European economy in recent prognoses for 2024-2026

Views: 5According to the recent macro-economic prognoses, the European economy is “slowly recovering”; as inflation continues to ease and private consumption and investment growth pick up. Besides, unemployment is at record low level and growth is set to gradually accelerate over the next two years. However, structural challenges and geopolitical uncertainty heavily impacted the EU-wide […]

European energy union: managing modern challenges

Views: 19In the newly published European “State of the Energy Union Report-2024”, the EU-wide efforts in managing unprecedented challenges in the EU-wide energy policy are described providing the member states with necessary political and regulatory means for pursuing the clean energy transition and laying the foundations for renewed economic growth and competitiveness.  

European and global security: a complicated issue

Views: 15At the recent European conference on global security in Prague (Globsec-24), Commission President urged the participants “to be on guard and refocus attention on security dimension” in national political economies. Modern complex security involves new facets in changing economics and politics, e.g. in “navigating” climate change and “critical technologies”, cybersecurity and other hybrid threats.  

Fishing in the Baltic Sea: European regulations

Views: 48Following scientific assessment, the European Commission adopted new proposals for the fishing opportunities around the Baltic Sea in 2025; the assessment indicated a “complicated situation” for several fisheries in the region. For example, the proposal includes total allowable catches and quotas for nine out of the ten stocks managed by the EU in the […]

Support for CO2 capture and storage: Swedish example

Views: 22The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €3 billion Swedish scheme to support carbon capture and storage, CCS aimed at reducing carbon dioxide, CO2 released during the combustion or processing of biomass (so-called biogenic CO2). The measure will contribute to the achievement of Sweden’s climate targets and the EU’s strategic […]

Emission trading system in Europe: support for the member states

Views: 33The European Union has disbursed about €3 billion via the Modernisation Fund in order to finance about forty energy developing projects in 10 EU member states. These investments will support the modernisation of energy systems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy, industry and transport sectors, and improving energy efficiency.  

European Semester: spring forecast shows gradual expansion amid high geopolitical risks

Views: 70The European Semester has played a crucial role in supporting strong and coordinated economic policy responses over the past five years, as the EU was confronted by a series of extraordinary challenges. The EU has demonstrated a high degree of economic and social resilience in the face of major shocks, such as post-pandemic complexities, […]

Infringement decisions in Europe: complying with the Union’s law

Views: 34In its regular package of infringement decisions, the European Commission pursues legal action against EU member states for failing to comply with their obligations under the Union’s law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses. The […]

European new governance framework: reshuffling political economy’s patterns

Views: 87The new EU-wide economic governance framework is designed to assist the member states in dealing with the modern challenges and accomplishing the recovery/resilience process. Hence, the reform underlines two indispensable and mutually reinforcing directions: the prudent fiscal strategies (as well as investments) and transitional efforts that enhance sustainable and resilient political economies. Our comment […]

Education policy in Latvia: urgent reforms are needed

Views: 68The number of students in Latvia during the last two decades dramatically decreased: from about 131 thousand in 2005 to 74 thousand presently. About half of the students enrolled in 52 higher education institutions are in bachelor programs, about a quarter at masters’ level, three percent are in doctoral programs, plus about 20 percent […]