EU newsflash
- 13 May: through the tourism and transport package the European Commission presents guidance on how to safely resume travel and reboot Europe’s tourism in 2020 and beyond.
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Spotlight on the spring economic forecast
Introduced in 2010, the European semester is an economic governance tool enabling the EU member countries to coordinate their economic policies throughout the year and address the economic challenges facing the EU. Its focus is on the 6-month period from the beginning of each year, hence its name – the ‘semester’.
An important part of its timeline is the spring economic forecast which culminates with the country-specific recommendations presented by the Commission. These focus on challenges for each member country and on what can realistically be achieved over the next 12-18 months. Soon after the Council of the European Union discusses the recommendations and agrees on their final version.
The very fact that the European semester was born in the aftermath of the 2007-2008 global financial crisis shows its particular importance in exceptional situations, such as this year’s pandemic affecting the economy as it affects our daily lives. On 20 May, the Commission presented its country-specific recommendations and relevant communication. As Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President for an Economy that works for People recently commented: ʻAt this stage, we can only tentatively map out the scale and gravity of the coronavirus shock to our economies. […] Our collective recovery will depend on continued strong and coordinated responses at EU and national level. We are stronger together.ʼ
The current edition of the OP newsletter brings you a selection of interesting publications related to the economy and the European semester, for which you can also consult the relevant datasets in the EU Open Data Portal. Our newsletter also brings you publications on the ongoing outbreak and several other topics, including research.
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Data for short-term economic analysis. 05/2020 |
Eurostatistics is a monthly review showing the evolution of the economic activity in the European Union, euro area and Member States. This May edition comes at a time of profound disruption to economies worldwide from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. |
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Its impact on venture capital and high growth enterprises |
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge contraction in economic activity. This publication analyses the decline in venture capital and considers the ways in which governments should intervene. The need for research is emphasised with a special focus on angel investing in view of the role this plays in financing businesses at the start of the scale-up tunnel. |
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The digitalisation of public administration continues to be a priority. This study identifies the challenges and the existing actions within the ISA2 programme (programme on interoperability solutions and common frameworks for European public administrations, businesses and citizens). New actions are proposed to better drive digitalisation efforts in the EU Member States. |
Available in English |
More on this topic |
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The coronavirus pandemic has destabilised European economies. Recovery efforts must focus on sustainable, green development that can serve as a foundation for the future. This report provides an overview of the European Investment Bank operations aimed to support smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the challenging European and global context. |
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The views of organised civil society: summary of relevant EESC opinions |
This publication summarises opinions and policy recommendations on various elements of the European semester issued by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The recommendations are intended to provide a basis for the EU Member States to drive more inclusive, sufficiently-financed sustainable growth, in order to reduce social inequalities, fight climate change and support the economy with productive investments. |
Available in English and French |
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Monetary Dialogue Papers, February 2020 |
A recession is on the way for economies worldwide and for the EU in particular. Having used all of its instruments in the previous crisis, the European Central Bank has little left that can be helpful this time. This brief examines the financial risks facing the euro area and evaluates flexibility and non-intervention as possible means of an appropriate response. |
Available in English
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Research and innovation |
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Bringing you the results of EU research and innovation |
Biodiversity makes life possible. It nurtures us, provides countless health benefits and offers many opportunities for jobs and economic growth (tourism, green technologies, conservation efforts, etc.). The EU is committed to healthy ecosystems and biodiversity preservation, both within Europe and worldwide. In the special feature of this Research*eu, we meet seven projects on biodiversity research that are supported through the Horizon 2020 programme. |
Available in English
(Individual article also available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish on the CORDIS website)
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Also out recently |
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De la déclaration du 9 mai 1950 vers l’Union européenne |
The declaration of 9 May 1950 issued by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Schuman, changed the course of the European continent’s history. Schuman’s vision, rooted in a dialogue with Jean Monnet, paved the way for a united Europe. This publication commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Schuman declaration. |
Available in French. Editions in English and German will follow soon. |
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This publication assesses the potential impact of the early 2020 COVID confinement measures on the EU labour market. Possible mid-term developments and broader socioeconomic implications of the COVID crisis in Europe are provided, with economic sectors categorised according to the likely impact of the COVID crisis in relation to employment. |
Available in English |
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In public health, contact tracing is the process of identifying individuals who have been in contact with infected persons. Proximity tracing with smartphone applications and sensors could support contact tracing but involves the processing of sensitive personal data. This European Data Protection Supervisor publication is a valuable source of information on topics related to digital proximity tracing. |
Available in English |
You may also like |
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The European Science Vocabulary (EuroSciVoc) is a multilingual taxonomy representing all the main fields of science with a link to Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) content. It contains almost 1 000 categories in 6 languages (English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish) and each category features relevant keywords extracted from the textual description of CORDIS projects. |
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This report presents selected findings of the 2019 survey of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on LGBTI people in the EU, North Macedonia and Serbia. With almost 140 000 participants, it is the largest survey of its kind and shows little progress over the last 7 years. Discrimination in everyday life persists – at work and at school; in cafés, restaurants, bars and nightclubs; when looking for housing; when accessing healthcare or social services; and in shops. Harassment and physical and sexual attacks also remain concerns. |
Available in English |
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Study material to stimulate a young reader’s mind. This publication explains the decision-making process in the European Union and the roles of the three EU institutions: the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission. The text is accompanied by infographics and illustrations. |
Available in all the official languages of the EU |
Our news |
EU Datathon 2020 receives 121 proposals!
Sunday 3 May was the first major deadline for this year’s datathon, organised by the Publications Office. Despite a busy period for data hackers tackling COVID-19, we received the largest number of proposals ever: 121.
This number represents an increase of over 21 % on last year’s total (99) and is a long way from the modest number of 34 received for the first datathon in 2017!
Of the four challenges this year, ‘A Europe fit for the digital age’ was the most selected by teams, attracting 52 proposals. It was followed by ‘A European Green Deal’ (30), ‘A new push for European democracy’ (21) and ‘An economy that works for people’ (18).
The preselection jury is now assessing the proposals to shortlist the 12 finalists. These 12 teams will be invited to develop their applications and present them in Brussels in the course of the European Week of Regions and Cities in October. The winners will be selected there during the EU Datathon’s final conference on 15 October 2020.
To learn more or follow the event, visit: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eudatathon
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