May 17, 2019 A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF's Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic...

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To help keep track of the European election campaigns, the European Parliament Press service provides a daily newsfeed on country-specific electoral facts, events and debates in all member states.  Here is the update for 24 May: VOTING TODAY: Czechia and Ireland are going to the polls today, to elect 21 and 11 MEPs respectively. Tomorrow’s voters are Czechia for the second day, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia. EUROPE. Lead candidates have travelled the continent to vote. Violeta Tomić (EL) voted early on...

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Brussels, 21 May 2019 The Council of the EU today adopted the ambitious measures proposed by the Commission to tackle marine litter coming from the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on European beaches, as well as abandoned fishing gear and oxo-degradable plastics. The rules on Single-Use Plastics items and fishing gear envisage different measures to apply to different product and place the EU at the forefront of the global fight against marine litter. Where alternatives are easily available and...

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