European Union

NATO’s top military commander, admiral Rob Bauer, has urged the European Investment Bank (EIB) to expand its support for the defence sector, pointing out that the EIB’s current restrictions limit Europe’s security capabilities at a critical time.

With Donald Trump being re-elected, European leaders are bracing for a seismic shift in transatlantic relations. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday were swift to pledge a new path forward, stressing the need for a stronger, more self-reliant Europe.

European asset managers must pursue economies of scale to stay competitive with their US counterparts, argues Vincent Juvyns, a market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management. Fragmentation across Europe’s capital markets is also a key issue that hinders competitiveness, he says.

A new report by Finance Watch, a Brussels-based public interest group, has highlighted an impending investment crisis in the European Union. A

When it comes to EU financial regulation it won’t surprise anyone to hear that more is in store for the year ahead. Investment Officer looks ahead together with Vincent Ingham, director of regulatory policy at the European Fund and Asset Management Association in Brussels.

Discussing and agreeing a single and coordinated EU “industry policy” has often been difficult and controversial in Brussels. Yet, all of a sudden, the “i-word” is back in fashion; the European Union should even make it the reason for its existence, according to newly reported internal documents. Investors however have few fond memories of plans like these. 

The European Union has reached a political agreement that brings the relaunch of European long-term investment funds, a type of investment vehicle known as Eltif, one step closer. The European marketing passports for Eltifs are regarded as a major business opportunity for Luxembourg firms. 

The European Securities and Markets Authority on Monday said it sees a need to create a common supervisory culture in the EU and believes that national financial supervisors need to intensify their horizontal, cross-border cooperation. It also acknowledged that it needs to improve its own cooperation with national supervisory bodies.

The eurozone looks increasingly weak. The euro slipped to parity with the dollar last week and a peripheral debt crisis threatens if interest rates rise sharply. With Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s departure announced on Thursday, the stability of the euro is anything but certain.

In a world where new powers, forces and risks are emerging, it is time to reset the EU’s common foreign and defence policy, says Joachim Bitterlich. Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s chief advisor talks to Investment Officer about what a lack of realpolitik brings about. “How do we ensure our economic independence in a world with challenges like China, Russia and Africa? It is about raw materials, trade relations, investments and avoiding dependencies.”