Finance & Trade

EU Commission President-Elect Signals Increased Regulation of Digital World

November 12, 2019

In a speech honoring Shoshana Zuboff, author of the book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, European Commission President-elect, Ursula von der Leyen, explained that Europeans need to shape their own approach to regulating the digital world, building on measures such as the so-called right to be forgotten and data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) to balance the power of government and market, while prioritizing the individual.
OECD Releases Guidance to Promote Tax Haven-Country Information Exchanges

November 06, 2019

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ("OECD") has released guidance for low-tax countries on standards for exchanging information with other countries to meet 2018 reporting standards.
EU Auditor Report Evidences Lack of Adequate Controls Over Monitoring Payments

October 08, 2019

The European Court of Auditors, which is responsible for assessing the annual 155 billion euro European Union budget, has reported that more than 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) of European Union funds were misspent last year.
WTO Green Lights US Tariffs on $7.5 Billion of European Goods

October 02, 2019

The World Trade Organization has backed a U.S. request to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion of European goods as compensation for illegal subsidies granted to airplane manufacturer Airbus by the governments of Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
EU Court Rules in Starbucks' Favor

September 25, 2019

A European Union General Court has ruled that a deal between Starbucks and Dutch officials, which allowed Starbucks to pay less tax, does not amount to illegal state aid.
German Finance Minister Proposes EU Air Travel Ticket Tax

September 16, 2019

Although it was a proposed climate-change tax on fuel that triggered violent anti-government "yellow vest" demonstrations in France, to fight climate change, Germany's Finance Minister, Olaf Scholz, is proposing that governments introduce an EU ticket tax on flights and encourage more train travel.
European Environment Agency Warns of Climate Change Impacts on Crops and Cows

September 04, 2019

According to a new report published by the European Environment Agency, due to the impacts of climate change, crop and livestock production is projected to decrease or may have to be abandoned in parts of Europe's southern and Mediterranean regions.
Expert Calls for EU Development of "Trustworthy" AI Platform

August 22, 2019

Opining on the European Leadership Network website, Raluca Csernatoni explains how EU could play a significant role in "putting forward policy and research frameworks and initiatives for the responsible design and governance of AI in Europe and the world, thus potentially mitigating great power competition."
Russia and Iran Oppose Competing Trans-Caspian Pipeline

August 19, 2019

Citing “ecological concerns,” at a recent Caspian Economic Forum, Russian and Iranian delegates made clear their opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline through the Caspian seabed.
Industry Group: EC Must Do More to Prepare for No-Deal Brexit

July 29, 2019

The Confederation of British Industry has warned that the European Commission (EC) is lagging behind the UK in preparing for a potential no-deal Brexit and is calling on the EC to supplement its currently minimal contingency measures to ensure British businesses will continue to have access to the EU market.