Euro Area

Economy 17-03-2023

SVB collapse: Time to ‘rethink’ banking package, says file rapporteur

Est. 6min

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the market turmoil of the past week must push EU policymakers to rethink their approach to banking regulation and keep regulatory standards high, MEP Jonás Fernández told EURACTIV.

 

Economy 20-09-2021

MEP Freund: Von der Leyen, EPP still shielding Bulgaria’s ex-PM Borissov

Est. 7min

In an exclusive interview, MEP Daniel Freund tells about his recent visit to Bulgaria, revealing the frustrations of the caretaker government which did not receive support from the EU Commission in its efforts to tackle money-laundering.

Economy 10-06-2020

Ex-Eurogroup boss: Nobody is so stupid to propose to ‘just go back under 3% deficit’

Est. 8min

As one of the most influential Eurogroup figures during the previous crisis, Thomas Wieser chaired the preparatory meetings of eurozone finance ministers between 2011 and 2018. In an interview with EURACTIV, the American-Austrian economist described the EU’s fiscal rules as “bad practical economics”, in particular for handling a crisis such as the current one.

Economy 10-04-2020

Dombrovskis: ‘I could imagine containment costs covered by ESM loans’

Est. 8min

Following the Eurogroup’s agreement on the economic response to the coronavirus, European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis on Friday (10 April) welcomed the €540 billion package in an exclusive interview with EURACTIV.com

Economy 27-01-2020

Centeno: ‘I do see good reasons to support green investment under the fiscal rules’

Est. 6min

Speaking to EURACTIV in Davos, Eurogroup President Mario Centeno remained hopeful about the eurozone's stalled reform process, saying there are “good reasons” to support ‘green’ investment as part of a broader review of EU fiscal rules due later this year.

EU Central Bank should step up its climate act, French MEP says

Est. 5min

In an interview with EURACTIV France, socialist MEP Pierre Larrouturou deplored the meagre €7.5 billion proposed in the European Commission's Just Transition Fund. To finance EU climate action, he suggests some of the ECB's "easy money" could fuel the European Investment Bank (EIB) instead of going into private banks.

Economy 06-12-2019

Late Erasmus founder Lenarduzzi said Europe ‘as we conceived it’ is blocked

Est. 12min

To honour the legacy of late Erasmus "father" Domenico Lenarduzzi, who passed away on Tuesday (3 December), EURACTIV is reposting an interview with him that was originally published on 22 September 2011.

Global Europe 29-07-2019

Trade unionist: Von der Leyen has to deliver on Social Europe ‘if she wants to gain trust’

Est. 5min

The Workers Group of the Economic and Social Committee welcomes European Commission president-elect Ursula Von der Leyen’s announcements on social policy but if she wants to be trusted, she needs to deliver, president Olivier Röpke told EURACTIV.

Future EU 12-07-2019

French Minister: ‘There is a long way to go’ on eurozone budget

Est. 14min

France wants to make access to European funds conditional on the European minimum wage and respect for the rule of law, the state secretary for Europe, Amélie de Montchalin, told EURACTIV Slovakia in an interview.

Economy 07-05-2019

Austrian chief economist: ‘A lot can still be done to complete the euro zone’

Est. 10min

The Austrian national bank (OeNB) hosted its annual conference on 20 years of the euro on 2 and 3 May. In an interview with EURACTIV, the bank's chief economist explains how the euro zone debt crisis changed the economic "tool box" of the EU currency and spells out the challenges ahead.

Brexit 18-03-2019

Association chief: Portuguese textile industry likes to think Brexit will not happen

Est. 7min

Portugal has strong links with Britain and Brexit is perceived as a challenge in the country, as it has affected trade since the time of the referendum in 2016. But many companies seem to believe that Brexit will not happen, Paulo Vaz told EURACTIV in an interview.

Brexit 23-11-2018

Katainen on Brexit: We have to take Spain’s concerns very seriously

Est. 7min

Member states share Spain's concerns over the future relationship with Gibraltar after Brexit, Vice-President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment & Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen told EURACTIV.com in a long interview where he addressed all the pressing challenges the EU is currently facing.

Economy 23-07-2018

Political scientist: Germans are used to V4’s strong “No” from time to time

Est. 9min

The EU's stand on migration policy is moving towards the demands of the Visegrad group, one of the best functioning groups in the bloc, says Dr Kai-Olaf Lang, adding that in many respects, Germany and V4 are much closer to each other today than Germany and France.

Future EU 20-06-2018

OECD’s Gurría: ‘People are angry and frustrated’

Est. 8min

OECD Secretary-General Ángel Gurría has blamed governments for the rise of populism and political fragmentation across Europe, claiming they also did not deliver benefits that were promised to citizens, he told EURACTIV in an interview.

15-06-2018

Merkel blowing smoke on reform proposals, says former German MEP

Est. 7min

With proposals for a European Monetary Fund and an investment budget for the eurozone, Chancellor Angela Merkel only tentatively moves closer to French President Emmanuel Macron. But the proposals do not go far enough, German MP Franziska Brantner told EURACTIV Germany in an interview.

Future EU 11-06-2018

Academic: Weakened Europe has once again become ‘a playground for influence games’

Est. 10min

With Europe’s relative weight diminishing on the world stage, it becomes easier and easier for outside parties to play divide and rule and take advantage of European disunity, says Alexander Mattelaer.

Economy 31-05-2018

MEP Rodrigues: Imposing eurozone ‘as it is’ on Italy is not the answer

Est. 6min

Populist forces in Italy are “playing with fire” and exposing the country to market pressure, vice-president of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Maria João Rodrigues warned in an interview.

Future EU 18-04-2018

Manfred Weber: We have to find consensus with France

Est. 5min

While the debate about the future of Europe is gaining momentum, the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, calls on the German Christian Democrats to show more willingness to compromise in an interview with EURACTIV’s media partner Der Tagesspiegel.

Future EU 21-02-2018

Macron’s advisor: France, Germany have only a few months to act

Est. 7min

Jean Pisani-Ferry has developed French President Emmanuel Macron's economic programme and is one of his closest economic policy advisers. Germany and France need a common position to reform the Eurozone, he says and calls for action in an interview with EURACTIV's media partner WirtschaftsWoche.

Elections 08-02-2018

German analyst: ‘The coalition agreement has more of Juncker than Macron’

Est. 7min

In the draft of the German coalition agreement presented on Wednesday by the CDU/CSU and the SPD, the parties want to pursue a “departure for Europe” in the next four years. EURACTIV Germany spoke to Matthias Kullas about the European policy aspects of the draft text.

e-Commerce 30-01-2018

Moscovici: ‘The credibility of the EU tax haven black list is at stake’

Est. 7min

The EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Pierre Moscovici is determined to table a digital tax proposal at EU level, despite warnings from the OECD. In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, he also warns EU countries for failing to publish the commitments made by tax havens to exit the EU’s ‘black list’.

Economy 24-01-2018

PwC boss: Businesses ‘sceptical’ about Merkel-Macron EU reform push

Est. 7min

Europe will be high on the agenda of the World Economic Forum on Wednesday (24 January), as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take the stage in Davos. But there is “a lot of scepticism” about what the two leaders can do to push forward EU integration, PwC’s chief Bob Moritz told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

EU Priorities 2020 20-11-2017

Bulgarian President: I may be a general, but I don’t like warlike rhetoric

Est. 20min

In a wide-ranging interview, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, whose country takes over the EU's  rotating six-month Presidency in January, discussed European policies, the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency, and  his contradictions with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

Development 17-11-2017

EIB president: Europe needs a paradigm shift in development policy

Est. 7min

The Juncker Plan has been a "miraculous instrument", and Europe now needs the same paradigm change in development policy. That means moving from social policy to economic development, and from grants to loans. The EU will play a huge role in that shift, Werner Hoyer told EURACTIV.com in an interview.