News

That the digital economy is changing the way we work is undisputed. But will it - in particular the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics - lead to major productivity growth? A head-to-head debate whether the answer to this is yes or no between two leading academic economists opened the first panel of this year’s Brussels Economic Forum. It included a before-and-after the debate audience vote on the issue, with a surprising outcome.

The European Union needs to agree a common diagnosis and narrative on the road towards completing its Economic and Monetary Union, Marco Buti, Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission told the 18th Brussels Economic Forum. This should be accompanied by “very concrete steps”, such as a backstop, or safety net, played by the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), he said. It would come into play if the Single Resolution Fund temporarily runs out of resources to achieve the orderly resolution of distressed banks. Agreed in principle five years ago, the backst

About the Brussels Economic Forum 2018

Ana Botín, the Executive Chairman of Banco Santander, told the Brussels Economic Forum that meeting the challenges facing her industry – from the digital revolution to political uncertainty – was not only important for financial services, but essential for Europe as a whole. “We need to change, and fast,” she said. To facilitate that change, she set out priorities and identified areas of progress, covering political, systemic and regulatory aspects.

EU ‘convergence machine’ needs upgrade to cope with technology change, says World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva

Economic and Monetary Union must provide protection, prosperity and progress, says Juncker

Womenomics: “Not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts.”

This Country Brief explores the factors behind Iceland's remarkable economic performance over the last 10 years.

Agenda

In the latest edition of Real Economy, Euronews looks at how households and economies are impacted by the housing market.

On 18 May, Vivawest and the European Investment Bank (EIB) concluded a loan contract for EUR 100 million.

Staff from the European Commission, in liaison with staff from the European Central Bank, visited Dublin from 14 to 18 May to conduct the ninth post-programme surveillance (PPS) review for Ireland. Staff from the European Stability Mechanism also participated in the meetings on aspects related to its Early Warning System.

The 2018 Convergence Report issued on 23 May assesses Member States' progress towards joining the euro area.

The Commission has taken a number of steps under the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP).

“We should use the current good times to strengthen the resilience of our economies. This means building fiscal buffers, which would give countries more manoeuvring space in the next downturn. This also means structural reforms to promote productivity, investment, innovation and inclusive growth.”

On 23 May, the Commission presented the 2018 country-specific recommendations (CSRs), setting out its economic policy guidance for Member States for the next 12 to 18 months.

Loud

This paper looks at the evolution of trading links between the six economies of the Western Balkans since 2007.

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Growth rates for the EU and the euro area beat expectations in 2017 to reach a 10-year high at 2.4%.