To better understand the need for a change in policy, this article first provides a brief overview of the current legislation and its implementation in member states and then looks at how current proposals for new minimum rates were formed. Finally, it evaluates whether increasing taxes on alcohol is the best course of action.
We can find examples of negative interest rates in countries throughout history. But these are geographically or time-isolated cases. However, today we live in a world where more and more things are turning upside down. And one of such things is the fact that negative interest rates are shifting from a deviation to a norm (for the time being only within the financial system).
Competitiveness of Europe is lagging, pension systems keep ignoring the demographic trend, relative price of energy for industrial consumers is growing, there are popular jokes about labor markets in France or Italy, starting a business and tax compliance is still extremely demanding tasks in many of the member countries.
Application of genetic engineering technology is strictly regulated in the EU. GMO as well as food or feed containing GMO is subject to a comprehensive authorisation procedure which involves risks assessment to human health and the environment, before the company is allowed to place GMO on the market. But how does it work in Ukraine?
The use of optimistic projections would pose no problems if budget expenditures were trimmed, automatically, in lockstep with shrinking budget revenue. Sadly, this is not the case.
Even under enormous pressure from Moscow, Belarus saw the crisis in Ukraine as a way to increase its geopolitical importance, improve its negotiating power in relations with Russia and to change its strained relations with the EU.
The signed deal on gas supplies from Russia allows Ukraine to be fairly optimistic about its energy future: Ukraine will have enough gas to last it for the winter and enough money to pay for it.
Basic income by itself will not solve the problems we’re confronted with, and particularly the growth of the precariat. But without basic income I cannot see a solution to the growing inequalities that we’re experiencing.
