OECD labour markets bounced back strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the global employment outlook is now highly uncertain according to a new OECD report. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused lower global growth and higher inflation, with negative impacts on business investment and private consumption. The OECD Employment Outlook 2022 says that while labour markets remain tight in most OECD countries, lower global growth means employment growth is also likely to slow, while major hikes in energy and commodity prices...

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Thank you minister, good afternoon everyone. It is a pleasure to be back in Prague. Thank you for hosting us in this beautiful city. As the minister already outlined, today's discussions in Ecofin focused on two main topics: financial support for Ukraine and our economic policy response to the war in Ukraine and its economic implications. As regards financial support for Ukraine, it is excellent news that ministers have endorsed the next part of our exceptional macro-financial assistance programme and agreed to provide...

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Ceiling for remuneration of government deposits to remain at deposit facility rate (DFR) or euro short-term rate (€STR), whichever is lower, until 30 April 2023 Measure aims to preserve effectiveness of monetary policy transmission and safeguard orderly market functioning To preserve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission and safeguard orderly market functioning, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) today decided to temporarily remove the 0% interest rate ceiling for remunerating government deposits. Instead, the ceiling will...

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Today, the Commission is proposing to fully suspend the EU's Visa Facilitation Agreement with Russia. A country like Russia, waging a war of aggression, should not qualify for visa facilitations as long as it continues conducting its destructive foreign policy and military aggression towards Ukraine, demonstrating a complete disregard to the international rules-based order. The suspension is in response to increased risks and threats to the Union's security interests and the national security of the Member States as result...

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