At a time of increased geopolitical tensions, the EU has continued to successfully tackle the issues that concern Europeans most in 2023, whilst remaining on track to deliver on the political priorities. That is according to the new edition of the EU General Report, which was published today. The report looks at how we have responded to emerging and existing global challenges, with our ongoing, steadfast support for Ukraine being the highlight. We have provided over €88 billion in financial,...

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The European Commission has published a Communication on managing climate risks in Europe on March 13th. It sets out how the EU and its Member States can better anticipate, understand, and address growing climate risks. It further presents how they can prepare and implement policies that save lives, cut costs, and protect prosperity across the EU. The Communication responds to the first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), a scientific report by the European Environment Agency. Together, they are a...

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Proposed Budget Supports Key Commerce Department Initiatives and Programs to Increase Access to Good Jobs, Strengthen Competitiveness in the 21st Century The Biden-Harris Administration submitted to Congress the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Following historic progress made since the President took office—with nearly 15 million jobs created and inflation down two-thirds—President Biden’s 2025 Budget expands on the Department’s work as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda to promote access to good-paying jobs and equitable growth, bolster...

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At the end of 2023, the total volume of sovereign and corporate bond debt stood at almost USD 100 trillion, similar in size to global GDP, says a new OECD report. The first OECD Global Debt Report 2024: Bond Markets in a High-Debt Environment released today shows the low interest rate environment post-2008 opened bond markets to a wider range of issuers, including lower rated governments and companies, expanding the riskier market segments and contributing to the rapid growth of the sustainable...

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Open, well-functioning, and integrated European capital markets are crucial to promote the single market and to attract the necessary investments, and thereby to boost the EU’s global competitiveness, innovation, sustainable growth, and job creation. It will provide better funding possibilities for growing companies, including small and medium-sized companies, and give EU citizens the opportunity to invest their savings more productively in Europe. Deep and liquid capital markets that can allocate capital efficiently and allow for cross-border private risk-sharing constitute, together...

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Article by Atif Mian in the IMF's Finance & Development Magazine |  Nature requires balance—between predator and prey in the jungle, between the push and pull of planets in orbit, and so on. The economic system is no different; it requires long-term balance between what people earn and what they spend. Loss of this balance has led to a massive debt supercycle that threatens the global economy. Breaking that cycle is one of the most pressing challenges of the...

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The European Commission was instrumental in brokering important outcomes at the 13th ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (MC13) that ended Friday in Abu Dhabi. After a week of intense engagement, EU negotiators secured important agreements on e-commerce, new rules to improve global services trade, environmental cooperation, and strengthening the position of developing countries in the global trading system. However, over the past months, the EU had worked for ambitious results to revitalise the WTO at a time of...

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It is my great pleasure to report to you ahead of your first meeting under the Brazilian G20 Presidency. Tax policy and tax administration efforts can help to move the dial in the fight against extreme poverty and hunger, while addressing rising inequality and closing the funding gaps on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thanks to the leadership of the G20, stronger international tax cooperation in recent year has delivered significant additional revenues and other important benefits for governments...

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G20 merchandise trade growth flattens while services trade rises moderately in Q4 2023. After several quarters of decline, G20 merchandise trade growth flattened in value terms in Q4 2023, as measured in current US dollars (Figure 1 and 2). There was little change in exports and imports compared to Q3 2023, as a robust recovery in East Asia was counterbalanced by a slowdown in Europe and North America. Export growth stagnated in the United States, with lower sales of automobiles...

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