European Commission

UE gas

EC considers extending application of gas price caps; proposal due in November

Banca March : The armed conflict between Hamas and Israel has been joined by the sabotage of the Baltic pipeline earlier this month (after the existence of an “external force” was confirmed). While the Commission warns of no negative effects at present, the list of events prolongs the threat to gas supply for the winter. The gas price cap in question, which is triggered if the Dutch TTF index reaches…


exports gorgeous

EC identifies four sectors to limit exports to: semiconductors, AI, quantum computing and biotechnology

Banca March : The European Commission (EC) has identified four technology sectors to limit exports to. The European Union considers the overdependence of semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and biotechnology on exports to be a potential risk to the European economy. It therefore calls for unity among the 27 member states before taking action. Manoeuvres could include encouraging investment in these areas, collaboration between countries and export restrictions. Currently,…


Comision europea fachada

European Commission recommends reducing fiscal stimulus to lower Fiscal Deficit by 2024

Bankinter: It is only a recommendation because fiscal policy is the competence of each member state, but it has consequences on inflation, monetary policy and bonds. The EC relaxed the Fiscal Deficit and Public Debt targets due to the CV19 pandemic (2020) and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (February 2022), but for months it has been insisting on the need to return to fiscal discipline in 2024. The key date…


european commission

EC to require EU members to make temporary contribution of 0.5% of their companies’ profits from 2024 as a prelude to a European corporate tax

BancaMarch| Brussels is asking EU countries for €16 billion as a prelude to the European corporate tax. According to Expansión, the European Commission will require EU countries to make a temporary contribution of 0.5% of their companies’ profits from 2024 and until they agree on a common tax on companies to replace it. The aim of the measure is to strengthen the EU’s coffers in order to be able to…


UE gas

European Commission calls for end to emergency energy measures

Banco Sabadell: According to information in the press, the EC in a report sent to the Council and the European Parliament is calling for the withdrawal of emergency interventions in the wholesale market, such as the cap on income in the electricity market (€180/MWh in Europe and €67/MWh in Spain) for infra-marginal technologies (renewable, hydro and nuclear). The EC considers that electricity price peaks are not expected next winter like…


wholeshale electricity market

Brussels Says No To Spain’s Calls To Leave The European System For Setting Electricity Prices

In a document fixing its position at yesterday’s meeting of energy ministers in Luxembourg, the government requests the European Commission to be able, as an “exceptional measure”, to “decouple” electricity market prices and limit the price of gas. ” While Spain presented this document the European Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said in Madrid that the measures adopted by countries to curb the impact of the rise in wholesale prices on electricity bills must be “temporary” and “respect the single European market”.


MEP Ramón Jáuregui

“We all know that unanimity is the thorn in the side of the European Union”

Ana Fuentes (Strasbourg) | Where should the EU look in the future? What are the priorities? At a time of rapid change, protectionism and nationalist populism, the European Parliament has approved a document of minimums called The Future of Europe. As inevitably happens in such plural institutions, it is neither binding nor completely satisfies anyone, but sets out the challenges the still 28 members have to confront together if the European project is not to diluted. We discuss it with Ramón Jáuregui, socialist MEP and rapporteur of the text.


spanish GDP

Going Around In Circles With Budgetary Stability

For a long time, Spain has had a “debt pending” in terms of budgetary stability. And, for the time being, the current scenario leads us to think that balancing the public finances is a difficult objective to achieve in the medium-term. Added to that problem is the high level of government debt.


life belt rescue beach coast safety security help

Brussels proposes a new European bond (SBBS)

The European Commission (EC) could announce this week the details of a new sovereign bond, which would allow for progress to be made in the financial and banking union. According to the EC, it would provide greater financial stability both for governments and European banks in the face of future hypothetical financial crises.


Tied hands

The long road towards creating a safe European asset

CaixaBank Research | The European Commission is looking at how the banks can have a more diversified portfolio of public debt securities. It is studying how to obtain a safe European asset without having to establish a tax union to back the issue of said asset.