Global debt markets remained resilient in 2025 amidst geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and risks for growth prospects, with governments and companies borrowing a record USD 27 trillion, according to a new OECD report. Sovereign bond issuance in OECD countries is projected to reach a record USD 18 trillion in 2026, up from USD 12 trillion in 2022. Outstanding debt is estimated to have risen from USD 55 trillion in 2024 to USD 61 trillion in 2025. Debt relative to GDP remained stable,...

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Blog | Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and the workplace is no exception. But will it empower workers, or is it set to replace them? This blog post looks at the impact of AI use and investment on firms’ current and future hiring and firing decisions. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly influence firms’ production processes. It could also profoundly reshape employment and the labour market. But how exactly? On the one hand, AI could replace workers, leading to a...

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What is the Industrial Accelerator Act and why is the Commission proposing it? The Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is a legislative proposal designed to strengthen Europe's industrial base by boosting manufacturing, growing businesses, and creating jobs in the EU. It delivers on the recommendations of the Draghi report on EU competitiveness, the political guidelines of the Commission, and the mission entrusted to the Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. The IAA mobilises public procurement and public incentives to boost demand for low-carbon and European-made products...

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Countries must shift toward fiscal discipline and reforms that raise long-term growth. Many highly indebted advanced economies face a grim fiscal outlook. Under current policies, the public debt ratios of countries including Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States are set to deteriorate over the next two decades. They still have room to borrow, but there are limits. So far, financial markets have been forgiving. But recent tremors suggest that they may become more sensitive to negative news about...

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New category of company that falls between SMEs and large enterprises EP proposes thresholds of 1,000 employees, €200M in turnover or €172M in total assets to define small mid-caps New laws seek to boost the competitiveness of EU so-called small “mid-cap” (SMC) enterprises as they grown beyond SME status with targeted measures. On Wednesday, three EP committees voted to endorse proposals introducing the concept of small mid-cap enterprises (SMCs) and extending to them various exemptions that so far have been...

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With a view to boosting EU competitiveness, the Council gave today its final green light to a simplification of the sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements for companies. This legislation simplifies the directives on corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD) and corporate sustainability due diligence (CS3D) by reducing the reporting burden and limiting the trickle-down effect of obligations on smaller companies. The Omnibus I simplification package reduces complexity and unnecessary barriers, cuts red tape, enhances efficiency and introduces more flexibility for companies that remain subject to its...

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