Eurostat confirmed today, 20 May 2026, that annual inflation in the euro area reached 3.0% in April, up from 2.6% in March and the highest reading since September 2023. The figure is significantly above the European Central Bank’s 2.0% target and reflects a sharp acceleration in energy prices linked to the Iran war. The ECB…
Frankfurt – Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, published on 4 May 2026 the ECB Annual Report 2025, marking a milestone in European monetary history. The document constitutes the official record of a pivotal year for euro area monetary policy: 2025 was the year the ECB succeeded in bringing inflation back to a…
Brussels – The European Commission has proposed yesterday, 18 May 2026, to mobilise €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to help Spain, Romania and Cyprus recover from devastating climate-related disasters that struck the three Member States in 2025. Spain and Cyprus were hit by catastrophic wildfires during the summer of 2025, while Romania…
In short: The European Commission announced on Monday 18 May 2026 a proposal to mobilise €144 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to support recovery operations in Spain, Romania and Cyprus following a series of climate-related disasters in late 2025 and early 2026. The proposal must now be approved by the European Parliament and the…
The European Commission on 13 May 2026 tabled a long-awaited proposal to overhaul cross-border rail travel in the European Union, announcing rules that would enable single-ticket bookings across multiple rail operators for the first time — and, more importantly for passenger rights, full protection for travellers who miss a connection while travelling on such a…
Industrial production in the euro area rose by 0.2% and in the EU as a whole by 0.8% in March 2026 compared with the previous month, according to first estimates published by Eurostat on Tuesday 13 May 2026. The data confirm a fragile sequential recovery — but the annual comparison remains firmly negative, with output…
Industrial production in the euro area rose by 0.2% and in the EU as a whole by 0.8% in March 2026 compared with the previous month, according to first estimates published by Eurostat on Tuesday 13 May 2026. The data confirm a fragile sequential recovery — but the annual comparison remains firmly negative, with output…
EU education ministers approved on Monday 11 May 2026 a partial negotiating mandate on the Erasmus+ regulation for 2028-2034, the EU’s flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport. The mandate clears the Council to open trilogue negotiations with the European Parliament on the regulation that will succeed the current 2021-2027 cycle. EUR 40.8 billion…
US President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran’s response to Washington’s latest peace proposal in two consecutive social-media posts on Sunday 10 May 2026, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” on Truth Social before returning to the issue on Monday 11 May to dismiss it as “garbage” and declare the ceasefire “on life support”. What Iran demanded Tehran’s…
Eurozone construction PMI fell to 41.7 in April 2026, with France 38.1, UK 39.7, Germany 42.1, Italy 44.8. Elevated material costs from the energy shock, mortgage rates above 6% and Iran-war demand uncertainty are driving the collapse.