Since the second quarter of 2021, inflation in the United Kingdom, the United States, and the eurozone has far exceeded their central banks’ 2% target. This surge could well be explained by the unexpected severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine, and repeated errors of judgment by the […]
Why is the decision in Brussels so important for Germany? The steel industry is one of the major producers of greenhouse gasses in our country, emitting up to 60 million tons of CO2 a year. At the same time, companies have very specific concepts on how to tackle this challenge for the benefit of all. […]
Last April, the EU member states agreed on a reform of the EU fiscal rules, which is now taking effect. Finance Minister Christian Lindner in particular had insisted on strict numerical limits – which must now also be applied in Germany. Lindner’s argument: not only the German debt brake, but also the EU fiscal rules […]
Preparations for the next EU research framework program have begun and, following the Letta and Draghi reports, the Heitor report on the evaluation of Horizon 2020 has been published. It is high time to take a look at its financial, thematic and programmatic structure. And to define a German position in the European debate.New findings […]
We are in the final weeks of the French Presidency of the EU and the analytical community is turning its attention to assessing Paris’ performance on different files. When it comes to climate, it will be hard for the Elysée to avoid the dramatic images from the European Parliament fallout in the vote on the […]
Spring has come, Winter has gone. Like last winter, Europe moved out of its second winter since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine without energy shortages, blackouts, cold homes or supply cuts. Quite the opposite, Europe ended winter with a remarkable milestone for its energy sector: EU gas storages were almost 60 per cent full, a record […]
Europeans seem to have forgotten that technological supremacy once allowed them to dominate the world. China, like Japan and many other countries, was subjugated by Europeans because of its technological inferiority – with consequences that are still apparent today. This is why Beijing’s technology strategy now aims to not only protect China’s technological sovereignty but […]
The proposal for the nature restoration law was originally planned for last November but was postponed several times due to pressure from the land user lobby, among others. The argument that we cannot afford to protect the environment in times of attack on Ukraine is wrong on several counts. In terms of time alone, a […]
Taxonomy is a bit like sauerkraut, a thoroughly quaint Alsatian dish: everything depends on the choice of ingredients. And MEPs will have to decide next week what the taxonomy should consist of, this financial instrument that aims to classify economic activities according to their positive impact on the environment and the climate. In doing so, […]
Cocktail flambés in Brussels. The Brussels Bubble will have to be patient for a bit before it can go on vacation and try to forget at least a little bit about the past turbulent months: next Wednesday, the European Commission will present its plan to reduce energy consumption in the EU, a plan with the […]