Hey, big spender! UK debt to pile up under #GeneralElection promises

By Guest contributor Whether Brexit purists or radical socialists win Britain’s election next month, a deluge of fresh debt is set to bloat the country’s £1.6 trillion government bond pile, writes Andy Bruce. But the permutations around the Dec. 12 election – and the implications for Brexit – make it tough for holders of British […]

#Johnson raises prospect of multi-billion pound payroll tax cut

By Guest contributor British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday (20 November) he planned a multi-billion-pound tax cut if he wins an election on 12 December, by raising the amount of earnings exempt from social security payments, writes David Milliken. The two main political parties are showcasing starkly different visions for the world’s fifth-largest […]

#ArtificialIntelligence must benefit everybody, warns #EESC

By EU Reporter Correspondent The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is adopting a firm stance on artificial intelligence and has insisted, at a high-level conference held in Helsinki on 21 November 2019, that the digital revolution must have a human face, be inclusive and bring benefits for all Europeans. Artificial intelligence and the digital […]

#China says it will strive to reach ‘phase one’ trade deal with US

By Guest contributor China will strive to reach an initial trade agreement with the United States as both sides keep communication channels open, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday (21 November), in an attempt to allay fears talks might be unraveling, write Stella Qiu and Ryan Woo. China is willing to work with the […]

Germany and France vie for European leadership at #NATO

By Guest contributor France and Germany each sought to claim European leadership within NATO on Wednesday (20 November) in the first ministerial meeting since French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the US-led military alliance was experiencing “brain deathâ€�, writes Robin Emmott. Public questioning of the alliance comes ahead of a summit in London for NATO’s […]

#Italy says it wants to improve #ESM reform, not veto it

By Guest contributor Italy is working on improving the reform of the eurozone bailout fund and is not considering vetoing it at the moment, a government official said, as politicians in the eurozone’s third-largest economy quarrelled over the proposed changes, write Giuseppe Fonte and Stefano Bernabei. A draft reform of the fund, known as the […]

Ready for change? #Labour unveils ‘radical’ manifesto

By Guest contributor Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) will unveil his opposition party’s election manifesto today (21 November), setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with “the most radical and ambitious planâ€� in decades,writes Elizabeth Piper. With three weeks before Britain votes in its second election in just over two years, Corbyn […]

#RawMaterials – Commission launches new online portal to support responsible sourcing in businesses

By EU Reporter Correspondent In the context of the EU Raw Materials Week, the European Commission is launching Due Diligence Ready!, an online portal that provides businesses with guidance on how to check the sources of the metals and minerals entering their supply chains – the so-called ‘due diligence’ process. It will help them ensure […]

#Eurobarometer survey: Majority of EU citizens positive about international trade

By EU Reporter Correspondent The results of a special Eurobarometer survey published on 20 November by the European Commission show that 60% of Europeans feel that they personally benefit from international trade, 16 percentage points more than 10 years ago at the time of the previous poll. The survey also revealed that 71% of respondents […]

#Europol – Nine arrested in Romania and UK in sexual exploitation network bust

By EU Reporter Correspondent On 19 November, the United Kingdom’s South Yorkshire Police and the Romanian National Police (PoliÈ›ia Română), supported by Europol and Eurojust, dismantled an organised crime group involved in human trafficking for sexual exploitation. On the action day, law enforcement officers from Romania and the UK carried out 11 house searches (five […]

#MMVF – EU-wide legislation on hazardous waste backed

By EU Reporter Correspondent A top expert on hazardous waste has backed calls for new EU-wide legislation to make more people aware of the potential dangers of the product, Man-Made Vitreous Fibres (MMVF). Reinhold Ruhl, from Germany, agreed that there had to be new rules which gave “much neededâ€� protection to those who work with […]

Showcase conference branded a ‘façade’ for shortcomings in #Turkmenistan

By EU Reporter Correspondent Next week sees Ashgabat host the Turkmenistan Telecommunications & IT Conference 2019. Hosted by the Turkmen Ministry of Industry and Communications alongside the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it aims to “promote Turkmenistan’s achievements in the sector and strengthen friendly relations and ties with foreign countriesâ€�. Although a noble ambition […]

Police arrest Malta businessman implicated in journalist’s murder: sources

By EU Reporter Correspondent Malta police arrested one of the country’s most prominent businessmen on Wednesday (20 November) as part of an investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, two sources said, write Chris Scicluna and Stephen Grey. Yorgen Fenech (pictured) was detained as he tried to leave the Mediterranean island before dawn […]

#EAPM – Athens summit aims to move agenda on MS

By Health Correspondent An international multiple sclerosis summit under the title ‘Progressing the MS advocacy agenda’ is taking place in Athens, which has attracted participants from across the world, with representatives of the European MS Platform and MS International Federation also attending.  The summits have produced several documents such as ‘Tomorrow is too late: […]

#Huawei – Our #5G is ‘green by nature’

By EU Reporter Correspondent Europe has the unique opportunity to become a leader in 5G deployment; thereby fostering its digital sovereignty and strengthening its key role in the fight against climate change. For this strategic opportunity, Huawei is a key partner for Europe, the Brussels 5G Assembly heard today (20 November). The company discussed with […]