Firms reported declining bank interest rates on loans, although indicating a slight further tightening of other lending conditions. There was a slight increase in the bank financing gap compared with the previous quarter as firms reported a small reduction in bank loan availability and no change in the need for bank loans. Firms’ inflation expectations increased slightly, with their median expectations for annual inflation in one, three and five years all standing at 3.0%, 0.1 percentage points higher...

The FSB’s work programme for 2025 addresses challenges including digitalisation, climate change, and the consequences of shifts in the macroeconomic and interest rate environment.In line with the FSB’s mission to promote international financial stability, our priorities for 2025 reflect challenges that are global in nature and affect the financial system as a whole, such as digitalisation and climate change. Work will continue in key areas such as non-bank financial intermediation and cross-border payments. The FSB will keep monitoring emerging...

Today in Davos, President von der Leyen launched the Global Energy Transition Forum, together with the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.  At COP28, the world rallied behind the targets of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. The deadline is approaching fast.  The Forum brings together partners from across the world, from Brazil, Canada, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Kenya, Peru, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and many others, as...

Thank you, President Metsola, dear Roberta, Mister President of the European Council, dear António, Honourable Members, It is a pleasure to join this Plenary debate with President Costa for the first time. And I would like to start by thanking you, dear António, for the excellent cooperation between us in the first weeks of our common mandate. We are only three weeks into 2025, but the glimpse is already there of the change that is coming to global politics. We have entered...

'Check against delivery' Lieber Klaus Schwab, Liebe Karin Keller-Sutter, Your Majesties, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The first quarter of the century has come to an end. And it has brought about a sea-change in global affairs. This century started with great expectations. 25 years ago, the era of hyperglobalisation was nearing its peak. As supply chains went global, hundreds of millions of people were being lifted out of poverty, especially in India and China. In America, the dot-com boom was at its height, symbolising the...

20 January 2025, New York -- Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the Joint Briefing by the Presidents of the General Assembly and the the Economic and Social Council. Presidents, colleagues, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and...

Thank you. Good evening, everyone.  The Eurogroup had a very useful discussion on economic policy priorities for the euro area, which showed a high degree of convergence, and alignment with the agenda of the new commission. While we have successfully navigated a period of significant challenges in recent years, demonstrating a remarkable degree of economic resilience, the euro area continues to be confronted with significant structural challenges. Productivity growth has been slow for too long in the euro area, and euro as...