EU going too fast on climate, Cyprus president says – POLITICO

EU going too fast on climate, Cyprus president says – POLITICO

“I do not consider it possible to achieve those goals within the timeframe we have set. It’s greatly challenging — without having made progress on major issues related to competitiveness,” Christodoulides said without elaborating, according to the report. Nearly 200 countries are gathered in Baku, with a primary goal of agreeing on a new target … Read more

The paradox of Italy’s industrial strategy – POLITICO

The paradox of Italy’s industrial strategy – POLITICO

Now, encouraged by a wave of support from civil society — as well as the realization that promises to restart the factory were going nowhere — the cooperative born out of this struggle is taking matters into its own hands, outlining a plan for sustainable bottom-up reindustrialization. And yet, as of now, these former GKN … Read more

What lawmakers should ask the EU’s new tech boss – POLITICO

What lawmakers should ask the EU’s new tech boss – POLITICO

— Q: Only 8 percent of European companies currently use AI, according to a report published in July. How do you want to reach the target of 75 percent by 2030? — Q: President von der Leyen instructed you to develop a “Cloud and AI development plan” to boost computing power and data storage to … Read more

Draghi warns of ‘greater’ urgency to fix flagging EU economy after Trump election – POLITICO

Draghi warns of ‘greater’ urgency to fix flagging EU economy after Trump election – POLITICO

On the campaign trail, Trump threatened to slap a universal 10 percent tariff on imported goods. He also threatened to turn off Ukraine aid and to stop supporting NATO countries that do not invest 2 percent of their GDP on defense. EU leaders were gathering for an informal summit in Budapest for talks on Draghi’s … Read more

How do we close Europe’s innovation gap? Start with advanced connectivity and a strong intellectual property rights framework  – POLITICO

How do we close Europe’s innovation gap? Start with advanced connectivity and a strong intellectual property rights framework  – POLITICO

Getting the IPR framework right now to unleash long-term innovation EU policies adopted in the next five years will be foundational for Europe’s innovative ecosystem to thrive in the long term, improving conditions for the next wave of intellectual property lifecycles that can take over a decade to bear fruit. A smart and strategic policy … Read more

Europe’s tech security czar-to-be faces China fight at home – POLITICO

Europe’s tech security czar-to-be faces China fight at home – POLITICO

“The total value of business in China for Finnish companies is estimated to be more than 20 billion euros per year,” a 2023 report from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs said, which labeled China as “one of our most important trade partners.” “Chinese investments play the largest role in Finland compared to any other … Read more

European Commission maps out ‘power grab’ over €1.2 trillion money pot – POLITICO

European Commission maps out ‘power grab’ over €1.2 trillion money pot – POLITICO

By radically changing the rules, the Commission wants to address “strategic dependencies” on foreign countries and boost the kind of pan-European industrial revival championed by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in his landmark competitiveness report. The third and fourth pillars focus on enlargement and funding to foreign countries, and personnel costs, but there are … Read more

Greta Thunberg blocks Brussels boulevard in fossil fuel protest – POLITICO

Greta Thunberg blocks Brussels boulevard in fossil fuel protest – POLITICO

Asked by POLITICO whether Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is a green champion, Thunberg shook her head and replied “no.” The 21-year-old founder of the Fridays for Future movement was later detained as Belgian authorities moved in to break up the demonstration. Among the demonstrators gathering at a simultaneous demonstration outside the Parliament on … Read more

Irish government splashes the cash to keep out Sinn Féin – POLITICO

Irish government splashes the cash to keep out Sinn Féin – POLITICO

Cash for kids Income tax bands will be raised sharply to prune €1.6 billion from payslip deductions, particularly for workers earning less than €44,000 a year, in a system that already taxes lower-paid workers little by international norms. Chambers said the changes would mean workers earning less than €20,000 would pay no income tax at … Read more

‘We’re living under the illusion of environmentalism’ – POLITICO

‘We’re living under the illusion of environmentalism’ – POLITICO

Next, comes Europe’s strategic climate hypocrisy. As part of our concern for the climate, we’ve pushed our energy-intensive plants outside the Continent. The steel industry is an important example of this, as the economy needs steel in virtually every investment — large and small — and yet our industry is dying, with the trade deficit … Read more