Germany drops opposition to nuclear power at EU level – but plants stay shut at home
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government has dropped Germany's opposition at the EU to nuclear power.
Economy
Latest reporting and analysis on economy.
‘We are turning a page’, say UK and EU signing ‘reset’ agreement
The UK agreed to reset ties with the European Union since Brexit, with a new agreement removing trade barriers and bringing more collaboration on defence.
Battery supply chain still lacks data, Commissioner says
The EU has called for full traceability in electric vehicle batteries by 2027. But it still doesn’t have the data to back that goal up, an EU Commissioner said.
UK-EU set to seal closer ties in first summit since Brexit
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was set to seal a deal for closer ties with the European Union at a landmark summit on Monday, opening a new chapter after Britain's…
Former Italian PM Enrico Letta: Single market not so single, but at least ‘Trump gave us a shared agenda’
Former Italian PM Enrico Letta warned Europe was not fit for the global stage, as it prepared for trade talks with Donald Trump.
German steel giant Thyssenkrupp sees profits tumble
German steel major Thyssenkrupp released disappointing quarterly results May 15 on the foot of weak European steel demand.
Ukraine’s mining minister: while US deal is a start, the EU’s the aim
The US may have been first to strike a minerals deal with Ukraine, but the real goal is a deal with Europe, Kyiv has said.
Understanding Trump: a new doctrine for foreign policy without nuisance
For over a hundred days, every pundit and columnist has tried to decipher Donald Trump’s foreign policy strategy.
Latest EU sanctions target Russian ‘ghost fleet’ and oil exports that fund Putin’s war
EU member states have agreed on yet another package of sanctions against Russia in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.
Germany hits climate targets thanks to economic slump and abandoned power plants
As German experts announced the good news that the nation has reached its climate targets for 2024, attention has turned to the bad news – that achievement has…
Denmark comes in from the cold with rethink on 40-year nuclear power ban
The Danish government is to rethink its 40-year ban on nuclear power plants with a detailed review of the risks and potential of nuclear technology for Denmark's…
Trump’s 90-day pauses ‘unlikely to lead to substantial deals’
Donald Trump’s 90-day suspensions on "reciprocal" tariffs with China, the EU, and the UK were unlikely to result in long-term trade deals, according to economists.
Tariff de-escalation and hints of new world order show Trump’s tactics are working
It may not have been well-publicised in Europe, but the combination of the sudden temporary resolution and de-escalation of the tariff imbroglio between the United…
Serbia ‘still on path to join EU’ despite Moscow trip
The European Council's president António Costa has taken a soft stance toward Serbia’s populist leader, Aleksandar Vučić—even after Vučić stood beside Vladimir…
EC probes UK-US trade deal as EU mulls ‘massive’ sanctions on Russia
The European Commission is analysing the trade deal struck between the US and the UK for implications for the 27-nation European Union and global trade, European…
Slashed US drug prices test Belgian pharma resilience
Belgium’s pharmaceutical industry — which recently posted record exports to the US — now faces pressure from Washington’s new drug-price reforms.
Energy company Statkraft halts all new “green hydrogen” projects
Norwegian energy company Statkraft announced it is putting on hold all development of new projects for producing “green hydrogen”.
US and China reach deal to slash tariffs, lifting dollar
The United States and China have agreed to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs in a deal that surpassed expectations as the world's two biggest economies seek…
Poland’s gold reserves exceed even those of the European Central Bank
According to the head of Poland's central bank, Poland now holds 509.3 tonnes of gold, more than the gold reserves of the European Central Bank (ECB).
No French nuclear umbrella for Poland in new bilateral defence treaty
Poland has signed a defence cooperation treaty with France that promised joint military exercises and increased military arms sales to Poland but did not provide…
UK PM Starmer inks tariffs deal with Trump
US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have announced a "breakthrough deal" on trade that left in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods…
EU’s tariffs ‘higher than those of US’, says BMW CEO
German luxury car maker BMW said it expected both Brussels and Washington to back away from escalating trade war threats.
Median German household wealth drops by 15 per cent, says central bank
The median net worth of a German household has dropped from €90,500 in 2021 to €76,000 in 2023, after adjusting for inflation.
European Parliament approves loosening of emission rules for vehicle manufacturers
The European Parliament has approved a relaxation of emission rules to help manufacturers avoid additional fines, offering relief to the already struggling European…
A 10% rise in electricity prices could kill 1 in 50 manufacturing jobs, say ECB economists
Economists from the European Central Bank (ECB) have calculated what they said was the detrimental effect of lasting high electricity prices on European employment.
EU energy policy-makers in the dark due to lack of clear data, conference told
A lack of co-ordination and poor access to energy data has hampered the European Union’s ability to deliver energy security, a think-tank conference was told.
Spanish PM champions renewable energy post-blackout
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has doubled down on his plans to expand on renewable energy while continuing to fiercely oppose nuclear power, apparently ignoring…
Ukraine mulls peg to euro and ditching US dollar as ties to EU strengthen
Ukraine has started to consider a shift away from the US dollar, possibly linking its currency more closely to the euro amid the splintering of global trade and…
Slovakia and Hungary reject EU plan to phase out Russian gas by end-2027
Slovakia and Hungary May 7, condemned European Commission plans to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports, deepening a rift with Brussels over relations…
EU’s Russian gas ban relies on its ‘weakest link – traceability’
The European Union’s plan to phase out Russian gas by 2027 hinged on traceability, and that may be its weakest point, experts and officials told Brussels Signal.