The disturbing news from the Pacific is that China continues to beef up construction in disputed territory and spread its brand of “state capitalism.” At the same time, our allies question whether the United States is truly committed to being a world leader. In Europe, Russia continues its belligerence, and Europe is unable to respond effectively because of its dependence on Russian energy. These are just two examples of why we need to strengthen our trade agenda. We need to...

European Commission - EUROSTAT | 02 March 2015 The Europe 2020 strategy, adopted by the European Council in June 2010, aims at establishing a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy with high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion. The key objectives of the strategy are expressed in the form of five ambitious targets in the areas of employment, research & development (R&D), climate change & energy, education and poverty reduction, to be reached by 2020. These have been translated into national...

Speech by Lord Hill, European Commissioner for financial services, financial stability and capital markets union | Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) | 27 February 2015 NYC Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me here. I am delighted to be here on my first trip to the US as a new European Commissioner. I've just had two days in Washington DC talking mainly politics and regulation. But I'm someone who doesn't think that you should regulate without...

The FCC just voted in favor of a strong net neutrality rule to keep the Internet open and free. That happened, in part, because millions of Americans across the country didn't just care about this issue: You stood up and made your voices heard, whether by adding your names to petitions, submitting public comments, or talking with the people you know about why this matters. Read a special thank-you message from the President, then learn more about how we got to...

Last week, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm—took the first step toward cementing one of the EU’s fundamentals freedoms:  free movement of capital.  The goal is to break down barriers that block cross-border investments in the EU and prevent businesses from getting adequate access to finance. The EU has launched a green paper as the basis for a three month public consultation on how the Capital Markets Union (CMU) should take shape.  Based on public input, the Commission will...

European Commission - Speech | Brussels, 23 February 2015 | Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs. ] Mesdames, Messieurs, Je vous souhaite la bienvenue à cette conférence organisée conjointement par mes services et le Fonds Monétaire International. Cet événement est un bel exemple de collaboration entre nos deux institutions pour lesquelles la croissance, la création d'emplois et l'investissement sont des priorités essentielles. Je vous remercie d'être venus si nombreux en ce début d'après-midi et je salue tout particulièrement...

Brussels, 18 February 2015 -- The European Commission today launched its landmark project to unlock funding for Europe’s businesses and to boost growth in the EU’s 28 Member States with the creation of a true single market for capital. The Capital Markets Union aims to break down the barriers that are blocking cross-border investments in the EU and preventing businesses from getting access to finance. The current environment is tough for businesses that remain heavily reliant on banks and relatively...

The Eurogroup reiterates its appreciation for the remarkable adjustment efforts undertaken by Greece and the Greek people over the last years. During the last few weeks, we have, together with the institutions, engaged in an intensive and constructive dialogue with the new Greek authorities and reached common ground today.  The Eurogroup notes, in the framework of the existing arrangement, the request from the Greek authorities for an extension of the Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement (MFFA), which is underpinned by...