Three of the world’s most eminent scientists have criticised the European Commission’s intention to drastically cut photonics funding over the next seven years. Digital innovation which drives economic growth and creates jobs all across Europe will be at risk if the budget to fund the enabling technologies in photonics is slashed.

Socialists and Democrats reiterated their support for European programmes that create quality, non-discriminatory jobs, in line with the Green Deal. In a joint vote in the committees on budgets and economic affairs, S&Ds called for more money for the InvestEU programme, one of the European Parliament’s 15 flagship initiatives included in the MFF negotiations.

Irene Tinagli MEP, S&D negotiator on the file, said:

On Wednesday 28 October, the European Commission has presented its proposal for a Directive on “adequate minimum wages in the European Union”. According to the proposal, this Directive aims at establishing “a framework for setting adequate levels of minimum wages”, and ensuring “access of workers to minimum wage protection, in the form of wages set out by collective agreements or in the form of a statutory minimum wage where it exists.”

The EU wants to take forward the concept of Sustainable Finance. VDMA President Karl Haeusgen said at a virtual panel discussion of the VDMA European Office together with Euractiv:

"We support the concept of Sustainable Finance in Europe. The objective of defining a common understanding of sustainable investments and economic activities is right. But the details of the EU Taxonomy are extremely worrying for an innovative and medium-sized industry like the mechanical engineering sector.