The Governing Council today decided to keep the three key ECB interest rates unchanged. The incoming information has broadly confirmed its previous assessment of the medium-term inflation outlook. Aside from an energy-related upward base effect on headline inflation, the declining trend in underlying inflation has continued, and the past interest rate increases keep being transmitted forcefully into financing conditions. Tight financing conditions are dampening demand, and this is helping to push down inflation. The Governing Council is determined to ensure...

The Council has today adopted its position (negotiating mandate) on the regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour on the EU market. The negotiating mandate of the Council supports the overall objective of combatting forced labour, and it introduces several improvements to the proposed text. The Council mandate clarifies the scope of the regulation by including products offered for distance sales, envisages the creation of a forced labour single portal, and reinforces the role of the Commission in investigating and...

Workers will be better represented in EU-based multinational companies thanks to new rules for the so-called European Works Councils (EWCs). These Councils ensure that employees are involved in decisions related to transnational issues, like re-structurings. They help workers anticipate and manage changes in the world of work, including labour shortages and new technologies. Around 1,000 EWCs currently represent nearly 11.3 million European employees. While these Councils represent more than half of the eligible workforce, this is still less than a third of the estimated almost...

The Council and Parliament found a provisional agreement on parts of the anti-money laundering package that aims to protect EU citizens and the EU's financial system against money laundering and terrorist financing. "This agreement is part and parcel of the EU’s new anti-money laundering system. It will improve the way national systems against money laundering and terrorist financing are organised and work together. This will ensure that fraudsters, organised crime and terrorists will have no space left for legitimising their...

Global growth is set to slow further this year, amid the lagged and ongoing effects of tight monetary policy, restrictive financial conditions, and feeble global trade and investment. Downside risks to the outlook include an escalation of the recent conflict in the Middle East and associated commodity market disruptions, financial stress amid elevated debt and high borrowing costs, persistent inflation, weaker-than-expected activity in China, trade fragmentation, and climate-related disasters. Against this backdrop, policy makers around the world face enormous...

AI will affect almost 40 percent of jobs around the world, replacing some and complementing others. We need a careful balance of policies to tap its potential Kristalina Georgieva We are on the brink of a technological revolution that could jumpstart productivity, boost global growth and raise incomes around the world. Yet it could also replace jobs and deepen inequality. The rapid advance of artificial intelligence has captivated the world, causing both excitement and alarm, and raising important questions about its potential...

Households' financial investment increased at annual rate of 1.9% in third quarter of 2023, after 2.1% in previous quarter Non-financial corporations' financing grew at broadly unchanged rate of 0.7% Non-financial corporations' gross operating surplus increased at annual rate of 2.2%, after 5.9% in previous quarter Chart 1 Household financing and financial and non-financial investment (Annual growth rates) Sources: ECB and Eurostat. Chart 2 Data for household financing and financial and non-financial investmentNFC gross-operating surplus, non-financial investment and financing (annual growth rates) Source: ECB and Eurostat. Data for NFC gross-operating surplus, non-financial investment and...