Public spending

countryside in Hungary

Do EU green investments in Hungary go where they are the most needed? 

Tuesday 14 June 2022 | Laszlo Arato
Kata Moravecz
| EUrologus

Climate change will heavily affect the economy of some Hungarian regions, but they receive a relatively low share of EU funding meant for green projects, sustainability and environmental protection. 

How member states have supported their businesses during the pandemic 

Wednesday 29 July 2020 | Danuta Pawłowska
| BiQdata

The COVID-19 crisis will lead to a sharp contraction of GDP in all EU member states. From billions for airlines to several hundred euros for small businesses, governments have been supporting their economy in different ways. 

Covid-19 vaccine contracts: EU has hands tied, experts say 

Wednesday 03 February 2021 | Stefano Valentino
| Voxeurop

The clash between the EU and AstraZeneca over delayed vaccines has revealed a stack of questionable contracts signed with Big Pharma. Problems include manufacturers’ ambiguous delivery dates, but lawyers investigating the deals show that companies have a clear advantage over the EU. 

A girl wearing a protective mask with a "no planet B" slogan on it

With loosened cohesion rules, EU money is channelled away from climate action 

Tuesday 16 March 2021 | Louise Rozès Moscovenko
Philipp Grüll
Vlagyiszlav Makszimov
| Euractiv

EU countries have reallocated €3.8 billion of EU structural funds away from climate action to enable a rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis. However, the European Commission hopes that the incoming fresh cash will reverse that trend.

How Croatia plans to spend €22 billion in EU funds 

Wednesday 16 December 2020 | Toni Gabrić
| H-Alter

Croatia is expected to receive a good wealth of EU funds in the coming years. However, the strategic priorities doesn't appear very bold and clear, and the plan for the use of the Recovery Fund is not ready yet.

COVID-19 vaccines: here's who is producing them in Europe, and where 

Friday 05 March 2021 | Stefano Valentino
| Voxeurop

Pharmaceutical giants producing COVID-19 vaccines are open to collaboration with third parties, as long as they retain control on vaccine licenses and profits. EU member states complain about supply shortages, but fail to question the power of Big Pharma.

The poor state of Europe’s health systems 

Tuesday 15 December 2020 | Céline Mouzon
| Alternatives Economiques

Slow starts, supply shortages, disorganised and ad hoc management… Responses to COVID-19 across Europe have hardly been an occasion for pride. The OECD stresses the need to take into account the social inequalities in health, and consider health an investment rather than an expense.

Family benefits in the EU 

Tuesday 17 November 2020 | Laszlo Arato
| EUrologus

Central and Eastern European member states need to bridge a huge gap in social spending, particularly in the area of family welfare payments. However, some of these countries already spend a relatively high share of social spending for family benefits.

Nine-in-ten EU regions face revenue plunge 

Monday 19 October 2020 | Eszter Zalan
| EUobserver

Almost every local government across the EU expects a sharp decrease in revenues this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expenditure on health, social services and civil protection has boomed, while income from tourism and the economy is decreasing. 

Nurse walking by a hospital building

COVID-19 pandemic exposes southern Europe’s nursing shortage  Large investigation

Tuesday 23 June 2020 | Ángela Bernardo
Carmen Torrecillas
María Álvarez Del Vayo
| Civio

For weeks, Spain and Italy were epicentres of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their health defences had an important gap: large staffing shortages and low ratios of nurses to doctors. At the same time, nurses had higher infection rates than the general population, mainly because of the lack of personal protective equipment.