Cuardaigh
Background information on the post-2027 MFF - July 2025
This digest provides a collection of documents prepared by academia, think tanks, other EU institutions and bodies, as well as stakeholders, that can be useful for Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets to stay informed about the debate concerning the next Multiannual Financial Framework, starting in 2028. The document is produced on a monthly basis by the Budgetary Support Unit of DG BUDG and the European Parliamentary Research Service.
2025 Country-Specific Recommendations: stylised facts and figures
This document provides an overview of all country-specific recommendations for 2025 as proposed by the Commission on 4 June 2024 and agreed by the Council on 8 July 2025.
International digital strategy for the EU
In this period of accelerating geopolitical tensions, the EU stands at a critical juncture, facing increasing global competition and sharply divergent views from some countries, which sometimes challenge the EU's approach to digital regulation. To assert its position as a consistent, predictable and reliable partner, the EU has defined objectives for future digital cooperation in its international digital strategy, published on 5 June 2025.
Public hearing with Dominique Laboureix, Chair of the Single Resolution Board
This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB), Dominique Laboureix, scheduled for 15 July 2025 in the ECON Committee. Content: 1. SRB’s 2024 Annual Report 2. Regular reporting on MREL (Q4 2024) 3. End 2024 resolvability assessment 4. New external expertise on (1) banks’ competitiveness and (2) real estate risks 5. Consultation on valuation capabilities 6. Consultation on resolvability testing for banks 7. Updated guidance on trading ...
EU’s trade and digital economy - Challenges and opportunities for SMEs
This research paper examines the evolving landscape of digital trade and its impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union (EU). As digitalisation transforms global commerce, EU SMEs face significant opportunities as well as regulatory and competitive challenges. The study highlights key digital policy approaches, and in that context situates the current EU practice and commitments in international trade agreements affecting cross-border data flows, digital platforms and ...
Phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports
At the Versailles Summit in March 2022, EU leaders committed to phasing out Europe's dependency on imported Russian natural gas, oil and coal. EU Member States ceased to import coal from Russia in August 2022, while imports of Russian crude oil dropped from 27 % in 2021 to 3 % of total EU crude oil imports in 2024. However, Russian natural gas still represents a substantial part of total EU gas consumption. The Commission proposed a 'Roadmap towards ending Russian energy imports' on 6 May 2025, aiming ...
Peste des petits ruminants: A race against time for livelihoods and livestock
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR, also known as sheep and goat plague) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting goats, sheep, camels and wild ruminants. With a mortality rate of up to 90 %, the disease causes severe economic losses, threatening food security and livelihoods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates annual global losses to stand at €1.3 billion to €2 billion. Since its first occurrence in Bulgaria in 2018, PPR has caused significant losses in ...
Article 72 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
The EU has faced challenges in recent years due to the 'instrumentalisation' of migration by the Belarusian government, leading to irregular border crossings into the EU. In response, some EU Member States have adopted national emergency measures that allow for derogations from EU law. The European Commission considers that EU countries could invoke Article 72 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) to address the issue of 'hybrid threats', including the instrumentalisation ...
Reviving the securitisation framework
'Securitisation' consists of banks 'pooling' granted loans (e.g. mortgages and consumption loans) into a single tradable security, which is sold to other investors under specific conditions. Securitisation allows banks to 'off-load' part of their granted loans, thereby augmenting their lending capacities as well as swiftly modifying their portfolio risk exposure. Securitisation markets boomed in the 2000s and were identified as the main cause of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. The post-crisis regulation ...
Public hearing with Claudia Buch, Chair of the ECB / SSM Supervisory Board - 15 July 2025
This briefing has been prepared for the public hearing with the Chair of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), Claudia Buch, scheduled for 15 July 2025 in the ECON Committee. Content: 1. Annual Report on Supervisory Activities for 2024 2. Annual Report on Sanctioning Activities in the SSM in 2024 3. ECB sanctions against SEB Baltics 4. The SSM’s simplification efforts 5. ECB’s feedback on Parliament’s Banking Union Annual Report 6. Between prudence and politics: EBA default framework fails ...