Category: Economy

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Capital Markets Union and Fintech : political agreement to boost crowdfunding in the EU

Argent

The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached yesterday evening between the European Parliament and the Council on its proposal to boost Crowdfunding in the EU.

The proposal, a key building block of the Capital Markets Union, aims to harness the opportunities presented by emerging technology-enabled innovations in the financial sector, known as FinTech. With this agreement, 12 out of 13 Capital Markets Union legislative proposals have been adopted or agreed at EU level.

Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President for an Economy that Works for People said: “I welcome the agreement reached on our crowdfunding proposal. This is an important source of alternative financing for many innovative European entrepreneurs and start-ups, which may struggle to access traditional financing channels. An EU crowdfunding licence would help crowdfunding platforms scale up in Europe. This will allow investors to match up with companies from all over the EU, bringing more opportunities for firms and entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to a wider base of investors.” Continue reading “Capital Markets Union and Fintech : political agreement to boost crowdfunding in the EU”

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Commission and OECD present recommendations to help EU countries and regions achieve industrial transition

Industrie

Today the Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) present a report on an initiative launched in 2017 to help 12 EU regions and Member States achieve industrial transition and hold their own in a globalised economy.

Teams of OECD and Commission experts worked with the regions and the two Member States to identify what was holding back job creation and growth in these areas. The goal was to reinforce their long-term development strategies based on areas of competitive strength – their ‘smart specialisation‘ assets. These strategies encompass social fairness, economic modernisation and climate ambitions.

Based on this experience, the report presents a toolkit for national and regional authorities, providing concrete solutions to address obstacles to industrial transition in five main priorities.

Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy, Enlargement Negotiations and Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn said: “Prosperity and well-being at EU level start in our regions. For two years, teams of Commission and OECD experts have worked hand in hand with national and local actors to help them embrace innovation, decarbonisation, digitalisation and develop the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow. These are the four cardinal points of a transition that gives a fair chance to everyone.” Continue reading “Commission and OECD present recommendations to help EU countries and regions achieve industrial transition”

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With the EIB and ELENA, the RenoWatt project, energy for jobs, opens to all Wallonia

Sustainable

To achieve European and economic objectives, local authorities have a key role to play in improving energy efficiency (urban renewal, mobility, biomass energy, etc.). The RenoWatt project is focused in that direction and opens to all Wallonia with the support of the European Union’s ELENA Programme and the European Investment Bank.

The European Union’s Climate and Energy Objectives

By 2030, the European Union (EU) is committed to achieving:

  • a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990: -43% compared to 2005 (Emissions Trading System – ETS) and -35% compared to 2005 (non-ETS such as transport, construction, etc.);
  • a renewable energy share of at least 32% in the energy mix (binding target);
  • a 32.5% increase in energy efficiency (primary energy consumption compared to 2007).

In view of these upcoming EU requirements, it is vital to set up structures to promote the energy-efficient renovation of buildings. Public and private buildings alone account for more than 40% of final energy consumption: the thermal refurbishment of buildings will create jobs and help limit the use of petroleum products.

Economic impact

The potential impact of this project goes beyond the EU’s obligations; investment in energy renovation sectors means investment in activities that generate value and wealth in terms of Wallonia’s GDP. The energy savings and the mobilisation of the construction sector will lead to the acquisition of expertise, within the Region and in financial tools. The deployment of appropriate training initiatives aimed at local recruitment by companies that can enter into energy performance contracts (EPCs), the introduction of new techniques for financing the transition, the development of new energy services operators in the private sector and the professionalisation of the “Walloon energy transition” are all benefits that this project can bring. More specifically, the development of an “industrial/economic” sector would result in an investment potential of more than EUR 30 billion and the creation of more than 17 000 jobs over the next 30 years. Continue reading “With the EIB and ELENA, the RenoWatt project, energy for jobs, opens to all Wallonia”