Economic confidence in Western Europe fell sharply in the final quarter of the year to an all-time low, according to the latest edition of Global Economic Conditions (GECS) from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA (the Institute of Management Accountants).
A coalition of downstream steel users has called into question the rationale for the European Commission’s imposition of definitive steel safeguard measures. The European Commission initiated the safeguard investigation in response to US restrictions on steel and aluminium, with the aim of preventing a surge of steel imports into the EU (‘trade deflection’). This procedure has now resulted in the introduction of import tariffs of 25% above the respective Tariff Rate Quotas for the “products concerned”.
With the approval of the today resolution on ‘the Annual Report 2017 control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank (EIB)’, the S&D insists on active EIB investment policy for better enhanced cohesion and to finally overcome social, economic and territorial disparities in Europe in accordance with its core task as is stipulated in the Treaties.
The European Parliament today backed new rules governing how companies can move between EU member states. The right wing ECR Group had attempted to block the proposals that will help crack down on companies artificially moving their headquarters to other member states to avoid taxes or social legislation.
S&D MEP and author of the report Evelyn Regner said:
Today, with the approval of the ´Protection of the Union´s budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States´ report, the plenary of the European Parliament sent a clear message to all governments and political forces that believe in a ‘Europe à la carte’ where one can profit from the European funds on one hand while disregarding completely respect for European values and the rule of law on the other.
The European Parliament today backed a report calling for the EU to act to prevent the deterioration of fundamental rights in certain EU member states.
S&D Group spokesperson for civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee, Birgit Sippel said:
