Decisions taken by the Governing Council of the ECB (in addition to decisions setting interest rates)

SummaryIn Malta, bombmakers Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the contract murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed by a car bomb in October 2017 to silence her reporting on political corruption. The trial highlighted the Maltese government's failure to protect Caruana Galizia, leading to widespread protests and the resignation of then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. The case continues to unfold, with businessman Yorgen...

The European Commission is proposing a new round of sanctions against Russia, which includes lowering the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel and banning the use of Nord Stream infrastructure. This 18th package, aimed at increasing pressure on Russia amid stalled Ukraine peace talks, also seeks to list additional Russian banks and shadow fleet vessels, while providing safeguards for Belgium against potential lawsuits from Moscow. EU member states must unanimously adopt the...

Italian, Spanish, and Greek sovereign bonds have experienced a significant rally this year, narrowing their borrowing costs relative to Germany to near decade lows due to stronger growth and increased debt-sharing within the Eurozone. Italy's 10-year borrowing costs are just 0.9 percentage points above Germany's, while Spain's are lower than France’s, reflecting improved public finances and a post-Covid tourism boom. However, concerns about high debt levels in southern Europe persist, as debt-to-GDP ratios remain close...

The EU has implemented anti-dumping duties of up to 62.4% on Chinese plywood imports, responding to a rise in imports that harmed local producers. This decision follows a complaint from the Greenwood Consortium and comes alongside monitoring of softwood plywood imports to prevent circumvention of the duties. As the EU enhances trade defense measures against China, including recent investigations into electric vehicles and medical devices, Beijing has proposed a fast-track licensing system for EU companies...

This article reports on Poland's political landscape ahead of a crucial no-confidence vote for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, following the election of nationalist Karol Nawrocki as president. Despite losing the presidential election, Tusk's government remains optimistic about maintaining support, with Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stating there is "absolutely no chance" of the government falling. Meanwhile, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen held a rally with EU allies, criticizing the EU and highlighting the growing yet...

The EU is enhancing its role in cyber security following a funding crisis in a key US organization that highlighted Europe's dependence on American cyber infrastructure. Juhan Lepassaar, executive director of Enisa, emphasized the need for Europe to actively report and address cyber threats, as the EU established a European vulnerability database to propose patches and guidelines for local businesses. With increasing state-sponsored cyber attacks, particularly from China, the EU aims to bolster its cyber...