Latest news with #European-level
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Irish economy to grow by more than 4% through 2027 despite heightened geopolitical tensions
Continued strong employment and favourable fundamentals will underpin growth in Ireland for the next two years, with the economy forecasted to grow by more than 4% through 2027. In its latest economic forecast update, Davy said that despite high spending, Ireland's fiscal position remains strong, with Government debt projected to fall below 60% of gross national income (GNI) by 2026 and corporation tax receipts expected to exceed €30bn annually. The stockbroker said employment growth has consistently outpaced forecasts, supported by strong labour demand, inward migration and rising participation rates, particularly among women and older workers. However, the company's forecasts for new housing completions in 2025 have been lowered to 37,500 units, down from an initial projection of 42,000 units, though output is expected to rise to 50,000 by 2027 with policy support and faster delivery of water and grid infrastructure, Davy said. Speaking on its downward revision, the stockbroker said: "It has become increasingly clear that a slower pace is more likely. "Issues relating to water/grid connections, planning delays, high construction costs and broader viability concerns remain significant challenges that must be addressed to achieve a much-needed increase in output from the 2024 level of 30,000 homes." It said Ireland's "very strict" regime for rent restrictions had contributed to a collapse in new private rental construction. However, it said the ability to charge market rates upon a change in tenancy should improve the investment case for such supply. Davy noted the economy faces numerous challenges to maintain competitiveness, especially in terms of housing and infrastructure, noting that failure to deliver on the large shortfalls that exist would worsen Ireland's economic outlook considerably. Meanwhile, inflation is forecasted to remain below 2%, while consumer spending remains resilient, supported by wage and employment growth. Despite steady growth forecasts, Davy warned of heightened geopolitical concerns, with rising global protectionism and trade tensions posing risks to the economy due to its heavy reliance on foreign direct investment. Although Ireland is expected to remain attractive to FDI in the near term, Davy said this risk highlights the need for domestic investment in housing and infrastructure. "Geo-economic fragmentation risks may become more evident in the 2030s and 2040s, highlighting the need for an increased domestic base of industrial and services firms should be nurtured alongside ambitious targets to capitalise on European-level efforts to fill gaps in the single market, namely a functional capital markets union capable of channelling European savings and investments into high-productivity European firms," the stockbroker said.
Euractiv
6 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
EU lacks bold political leadership on nuclear fusion
An influential member of the European Parliament's industry committee has warned a gathering of politicians and stakeholders at a nuclear fusion event that a lack of political leadership at the European Commission is causing the EU to fall behind in a potentially game-changing energy technology. 'There is a lack of political leadership when it comes to nuclear energy in Europe - fission is not exempt from this,' said Christophe Grudler, a French MEP from the Renew Europe group, which also counts French President Emmanuel Macron as a member. Only 2% of the global amount of fusion investment is currently going to Europe, while 75% is going to the US, he said at the event. Grudler welcomed the Commission's intent to develop a European fusion strategy but said he still sees resistance and foot-dragging. 'We lack leadership today. In the current Commission, the responsibility for fusion lies somewhere between Euratom, the Commission's [research department] and its [energy department] - between one DG dealing with many files and another whose commissioner is not the most enthusiastic supporter of nuclear energy. This is why we need strong political ownership. That should be led from the very top by the president of the Commission herself, or an executive vice president.' Capital investment Stéphane Séjourné, the Commission's executive vice president who is also from Emmanuel Macron's French political group, has complained that seven times more private capital is available for fusion in the US than in the EU and has been pushing for a dedicated fusion strategy. France has been one of the countries pushing for more of an EU focus on nuclear energy but has faced resistance from other countries, including Germany and Austria. 'The strategy should promote public-private partnerships, provide a clear and stable regulatory framework distinct from nuclear fission and at the end create a European-level legal architecture rather than 27 fragmented ones,' said Grudler. No 'eureka' moment Grudler was speaking at a conference last month in Barcelona organised by Fusion for Energy, an organisation of the EU managing Europe's contribution to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in Southern France, the largest fission demonstration in the world. Though research into nuclear fusion's potential has been going on for decades, it has yet to reach the 'eureka' moment which would make it viable like nuclear fission. Fusion is the same process that powers the sun, and the most common way to make it happen is by combining deuterium and tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen, to form helium and release energy according to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence principle (E=mc²). If it can work, it would be a much more efficient and clean way to produce energy than nuclear fission, which produces long-lived radioactive waste and relies on hard-to-source uranium. Fusion promises a cleaner and virtually limitless source of energy if it can be successfully harnessed on Earth. But reproducing what the sun does is very complex. The promise is immense, but so is the challenge. Speaking at the conference, Massimo Garribba, the deputy chief of the Commission's energy department, said the intent is there for fusion, but there are obstacles, and that's why there needs to be a larger strategic focus that goes beyond just financing. '[Energy] Commissioner Jorgensen and [Research] Commissioner Zaharieva work together, and they are fully in favour of delivering this strategy,' he said. 'We have to see, there are another 23 commissioners and a president that will have to agree to this. But those two I can tell you, are quite committed to arriving at this point.' More money? 'Don't believe that if you just throw money at a problem, it will solve itself,' he added, noting that the Commission has spent €10.7 billion on ITER since 2007. 'So, what's the problem? You have all this money, all these wonderful people working on this. Well, I personally believe the problem is the approach has been a little bit haphazard. We have ITER, which is absolutely fundamental because without it you cannot do the rest, but you don't have an ecosystem of facilities which actually drives toward having a functioning system at the end of the day.' Garribba said he agreed with Grudler that the strategy has to have very specific goals to deliver financing, noting that there will be a lot of competition for funds in the new multiannual financial framework for the EU's budget over the next seven years that will be negotiated starting in mid-July. 'If we come out with a strategy that is convincing, where we explain what needs to be done and by whom in all the different areas, then we may have a discussion for the financing which would be easier than what we would otherwise have,' said Garribba. European leadership Several speakers at the conference emphasised that Europe is well-positioned to lead globally on fusion but it needs a clearer long-term strategy. 'I am optimistic, here in Europe we have unique conditions to build on the existing industrial ecosystem around ITER which is great, but we need to go beyond to address the needs of commercial fusion, so the supply chain needs to adapt to that.' 'Our leadership must prepare us for what comes after ITER, because ITER isn't an end it's a beginning,' said Grudler. 'Europe needs a roadmap from research to commercialisation, and here F4E can play a key role.' 'Fusion is long-term a high-risk endeavour,' the MEP added. 'But public-private partnerships allow us to share those risks while accelerating progress by combining public interest with private incentive in creating a predictable, stable framework for private investment. Europe already has successful models of such cooperation, such as the Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and the Battery Alliance. Fusion deserves the same level of ambition.' [Edited By Brian Maguire | Euractiv's Advocacy Lab ]
Gulf Insider
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Gulf Insider
Delhi Bans Fuel For Older Vehicles In Pollution Crackdown
Starting July 1, Delhi has enforced a strict ban on refueling older vehicles as part of a broader effort to reduce air pollution, according to the Economic Times. Under the new rule, petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years are prohibited from buying fuel at any petrol pump in the capital. This measure is aimed at removing End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) from circulation, which are considered major contributors to Delhi's worsening air quality. To ensure compliance, the government has deployed surveillance systems and enforcement personnel across the city. Those caught violating the rule face heavy penalties: ₹10,000 for four-wheelers and ₹5,000 for two-wheelers. Authorities may also impound or scrap vehicles found flouting the ban. Officials claim the step is necessary for public health and environmental sustainability. However, the policy has drawn criticism from residents and vehicle owners, who argue that the infrastructure and public alternatives are not yet sufficient to support such a drastic move. Critics have taken to social media to express their frustration, with one user commenting, 'No decent footpath but rules like Sweden,' highlighting the perceived gap between European-level regulations and India's local infrastructure readiness. The Economic Times writes that despite the backlash, the Delhi government maintains that the policy is essential to curb pollution from outdated, high-emission vehicles and says it is a step toward cleaner urban transport.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shein to face fines if it fails to fix EU consumer law issues
Ultra-fast fashion online retailer Shein has been told to resolve the consumer law issues raised by the European Commission (EC) and the network of national consumer authorities, known as the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, or face fines. This follows a comprehensive European-level investigation into practices that consumers encounter on the Singapore-headquartered retailer's platform, which violate EU law. The alleged infringements identified include presenting false discounts, employing pressure selling tactics, providing missing or incorrect information that is also misleading, using deceptive product labels, making unfounded sustainability claims and concealing contact details. The CPC Network has mandated that Shein align these practices with EU consumer laws. The current scrutiny includes requests for additional information to be submitted to the CPC Network. Coordinated by the EC, the action against Shein involves authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The CPC Network seeks further details from Shein to evaluate its adherence to additional EU consumer law requirements. These include ensuring that rankings, reviews and ratings are not misleadingly presented to consumers. The network is also examining whether Shein properly informs consumers about contractual obligations between third-party sellers and Shein where relevant, and clarifies when consumer rights are not applicable in transactions involving third-party sellers who are not traders. EC tech sovereignty, security and democracy executive vice-president Henna Virkkunen stated: 'I welcome this coordinated action with consumer authorities - complementary to the commission's ongoing request for information sent to Shein under the Digital Services Act. 'In line with the commission's recent communication on e-commerce, the action demonstrates our resolve to deliver a coordinated and effective enforcement response when e-commerce platforms and e-retailers don't respect our laws. We come together to keep consumers safe and the e-commerce sector competitive.' Shein has been given a one-month period to respond to the CPC Network's findings and to suggest how it plans to resolve the issues related to consumer law. Should Shein fail to do so, national authorities may enforce measures to ensure compliance, including potential fines based on Shein's annual turnover within the EU member states involved. EC democracy, justice, the rule of law and consumer protection commissioner Michael McGrath stated: 'EU consumer protection laws are not optional — they must be applied in all cases. It's now for Shein to step up, respect the rules and bring its practices fully in line with EU consumer standards.' In April 2025, Shein was designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulation in EU law. "Shein to face fines if it fails to fix EU consumer law issues" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'What they want is your rights': What you need to know about the anti-abortion movement's new tactics
Little-known fact: abortion is technically a criminal offence in England and Wales, governed by a law from 1861, before women got the right to vote. As powerful anti-choice groups seek to roll back reproductive rights here - as we've seen in the US and Europe - we've joined forces with BPAS, the UK's leading abortion care service, on new campaign End 1861, to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales. Head here to take action to raise your voice for choice and fight for bodily autonomy. It's easy to think that wouldn't happen here. That we're not the US, and their policies do not impact us. But while the UK is overwhelmingly pro-choice (in a 2023 YouGov 87% of Britons said that abortion should absolutely be allowed) it doesn't mean we're safe from manipulative tactics from incredibly powerful (and rich) anti-choice groups. As author and podcaster Deborah Frances-White discovered through a range of interviews, there are powerful forces at play, working hard and strategically behind the scenes, to take your rights away – and they're not just going for abortion, but and the right to contraception, too. They're using distraction tactics and ancient laws to get their way… and they're succeeding. It's scary. But it's also why we all need to come together and fight back, and why Deborah is supporting , in collaboration with BPAS. Here, in an extract from her new book , she outlines what she's learned and what we need to do about it… You will know that in the US, Roe v. Wade, the ruling that guaranteed the right to an abortion, was overturned in 2022. This means that in many states abortion access is now limited and, in some, illegal. What you may not know is that the religious far-right have also been getting organised and strategic right here, specifically targeting the UK and Europe, with the mission of diminishing and eventually eradicating abortion rights. I interviewed Neil Datta, the Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, a pan-European network which brings together legislators from all democratic parties to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Forum focuses on access to contraception, abortion rights, reducing maternal deaths, improving cervical cancer treatment and prevention. Because of this work, Neil has done research into religious extremists who are working to undermine women's rights to healthcare. He explained that there were well-known 'pro-life' groups who started out picketing abortion clinics. Then in 2013, they 'rebranded' and expanded their remit: 'They invested time in hiring lawyers and political scientists so that they understand how power works. And we saw them gradually, between 2013 and 2018, really develop that skill so that they were able to write draft laws and bills, they were able to initiate proceedings in front of national and European-level courts, and they were able to start petitions, which then provoke a certain reaction from public authorities, such as a referendum . . . They style themselves as NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and think tanks, or in some cases political parties. In Europe, they usually mask their religious ties. But when you scratch beneath the surface, you see religious connections in almost all of them. We also have a number of organisations coming from the United States, from the US Christian right, setting up permanent offices in different European countries and specifically certain cities, such as Brussels, Geneva, Strasbourg, Vienna, and London. These are all the centres of decision-making power. They decided to organise, get pragmatic and, crucially, harness the tools of influencing empathy to get what they want. And what they want is your rights. These organisations make up what is known as the 'anti-gender movement'. Gender here is shorthand for 'women's issues'.'This anti-gender - or anti-'women's issues' - movement is also against LGBTQ+ rights, including equal marriage. There are numerous academic studies and symposiums on the anti-gender movement and reports show the groups within it have spent $78 million (US), that we know of, in the last decade. They have decided to get what they can now, with the aim of getting what they want eventually. Are their efforts working? Shockingly, yes. We have seen the huge uptick in women being investigated by police on suspicion of illegally ending their pregnancy. Abortion provider MSI says it knows of up to sixty criminal inquiries in England and Wales since 2018, compared with almost zero before. In contrast, between 1861 and November 2022, just three women in Great Britain were convicted of an illegal abortion. Since December 2022 (at the time of writing), one woman has been convicted and six women are awaiting trial. Also, at the time of writing, there are three new bills in the House of Lords that would potentially restrict women's ability to have legal abortions in the UK. By comparison, the last anti-abortion bill presented to the Commons was in 1990. Dr Jonathan Lord, co-chair of the British Society of Abortion Care Providers, has warned that police are seizing women's phones, searching for period apps and combing through their internet history. Health care providers are reporting that police are also testing 'distressed' women, who have suffered miscarriages, for abortion drugs. Some have called an ambulance for late-stage pregnancy loss and the police have arrived first. Those anti-abortion campaigners who were previously just using anger, have now learned to use seemingly rational and empathetic techniques to influence our policymakers and those working in our communities. If all this sounds to you like a flashback scene in The Handmaid's Tale, then you'll be as worried as I am about how organised and well-funded this 'anti-gender' far-right religious movement is. Those of us who are pro-choice need to get equally (if not more) organised to properly decriminalise abortion in the UK, the way France has responded to the anti-gender movement by enshrining the right to abortion into the constitution. We can't just ignore these people, or block them out. If we do they will organise. They will galvanise. And we will end up living in their world. We have to get savvy, and get sorted, and that will mean compromise. Remember, ten years ago, the people now challenging our right to choose were shouting outside abortion clinics with homemade signs. Now, they've become influential by having conversations they didn't want to have and working with people they don't agree with – and they're getting things done. Things we need undone as soon as possible. If we do not organise, strategize, upskill, rethink and make connections with people we don't wholly agree with, we may find ourselves – and our human rights – hurtling back into the past. Agenda Europa was created in January 2013 out of a meeting that took place in London involving approximately twenty North American and European anti-abortion leaders and strategic advisors who aimed to 'develop a Christian-inspired European think tank' and 'devise new strategies for European anti-abortion movements'. Why 2013? Because both the UK and France were in the process of legalising same-sex marriage and that was the breaking point. The anti-gender movement's decision to act was born out of fury, but their focus was achievable goals. They started to ask not 'what do we want?' but 'what can we have?' Once we allow the anti-gender lobby to shape our policy and become people of influence in our society, they will use that position to get the other things on their agenda. Documents have been uncovered that reveal a detailed, extremist strategy called 'Restoring the Natural Order: an Agenda for Europe', which seeks to overturn existing laws on basic human rights related to sexuality and reproduction, such as the right to divorce; for a woman to access contraception, assisted reproduction technologies or have an abortion; equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex (LGBTI) persons; and the right to change one's gender or sex without fear of legal repercussions. The latest High Court ruling, which says the legal definition of a woman for the purposes of the Equalities Act 2010 is based on biological sex, is a worrying sign that they are beginning to get their way. Neil Datta and his team predict that the next issues they attack in the UK will be surrogacy and sex work because there is already some dissent in the feminist community on these things. Their arguments about the sacredness of women's bodies as far as surrogacy and sex work goes will lead neatly into abortion: 'While we're up in your uterus anyway, we've got some notes.' The anti-gender movement is driving hard to roll back queer rights and abortion rights, and they are making small incremental gains that will turn into large strides forward if we don't get organised ourselves. We need to use our voices, start having conversations and not sleepwalk our way into their Might Also Like A ranking of the very best hair straighteners - according to our Beauty Editors Best party dresses to shop in the UK right now 11 products you'd be mad to miss from the Net A Porter beauty sale
