Chapter News

ECB sets up climate change centre

New unit, operational as of early 2021, to strengthen and bring together ECB work on climate Decision reflects growing importance of climate change for the economy and the ECB’s policy Climate change centre will shape and steer climate agenda The European Central Bank (ECB) has decided to set up a climate change centre to bring together the work on climate issues in different parts of the bank. This decision reflects the growing importance of climate change for the economy and the...

Read more

Chapter News

Speech by Christine Lagarde | Climate change and central banking

Keynote speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the ILF conference on Green Banking and Green Central Banking | Frankfurt am Main, 25 January 2021 In the famous fable “Belling the Cat”, a group of mice gather to discuss how to deal with a cat that is eating them one by one. They hatch a plan to put a bell on the cat so they can hear it coming and escape before being caught. When it comes to who will...

Read more

Member News

Orrick | The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020

On January 1, 2021, Congress enacted the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (the “AML Act”), which contains the most significant reforms to U.S. AML laws since the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. Below are some key provisions of the AML Act, and here is a more detailed description of the statute’s major provisions. Key Provisions Beneficial Ownership Registry. Creates a new, long-awaited central registry for beneficial ownership information of shell companies and other smaller, less regulated entities, which will be available to financial...

Read more

Chapter News

Speech | Sustainable finance: transforming finance to finance the transformation

Keynote SPEECH by Fabio Panetta, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the 50th anniversary of the Associazione Italiana per l’Analisi Finanziaria (by videoconference) | Introduction I would like to start by thanking the Italian Association for Financial Analysts (Associazione Italiana per l'Analisi Finanziaria, AIAF) for inviting me to speak on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Promoting high standards in financial analysis is vitally important for guaranteeing the development and the integrity of markets, to ensure they can serve the...

Read more

Chapter News

New US president: how EU-US relations could improve

A new US president taking office represents an opportunity to reset transatlantic relations. Find out what the EU is offering to work together on. On 20 January, the day of Biden's inauguration, MEPs debated the political situation in the US. They also welcomed the new president as an opportunity for Europe to strengthen EU-US ties and tackle common challenges and threats to the democratic system. Europe and America have traditionally always been allies, but under Donald Trump the US has been...

Read more

Chapter News, COVID-19 News

Coronavirus: EU Commission proposes additional safeguards on travel from outside the EU and updated criteria for applying travel restrictions

Today the Commission is proposing additional safeguards and requirements for international travellers into the EU. New coronavirus variants and the volatile health situation worldwide call for further action to ensure that any travel to the EU takes place safely. To reflect the latest scientific advice, the Commission is also proposing updated criteria taking into account the testing rate, testing positivity and detection of variants of concern when deciding on the application of restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU to a specific non-EU country.   Additional safeguards on travel from outside the EU  Member States should introduce additional measures to ensure that travel into the EU takes place safely. This concerns those travelling...

Read more

Brexit News, Member News

Houthoff | Trade and competition after the Brexit deal: the consequences for the level playing field for businesses

The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ("TCA") introduces a new framework for State aid, antitrust, merger control and trade in goods and services. Although the TCA's purpose is to ensure a level playing field for fair trade and competition, the new rules clearly distinguish the EU internal market from the UK market. These new rules are likely to give rise to many questions of interpretation and disputes. The TCA has a separate dispute settlement mechanism. The role of the European Court...

Read more

Member News

EIB | The EFSI Legacy: Doing more with less

The European Fund for Strategic Investments has been one of the good news stories to emerge in a decade of economic uncertainty. It has gone well beyond its highly ambitious target of €500 billion in mobilised investments. The Juncker Plan has made a strong contribution to the 14 million jobs created in the EU between 2015 and 2020. EFSI has become a success in co-financing projects that otherwise might not have been carried through. It has also charted the path...

Read more

Chapter News

U.S. Fed Speech | Full Employment in the New Monetary Policy Framework

Speech by Governor Lael Brainard at the Inaugural Mike McCracken Lecture on Full Employment Sponsored by the Canadian Association for Business Economics (via webcast) | I want to thank the Canadian Association for Business Economics for inviting me to join you today, particularly president Bonnie Lemcke and past president Armine Yalnizyan. It is a pleasure to be here with Carolyn Wilkins. I am honored to deliver the inaugural Mike McCracken Lecture on Full Employment.1 Widely known for his critical contributions in bringing...

Read more

Chapter News

Euro banknote counterfeiting at historically low level in 2020

460,000 counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation in 2020, a historically low level in proportion to banknotes in circulation About two thirds of the total were €20 and €50 banknotes Euro banknotes continue to be a trusted and safe means of payment All euro banknotes can be verified using the “feel, look and tilt” method Some 460,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in 2020 (220,000 in the second half of the year), a decrease of 17.7% when...

Read more