEPs and the Council, aims to improve food traceability, combat fraud and restore consumer trust in the integrity of the food chain. The legislation will provide a comprehensive, integrated and more effective control system in the areas of food and feed safety rules, veterinary and plant health requirements, organic production and protected geographical indication rules. “After the...

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Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. announced the appointment of Judy Marks, CEO of Siemens USA to the U.S. Investment Advisory Council.  Marks will work with the 15 other members of the council to develop and implement strategies and programs that attract and retain investment in the United States. “Judy has an extraordinary history of leadership that goes back decades and it is my honor to appoint her to the Council while in the midst of Women’s History...

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Latest Copernicus satellite launch will improve services for farmers, fishermen and other users of land and sea maps. In the night from 6 to 7 March, a 5th satellite of Europe's Earth observation programme Copernicus was successfully sent into orbit. Copernicus already helps save lives at sea, improves our response to natural disasters such as earthquakes, forest fires or floods, and allows farmers to better manage their crops. For example, the European Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre activated the EU Copernicus...

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On 13 March 2017, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held a high-level conference in Rome to mark the sixty-year anniversary of the founding treaties of Europe, signed in Rome itself on 25 March 1957. Rather than celebrating the occasion in pomp, the EESC preferred to focus on the important milestones achieved and, above all, explore three issues that are crucial if we are to overcome the current crisis and guarantee a better future for Europe: tackling growing...

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Antonio Tajani made the case for European unity in his first speech as Parliament President at the start of a Council summit. “Today more than ever we can see how important European unity is,” he told political leaders at the summit in Brussels on 9 March. “Europe needs to be changed not weakened. All the institutions need to work harder to find the answers which ordinary Europeans are looking to us to provide.” The summit is dedicated to issues such...

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EU leaders reviewed progress in a number of priority areas, reaffirmed the unity of the EU-27 and continued the debate on the future of the European Union. Prior to the main agenda, President Juncker welcomed the re-election of Donald Tusk as President of the European Council for a second two-and-a-half year mandate. Jobs, growth and competitiveness Leaders welcomed the encouraging economic situation across Europe. The March European Council is the first meeting in almost a decade where all 28 economies are expected...

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The European Council deliberated on the attached document. It was supported by 27 Members of the European Council, but it did not gather consensus, for reasons unrelated to its substance.  References to the European Council in the attached document should not be read as implying a formal endorsement by the European Council acting as an institution. Download the full report here Compliments of the European Council

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The Council agreed to adjust the EU's multi-annual financial framework for 2014-2020 to bring it in line with new priorities. The agreed changes reinforce the EU's support for tackling the migration crisis, strengthening security, boosting growth and creating jobs. They will allow the EU to respond more easily to unexpected needs without changing the MFF expenditure ceilings. And they will help to avoid an excessive backlog of unpaid bills. "This first-ever revision of the multi-annual budgetary framework will ensure that the...

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