Europe's manufacturing sector is bleeding jobs. Between 2024 and 2025, 220 thousand net jobs were lost. But there are large difference between member states. Expansion in Spain offset almost half of the 159 000 jobs lost in Germany. Action is needed to protect Europe's industrial base. 1/2

The European Commission's proposal for a so-called “EU Inc” (28th company) regime will be discussed tomorrow at the Competitiveness Council. Our analysis (link 👇) shows safeguards are needed if ‘EU Inc.’ is not to risk undermining workers' collective rights, which EC says it wants to avoid. 1/2

🚨Brussels-based followers 🚨 Don't miss this in-presence event on Thursday!

The bickering over the EU budget between "net contributors" and "net recipients", reaching new levels of acrimony as the Medium-term Financial Framework is negotiated, only serves to underline one thing: the EU needs "own resources", funds that are not transfers from member states.

It turns out that whether people die on urban roads, or don't, is a policy choice. Across the EU more than 50 people die on the roads. Every day. People worry about being killed by an Islamic terrorist, a nuclear accident. But if your death is untimely, chances are what's dunnit is a speeding car

Great tribute from the great Pep Guardiola to Manchester: “This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. ... 1/2

In light of all the drama over recent years in UK media and politics about the "small boat crossings", does anyone realise that 200 thousand corresponds to less than 0.3% of the UK population (~70m)? Over eight years. In an ageing society. And assuming none have since left. 🤷‍♂️

A great new book is out on what is arguably the political-economy topic of the hour in Europe: how to develop an effective industrial policy. Open access! www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edi...

With Spain outperforming the Euro area economy and accounting for almost 1 in 3 jobs created in the last 4 years, a closer look at the country's performance and economic policies is warranted. This article is a great place to start. Spoiler: it is not just about immigration/population growth.

For the fact that the oil price is not substantially higher - implying a recession in Europe - we have largely China to thank. Its massive shift to electrical vehicles reduces its need for petroleum products. And it is drawing down its huge reserves (est. 1.4 bn barrels), reducing global demand.

Europe has an acknowledged weakness in scaling up small, innovative companies. But the proposal from the EU Commission for a so-called EU Inc, touted as a solution, threatens legal protections for workers. The problems with the proposal are explained in an important new ETUI policy brief 👇.

Every cloud has a silver lining ... heat pump edition.

'A Europe that seeks greater strategic autonomy on an increasingly shaky world stage needs a strong domestic economic and social foundation' This year's edition of the ETUI-ETUC annual report, 'Benchmarking Europe', is now out 📘

www.etui.org/events/more-... Yesterday we launched Benchmarking Working Europe report, our annual temperature-take of Europe's economy, labour markets and social policies. The link leads you to the report itself, and a video and slides of the launch event. Some key findings ... 1/4

Call - Response

institutdelors.eu/content/uplo... @guillaumeduval.bsky.social draws 3 conclusions for Europe from the Iran War. - prepare for a NATO without the US - accelerate decarbonisation - change EU policy in the Middle East. All correct. Sadly there is huge resistance on all 3 counts.

At 1530 (Brussels time) you can join our webinar on labour relations at Tesla's plants in the USA, Sweden and Germany. We will present an ETUI report and discuss the findings with trade union leaders. Register here quick! www.etui.org/events/tesla... Report: www.etui.org/publications...

The stagnant German economy needs expansionary measures. But not the general income tax cut currently under discussion. @sdullien.bsky.social @krietzler.bsky.social show that it will do little to stimulate private consumption & risks curtailing public investment which has much higher multipliers.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a... Europe's abject failure to do what it can to prevent the ongoing destruction of life in the occupied territories and Gaza continues. @kajakallas.bsky.social pathetic attempt to justify inaction by claiming EU sanctions won't stop Israel is the icing on the cake.

Good overview of the economic situation facing European economies in light of the rise in fossil fuel prices. Key takeaway: the shift to renewables is a matter of immediate & general economic interest and not, as it has been increasingly portrayed, a remote, luxury concern of out-of-touch elites.

It's not rocket science: it's the science, stupid. Europe needs to significantly up its public and private sector investment in science and R&D. The mantra that Europe is great at science, just bad at commercialising it because of [insert pet hate] needs questioning.

The satirical film Don't Look Up appears more apposite by the day. The US Midwest is burning up, farmers face ruin, food prices set to rise. And the Trump administration? Drill baby drill and shooting wars over oil. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Meanwhile global temp is chugging past +1.5C.

📌 ETUI-ETUC joint conference: #ClimateChange and workers’ health 🌍🔥 Climate change is transforming the world of work. From rising temperatures to more frequent extreme weather events, workers across Europe are increasingly exposed to new and intensified occupational risks 🔗 etui.org/4US

Neither easy watching nor easy listening. America in a dark place. And it will get worse unless US citizens take the "Hungarian Option" on November 3rd.

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... We are going to get an empirical test of the billionaires' claim that "demonising philanthropists" in the form of a tax on 2nd homes worth more than $5m harms the interests of nurses and firefighters.🍿 Remaining scrupulously neutral on this one in the meantime.😑

bsky.app/profile/engl... A smaller win, to be sure, but the UK rejoining Erasmus is a further encouraging sign that nationalism and anti-Europeanism can be defeated and the policies they inspired reversed.

Dear JD Vance We in the EU have several important legislative or presidential elections coming up in the next few months. Please do come and vigorously campaign for your MAGA sister parties in Bulgaria, Sweden, Latvia, Czechia, Cyprus & Estonia. Before facing your own citizens in November.

Good news for Hungary. Good news for Europe. Right-wing populism can be defeated. The EU will function better. But Poland is a warning. As Alberto says, victory at the ballot box is necessary but not sufficient. Like PiS, Fidesz created an okentrenched "deep state" that will seek to stymie reform.

The Trump administration's (intermediate) war aim is now to ... checks notes ... close the Strait of Hormuz. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... I can't judge the military feasibility, but what I do know is that China will have an opinion about a US blockade. And if the US Navy does lose a ship 🤷‍♂️

It is vital that EU policymakers find effective ways to syphon off the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies. It is the only way to lessen the economic shock, using price controls or transfers, while limiting the pressure on public finances. 1/4

Hungary, Europe's Argentina. But this time Trump has left it too late to influence the election (tomorrow), and the post indeed smacks of desperation.

Europe - specifically the current 27 EU MS - has become more equal over the last 30 years. But this is due only to narrowing between-country inequality, not within-country inequality; the latter has increased slightly. branko2f7.substack.com/p/the-facts-... by @brankomilan.bsky.social

If anything positive is emerging from this omnishambles it is the growing consensus that Europe needs to stand on its own feet, not least regarding energy security. www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.116... (free download) offers guidance on the path Europe sd take to be prepared for the next shock

What this means, if it is maintained, is that repairing the damage wrought by US and Israeli bombardment will be to the charge of ... almost everyone. It is a tax ultimately paid by direct and indirect consumers of energy products, fertiliser (and thus food), helium (and thus semi-conducters). 1/2

EU leaders should not be afraid to say what the Governor of California has said and what is obvious to the overwhelming majority of Europeans. Instead, they have mostly - with Sanchez a notable exception - dissembled and equivocated since the start of this disastrous war.

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2... Obscene. The EU and relevant multilateral bodies need to be very explicit that they will hold individuals that commit war crimes responsible. There is clearly dissent in the US top brass. Personal fear of the consequences might be the only way to avoid disaster.

Important new report out on Tesla's attempts to suppress trade unions and avoid collective negotiations in Sweden, Germany and the US. Join the authors and me in an online discussion on 22 April. 👇

EU's disgraceful inaction vis à vis Israel continues. We need qualified majority voting in foreign policy, asap.

Shows how ridiculous is the claim that th Strait of Hormuz is not the US problem, because it doesn't purchase Gulf oil or gas. US diesel prices up by half. That means significant upward pressure on the price of every good shipped in the US, on food, on transport services, many industrial products.

📢 #Apply for the Brian Bercusson Award 2027 ETUI & @etuc-ces.bsky.social invite applications for the Brian Bercusson Award 2027, honouring outstanding, impactful academic research that strengthens transnational #WorkersRights across Europe. 📅 Deadline: 10 September 2026 👉️ Learn more: etui.org/4Uq

We are 2/3 of the way to the US mid-terms. Trump promised voters 4 main things. End inflation. End forever wars. Drain the swamp. Reverse immigration. On 1, 2 & 3 he has delivered the precise opposite. On 4 the negative consequences of "success" are obvious to many. He is set to lose. What now?

In addition to the usually discussed channels by which the Middle East war affects Europe - oil and gas, fertiliser and food - the role of financial markets deserves attention. (Source: FT) 1/2

If binding climate targets, in place to avoid catastrophic climate change, create an unbearable burden on some industries, there is a case to offer subsidies. But NOT to deviate from the target. Can a journalist ask the German economy minister what she thinks of the "rigid" ECB inflation target.

bsky.app/profile/wahl... Really not one to scaremonger but sometimes people need to get scared to avoid sleepwalking into disaster. If these poll trends stay the same, Germany, and consequently the EU as a whole, will enter a serious political crisis. 1/3

www.theguardian.com/business/202... giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... 2 articles, 1 message. Everyone knows that, to keep the planet inhabitable, we need to decarbonise electricity generation, which is going quite well, and electrify, especially, transport & heating. Which is not going well. 1/3

Made my day!

Europe is taking steps to prevent its core industries being hollowed out by a hypercompetitive China. Much better if CN itself were to finally address imbalances vigorously. Faster wage growth, social policies that reduce household savings, currency appreciation, reduce industrial subsidies. 1/2

Europe spent years debating whether the energy transition was affordable. Spain quietly answered the question: gas now sets its electricity price in only 7% of hours. Strategic autonomy doesn’t arrive via summit communiqués. It’s built in advance — in wind farms, solar parks, and grid investment

www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pr... The latest figures show collective bargaining coverage in Germany stagnating at a low level. Less than half of employees are covered. Germany has yet to deliver a government Action Plan to raise the rate to the target of 80%, as required by EU law.

The 28th company regime (aka EU Inc) is well intentioned, but merely declaring that employment rights are not affected is not enough to ensure that it will be so in practice. 👇