Cuardaigh
EU international investment policy: Looking ahead
The Lisbon Treaty entered into force in 2009, providing the European Union (EU) with exclusive competence in the area of 'direct investment', as part of the common commercial policy. This covers the conclusion of international investment agreements (IIAs), which typically aim to protect and/or liberalise foreign direct investment. Since then, the EU has ratified protection IIAs (or provisions in trade agreements) with Canada, Singapore and Vietnam. Early on, concerns were raised as to the specific ...
Multilateral Investment Court: Overview of the reform proposals and prospects
The Council of the European Union has authorised the European Commission to represent the EU and its Member States at the intergovernmental talks at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), with a view to reforming the existing investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system. The latter provides a procedural framework for disputes between international investors and hosting states, and relies on arbitration procedures. However, there have been growing concerns among states ...
Financial instruments in cohesion policy
Considered a resource-efficient way of using public funding, the use of financial instruments in cohesion policy is increasing. Financial instruments provide support for investment in the form of loans, guarantees, equity and other risk-sharing mechanisms. In the 2014-2020 programming period, financial instruments can be applied in all thematic areas and funds covered by cohesion policy, and they can be combined with grants. The amounts allocated are expected to double in comparison to the previous ...
Research for REGI Committee-The Agenda for Cohesion Policy in 2019-2024: Key issues for the REGI Committee
This study reviews current and emerging issues for Cohesion Policy to support the work agenda of the European Parliament’s Committee for Regional Development during its new mandate for 2019-2024. The analysis focuses on issues relating to the committee’s competences and concludes by highlighting key policy themes and political questions for the debate on Cohesion Policy in 2021-27.
Proceedings of the Workshop on the Public Procurement Strategy Package
This report summarises the discussion which took place at the workshop “Public Procurement Strategy Package”. Public procurement is a complex issue with the potential to strongly influence the EU economy. With the aim of discussing the main challenges related to this topic and the recently proposed draft regulation of the European Commission, the workshop was hosted by Mr Carlos Coelho, MEP. This document was prepared by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on the Internal Market ...
Foreign Direct Investment in the EU and the Eastern Partnership Countries
Upon request of the Euronest parliamentary assembly economic committee, investment patterns and policies in the EU and Eastern Partnership countries were compared. The EU is an investment heavyweight, both in terms of attracting as placing foreign direct investment. Many EU Member States protect their investment abroad and some have screening mechanisms for incoming investment. The Eastern Partnership countries are minor investors themselves, but keep attracting a slowly growing level of foreign ...
Innovation Policy
Innovation plays an increasing role in our economy. It provides benefits for citizens as both consumers and workers. It is essential to creating better jobs, building a greener society and improving our quality of life, but also to maintaining EU competitiveness in the global market. Innovation policy is the interface between research and technological development policy and industrial policy and aims to create a conducive framework for bringing ideas to market.
The G20 Summit in Hamburg: Key issues
On 7-8 July 2017, the 12th Summit of Heads of State or Government of the Group of Twenty (G20) will take place in Hamburg, Germany. Besides traditional G20 issues, with an emphasis on financial regulation, the focus is on climate and trade protectionism in light of policies recently adopted by the USA.
Economic Dialogue with Croatia
This note presents selected information on the current status of the EU economic governance procedures and related relevant information in view of an Economic Dialogue with Zdravko Maric, Croatia’s Minister for Finance, in the ECON committee of the European Parliament. The invitation for a dialogue is in accordance with the EU economic governance framework.
World Energy Outlook 2016
World Energy Outlook 2016 World Energy Outlook (WEO) is an annual study produced by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which models future global trends in energy based on different policy scenarios. The study looks at how production and consumption of different energy sources is evolving, and considers the likely effects of investment decisions, new technologies, government policies and international agreements. The WEO sheds light on the expected energy trajectory of different regions of the ...