This article is published in association with United Nations. The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran may have eased fears of a wider regional war, but persistent instability around the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global trade, drive up energy costs and fuel a growing jobs and cost-of-living crisis. The fallout is being […]How the Hormuz crisis keeps disrupting kitchens, ports and paychecks
May 20, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran may have eased fears of a wider regional war, but persistent instability around the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global trade, drive up energy costs and fuel a growing jobs and cost-of-living crisis. The fallout is being […]Commission proposes €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund to help Spain, Romania, and Cyprus recover from climate disasters
May 19, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has proposed the mobilisation of €144 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to aid Spain, Romania and Cyprus in their recovery from devastating climate-related disasters in 2025. This financial support underscores the EU’s commitment to standing by its Member States in times of crisis, […]Global energy and trade disruption pushing millions towards poverty
May 18, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Disruptions to global energy supplies and trade corridors are driving up the cost of food, transport and essential goods worldwide, slowing economic growth and increasing pressure on vulnerable households and debt-strapped developing countries. The warnings came during a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council […]Parliament endorses renewed EU trade instrument for development
April 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. On Tuesday, Parliament adopted the renewed regulation on the generalised system of preferences (GSP). The updated rules, passed with 459 votes in favour, 127 against and 70 abstentions, allow vulnerable developing countries to export goods to the EU with low or no tariffs. Several […]Chokepoints and conflict: How the Hormuz crisis is exposing global shipping vulnerabilities
April 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The blockading of ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the conflict between the United States and Iran has demonstrated how ships and seafarers have become “leverage in geopolitical disputes,” according to the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO). Since conflict began […]Commission welcomes historic agreement to reform EU Customs Union
March 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The Commission welcomes today’s agreement between the European Parliament and the Council, delivering a landmark reform of the EU Customs Union. The most ambitious reform of EU customs rules since 1968 introduces new measures for e-commerce and launches a modern, data-driven customs architecture that simplifies procedures and enhances efficiency. With these vital upgrades in […]Statement by Commissioner Tzitzikostas on the IMO decision on the Strait of Hormuz
March 20, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The EU welcomes the adoption of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Council decision, strongly condemning the threats and attacks by Iran against vessels which affect innocent civilian seafarers. The EU echoes IMO Council’s demands to cease any actions or threats aimed at closing, obstructing […]UN calls for fair play in the global race for critical minerals
March 6, 2026 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt are central to the transition to a zero-carbon economy. As the Security Council meets on Thursday to discuss “energy, critical minerals and security,” here is some of the work the UN is doing to ensure that the transition is just […]Commission presents new Bioeconomy Strategy to drive green growth, competitiveness and resilience across Europe
December 1, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission adopted a new Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy, charting a way forward to build a clean, competitive and resilient European economy. By using renewable biological resources from land and sea and providing alternatives to critical raw materials, […]EU trade agreements accelerate EU export growth and support diversification
November 4, 2025 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. According to the fifth Annual Report on Implementation and Enforcement of EU Trade Policy published today, the EU’s large network of trade agreements helps companies find alternative markets for their exports, while reducing dependencies in a challenging geopolitical environment. The report, covering 2024 and […]Growth of Nonbanks is Revealing New Financial Stability Risks
October 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Tobias Adrian Stretched asset valuations and pressures in core sovereign bond markets are keeping financial stability risks elevated amid heightened economic uncertainty. These vulnerabilities could be amplified by the growth of nonbank financial institutions—through their growing importance as market makers, liquidity providers and intermediaries in private credit, real […]Trade, debt and investment in the spotlight, as global unpredictability hits livelihoods
October 14, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The world’s poorest are being squeezed by trade uncertainty, heavy debt burdens and falling investment, the UN trade and development agency UNCTAD warned a week before ministers gather in Geneva for its largest meeting in four years. UNCTAD 16 from 20 to 24 October will seek practical […]Beyond Borders and Barriers: Protecting Health Amid Trade Conflicts
October 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article was exclusively written for European Sting by Ms. Palak Agarwal, a final-year MBBS student at GMERS Medical College, India. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on […]New Statistics from GEMs Consortium Show Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets Is Lower than Commonly Perceived
October 8, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. New default and recovery statistics released today by the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) Consortium shed light on investment risks in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) and provide new views on potential opportunities for investment and diversification through increased transparency. EMDEs face challenges financing […]Health at Risk in Trade Wars
October 6, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Julian Pascal Beier (30), a second-year medical student at the Medical Faculty of Ulm University, Germany. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not […]Fiscal Rules Foster Stability as Spending Pressures Grow
September 26, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Countries have increasingly adopted fiscal rules and frameworks that aim to give clarity and predictability to government spending. But these rules have not been as effective in keeping deficits and debt within their intended limits. As we show in a new report, about 40 percent of advanced economies […]Stress Tests Can Help Determine How Much Capital Central Banks Need
September 22, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Romain Veyrune Central banks pride themselves on being data-driven and consensus-based. Surprisingly, though, there is little consensus among policymakers on a crucial issue: how much capital should these institutions hold? Unlike commercial banks, central banks don’t have universally prescribed minimum capital requirements. They can’t go bankrupt, because they […]How Stablecoins and Other Financial Innovations May Reshape the Global Economy
September 9, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Three years ago, Finance & Development devoted a full issue to anticipating “The Money Revolution,” driven by innovations in finance, such as crypto assets. That revolution is now unfolding. This issue of F&D looks at the new frontiers of finance, where technology, data, and changing societal values are reshaping how people and […]Safe seas key to global prosperity, Security Council told
August 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Shipping is crucial to the global economy, with more than 100,000 vessels a day transporting some 80 per cent of world commerce, but it remains vulnerable to disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions and transnational crime. Keeping sea routes safe today while also addressing emerging challenges was the […]Nature Credits Roadmap to reward nature-positive action and boost private finance
July 8, 2025 by 1 Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the European Commission launched a ‘Roadmap towards Nature Credits’, to incentivise private investments into actions that protect and preserve nature, and reward those who undertake these actions and invest in them. Nature credits represent an investment into nature-positive actions by a company, a […]Commission proposes to postpone by one additional year the market risk prudential requirements under Basel III
June 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission has today adopted a delegated act that postpones by one additional year – until 1 January 2027 – the date of application of the one remaining part of the Basel III international standards in the EU – the Fundamental Review of […]Commission endorses positive preliminary assessment of Sweden’s first payment request for €1.6 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility
June 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Today, the Commission has endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Sweden’s first payment request for €1.6 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. Following its assessment of the payment request, submitted by Sweden on 20 December 2024, the Commission has preliminarily concluded […]Commission cuts red tape and maximises impact of foreign aid investment
May 29, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission is increasing the efficiency and firepower of its External Action Guarantee (EAG), a key financial tool under the Global Gateway strategy that offers more affordable loans to unlock investments in partner countries around the world. In an increasingly complex geopolitical context, […]Fostering Core Government Bond Market Resilience
May 22, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Tobias Adrian, Kleopatra Nikolaou, Jason Wu The smooth functioning of government bond markets is important for the safety and soundness of broader capital markets, especially amid heightened financial market volatility. Bond markets recently adjusted sharply to an abrupt re-assessment of the global macroeconomic environment and elevated trade policy […]EBRD cuts growth forecasts amid surging trade policy uncertainty
May 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has lowered its regional economic forecast for 2025 by 0.2 percentage points relative to its February 2025 projections. According to the Bank’s Regional Economic Prospects report published today, economies in which the EBRD invests are now projected to […]Stuck in the middle? Indebted nations plot path to growth amid global trade upheaval
April 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. Faced with mounting debt and economic stagnation, middle-income countries have issued a call for financial reform, sustainable investment, and a roadmap to escape the so-called “middle-income trap,” at a UN-backed international conference held in Manila, Philippines, which concluded on Tuesday. The High-Level Conference of Middle-Income Countries (MICs), […]Seven Success Mantras for Public Financial Management Reforms
April 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Antonio Blasco, Srinivas Gurazada Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment reports offer a comprehensive 360-degree view of Public Financial Management (PFM), utilizing robust evidence-based scoring methodology. While producing a high-quality PEFA assessment report is largely a technical exercise, decisions on reform actions necessarily need to go beyond […]EP Trade Committee Chair on US tariffs: “Unjustified, illegal and disproportionate”
April 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with the European Parliament. ernd LANGE (S&D, DE), Chairman of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, reacts to the 20% tariff announced by US President Donald Trump tonight. “While President Trump might call today ‘Liberation Day’, from an ordinary citizen’s point of view this is ‘Inflation Day’. These […]EU-Chile Interim Trade Agreement enters into force
February 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with United Nations. The EU-Chile Interim Trade Agreement (ITA) has entered into force, following the completion of Chile’s ratification process. The ITA, which was signed in December 2023, is of key geopolitical importance. It will boost the competitiveness of businesses on both sides, while providing a shared platform for the […]Central Eastern South Eastern Europe Banks report positive trends in credit demand and supply
December 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. After a challenging period marked by tight credit conditions, banks in Central Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (CESEE) are reporting increased willingness to lend together with a stronger credit demand from both households and businesses. However, expectations for the upcoming months indicate a slightly more cautious outlook, […]COP29: Circular economy investments deliver social, economic and environmental benefits
November 21, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is brought to you in association with EBRD. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) presented their first joint report on the circular economy: “The circular economy in motion”. The report presents 20 detailed case studies from around the world and a variety of areas ranging […]Civil Service Reform as an Enabler of Public Financial Management Reform
November 5, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Civil service reform and public financial management (PFM) reform are closely intertwined, both vital to improving governance. Strong PFM helps ensure public sector efficiency and transparency, which in turn supports economic growth, improves service delivery, and reduces corruption. Similarly, civil service reform seeks to improve the delivery of […]As Inflation Recedes, Global Economy Needs Policy Triple Pivot
October 28, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with IMF. Growth is projected to hold steady, but amid weakening prospects and rising threats, the world needs a shift in policy gears Let’s start with the good news: it looks like the global battle against inflation has largely been won, even if price pressures persist in some countries. After […]
