Economy and finance: what happened in Europe in 2018 that has just ended? Drawing up an exhaustive balance sheet is difficult, given that there are many topics addressed, often also triggering heated controversies and political clashes. This is the case, for example, of the copyright.
Europe introduces the reform of copyright protection rules, to adapt them to changing times and extend them to the web. The rules for the reproduction of online content apply to everything: journalistic articles, audiovisual products, but protests break out, both from lobbies and from some parliamentary groups particularly sensitive to the requests of the great giants of the web. The EU is accused of putting gags, of turning off the internet, of undermining fundamental freedoms and democracy.
No less discussions aroused in Europe the imposition of duties by Trump on the import of steel and aluminum (it is May 31), products that also affect the old continent. And the EU is not slow to fight back, imposing duties on some products made in the USA, such as foodstuffs (fruit juices), alcohol (whiskey), motorcycles.
And no less sensation was caused by the mega-fine imposed on Google for violating the community rules on competition: 4,34 billion euros. It is the highest fine ever decreed by the Community Antitrust. And what about the discussions and close comparisons on the Brexit and on ours stability Law? 2018 is also the year ofeBook (only in Dutch at the moment): the EU equates books in digital format to traditional paper ones, recognizing the possibility, for those who want, to impose the same VAT rate.
And it's also the year ofThe circular economy. The European Commission has adopted a new package of measures to help European businesses and consumers make the transition towards a stronger and more circular economy, where resources are used more sustainably. Measures and plans that aim to make the maximum use of all raw materials, products and waste and to obtain the maximum value from them, favoring energy savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The transition will be financially supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI funds), which include €5,5 billion for waste management.
In the EU activity of 2018 there are also the innovation, new technologies,artificial intelligence. And in this context, the EU executive proposes to the States at least 20 billion euros of public and private investments by the end of 2020, to then reach 20 billion euros a year from public and private investments in the following decade.
But one cannot fail to mention the quantitative easing. 2018 marks the announcement by Mario Draghi of the end of QE, the ECB's government bond purchase program, launched in March 2015. In addition to duties, May marks the entry into force of the general regulation on the data protection of the European Union, (better known by the acronym Gdpr), a series of new and stricter controls on compliance with the protection of privacy for European citizens all over the world…
Among the latest decisions of the year that has just ended, the approval by the EU Council of the proposal for the appointment of Andrea Enria as head of the ECB supervision.
