EBRD invests record €16.8 billion in 2025

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD.

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €16.8 billion across its regions in 2025 and signed its first projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. The Bank financed 640 projects over the course of the year, with 75 per cent of investments in […]

EBRD secures capital increase with strong shareholder backing

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has secured almost 95 per cent of its €4 billion general capital increase. The capital increase was approved by the EBRD’s Board of Governors in 2023 and increased the Bank’s capital base to €34 billion. All the Bank’s […]

As Korea Ages, Fiscal Reforms Can Help Safeguard Government Finances

Seoul

This article is published in association with IMF. Thoughtful policy changes can help ensure spending pressures remain contained, while creating space to care for elderly people and respond to economic shocks  Korea’s population is aging faster than almost any other country. That’s because people live longer than in most other countries, while the birth rate is […]

Member States continued focus on EU key priorities amid reduced spending in 2024, State aid Scoreboard shows

Member States continued focus on EU key priorities amid reduced spending in 2024, State aid Scoreboard shows

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. EU Member States spent 90% of their State aid in 2024 to support EU priorities, according to the European Commission’s 2025 State aid Scoreboard, published today. While overall spending dropped to €168.23 billion in 2024 from €203.35 billion in 2023, Member States channeled more […]

Global employment stable but decent jobs in short supply

© UNICEF/Fouad Choufany A young unemployed man receives job training in Lebanon.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Global unemployment remains stable, but progress toward decent work has stalled, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), which warns that young people continue to struggle in a job market which risks being further undermined by AI and trade policy uncertainty. According to […]

Commission presents a financial support package for Ukraine for 2026–2027

This article is brought to you in association with EBRD.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission adopted a set of legislative proposals to secure continuous financial support to Ukraine in 2026 and 2027. This marks a significant milestone in the EU’s strong support for the country’s defence against Russia’s war of aggression. The legislative package consists […]

European Commission issues €11 billion in its 1st syndicated transaction of 2026

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today raised €11 billion of EU-Bonds in its 1st syndicated transaction for 2026. The dual-tranche transaction concerned a new €6 billion EU-Bond maturing on 12 July 2029 and a €5 billion tap of the EU-Bond maturing on 12 October 2055. The 3-year bond was […]

‘Beyond GDP’ economists push for clearer metrics on wellbeing, sustainability

This article is published in association with United Nations.

This article is published in association with United Nations. Top finance experts are meeting at UN Geneva this week to push for a radical shake up in the way economic growth is gauged, in response to concerns that GDP measurements provide little insight about progress on key sustainability targets that are vital to our survival. Backed […]

Global economy shows signs of steady but subdued growth

This article is published in association with United Nations.

This article is published in association with United Nations. The global economy has shown resilience amid turbulence during the past year, including shifting trade policies – yet growth remains subdued and far below pre-pandemic levels, the UN said in a landmark report published on Thursday.  The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 predicts that global economic output will grow by 2.7 […]

Bulgaria joins euro area from 1 January

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. On 1 January 2026, Bulgaria will adopt the euro as its currency, marking an important milestone for the country, for the history of the euro, and for the EU as a whole. This follows a period of intensive preparation and effort by Bulgaria to […]

UN, US sign $2 billion humanitarian funding agreement for 17 crisis-hit countries

UN, US sign $2 billion humanitarian funding agreement for 17 crisis-hit countries

This article is published in association with United Nations. The United Nations and the United States on Monday formalized an agreement under which the US committed $2 billion in humanitarian assistance for global relief programmes, a move the UN’s top relief official hailed as a landmark commitment to saving lives amid escalating humanitarian needs worldwide. Speaking […]

One health, one fight: confronting antibiotic resistance before it becomes a cancer

Isaac Aidoo Erzuah is a third-year medical student and research assistant at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana.

This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Mr. Isaac Aidoo Erzuah, a third-year medical student and research assistant at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do […]

Deal on new measures to boost citizens’ investments in financial markets 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Parliament has struck an informal deal with Council on new rules to help retail clients invest in quality financial products and protect them from misleading or biased information. On Thursday morning, Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on a series of changes to several EU […]

Commission to issue €90 billion in EU-Bonds in the first half of 2026

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has announced its intention to issue up to €90 billion of EU-Bonds in the first half of 2026, bringing outstanding EU-Bonds close to €800 billion by the end of June 2026. The proceeds will be used to fund loans to EU […]

Circular economy: deal on new EU rules for the automotive sector 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. Early on Friday morning, Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on new EU circularity rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment. Improved vehicle design and use of recycled materials According to the agreed draft, all new vehicles […]

Prevention, investment and reform in healthcare bring economic prosperity

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. A new report published as part of the State of Health in the EU shows Europe urgently needs innovative and resilient health systems to improve healthcare and boost competitiveness. With pressing challenges such as ageing populations and non-communicable diseases, EU Member States are now […]

EU becomes major Green Bond issuer

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. he EU has become one of the largest issuers of green bonds in the world, according to the 2025 edition of the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bonds Annual Allocation and Impact Report, published yesterday. It shows that, a total of €78.5 billion worth of NextGenerationEU […]

Commission announces strategic approach to strengthen Europe’s economic security

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission and the High Representative presented a Joint Communication on strengthening Economic Security. It outlines concrete steps to reinforce the EU’s strength and resilience in the face of growing external economic threats, while retaining our openness and commitment to international trade […]

World News in Brief: Global economy ‘on the brink’, ending slavery, Latin America jobs update

World News in Brief: Global economy ‘on the brink’, ending slavery, Latin America jobs update

This article is published in association with United Nations. Global economic growth will slow to 2.6 per cent in 2025, down from 2.9 per cent in 2024, as global trade and investment face growing pressure from financial volatility and geopolitical uncertainty, according to a new report by the UN Trade and Development body (UNCTAD).  Shifts in […]

Commission presents new Bioeconomy Strategy to drive green growth, competitiveness and resilience across Europe

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission adopted a new Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy, charting a way forward to build a clean, competitive and resilient European economy. By using renewable biological resources from land and sea and providing alternatives to critical raw materials, […]

MEPs adopt 2026 EU budget: focus on competitiveness, research and security 

This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. For next year’s EU budget, Parliament secured more support for research, cross-border infrastructure, border management, climate action and foreign policy. In a deal with member states, reached on Saturday 15 November, Parliament obtained an additional €372.7 million for its priorities on top of what […]

Commission approved the disbursement of more than €4 billion to four Member States under NextGenerationEU, supporting economic growth and competitiveness

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has approved the disbursement of a total of €4.1 billion to four Member States — Greece, Portugal, Slovenia and Austria — under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. These disbursements are part of the Commission’s efforts to […]

Commission outlines priorities to boost EU competitiveness in its 2026 European Semester Autumn Package

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission today adopted the 2026 European Semester Autumn Package, setting out economic and employment policy priorities to boost competitiveness. In an increasingly challenging geopolitical environment, the Commission calls for coordinated action to strengthen productivity, innovation and investment, in line with the Competitiveness […]

Gaza facing worst economic collapse ever recorded, UN trade agency warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. The Occupied Palestinian Territory is now in its deepest economic crisis ever recorded, with Gaza suffering an “unprecedented and catastrophic” collapse, according to a new report from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) presented in Geneva on Tuesday. Speaking at the launch of UNCTAD’s 2025 […]

‘Leave no one behind’: As wealth gap widens, UN calls for new industrial deal for world’s poorest

This article is published in association with United Nations. Ministers and leaders from across the world’s 44 least developed countries have pledged to accelerate industrialisation that benefits all, and strengthen resilience in the face of global challenges, at an international UN conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  “First, we need to end the war. Then, we have […]

Ahead of G20 Summit, EU and South Africa advance cooperation on clean trade and investment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The EU and South Africa have just signed a landmark Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, along with a new cooperation agreement on minerals and metals value chains and new projects under Global Gateway, Europe’s investment strategy for the world. Announced by President Ursula von […]

European Commission issues €5 billion in its 10th syndicated transaction of 2025

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today raised €5 billion of EU-Bonds in its 10th syndicated transaction for 2025. The single-tranche transaction concerned a €5 billion tap of the EU-Bond maturing on 14 October 2030. The 5-year bond was priced 99.870% with a re-offer yield of […]

Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast shows continued growth despite challenging environment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission’s Autumn 2025 Economic Forecast shows that growth in the first three quarters of 2025 outperformed expectations. While the strong performance was initially driven by a surge in exports in anticipation of tariff increases, the EU economy continued to grow in the […]

Commission proposes strengthened cooperation to combat tax fraud

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission proposed an amendment to strengthen cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘EPPO’), the European Anti-Fraud Office (‘OLAF’), and Member States. The proposal provides a legal basis for the exchange of information and access to VAT data, enhancing the EU’s […]

Commission welcomes agreement on 2026 annual budget, funding Europe’s core priorities

CESEE Bank Lending Survey reveals positive trends in credit demand and signs of supply improvement

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission welcomes the agreement between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the EU’s 2026 annual budget. Next year’s budget will continue to power the EU’s political priorities and support strategic objectives, including support for Ukraine, competitiveness, migration […]

Commission partially greenlights Lithuania’s fourth payment request for €514.5 million under NextGenerationEU

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission assessed Lithuania’s fourth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. The Commission found that Lithuania satisfactorily completed 25 out of 26 milestones and all 14 targets set out in the  Council Implementing Decision for the third, […]

Commission welcomes the judgment of the Court largely confirming the validity of the Directive on adequate minimum wages

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union largely confirming that the Directive on adequate minimum wages stands on firm legal ground.  Adequate minimum wages are essential for social fairness and a productive and inclusive economy. They help to protect workers’ purchasing power, reduce wage […]

Belize Invests in Infrastructure to Boost Growth Potential

This article is published in association with IMF. By Ziad Amer, Bunyada Laoprapassorn, and Shane Lowe Country seeks to tackle tourism bottlenecks, improve access to credit, and expand its labor force Blessed by nature with lush forests, coral reefs and a strategic location near Mexico and the United States, Belize’s economy is highly reliant on tourism, […]

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