Bjarke Smith Meyer

Brussels

Senior Finance Correspondent at POLITICO Europe

@POLITICOEurope Senior Finance Correspondent. Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush. Email: [email protected] RT not endorsement.

Featured in: Favicon

politico.eu Favicon

msn.com

cnbc.com

welt.de

yahoo.com

politico.com Favicon

realclearworld.com Favicon

onet.pl

bisanet.org Favicon

flipboard.com + 2 more

Articles

EIB’s Hoyer denies €1M corruption allegations

Jul 9, 2024 | politico.eu | Elisa Braun |Bjarke Smith Meyer

LUXEMBOURG — The former president of the European Investment Bank (EIB) says he played no part in negotiations over a €1 million package he signed off on for a departing employee that is now the focus of a massive corruption probe.
EU top cop launches bombshell corruption probe into former European Investment Bank chief

Jun 24, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer |Elisa Braun

BRUSSELS — EU prosecutors tasked with investigating serious financial crimes are probing the former president of the European Investment Bank.
Expect EU to finally fine a far-right France

Jun 16, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer |Gregorio Sorgi |Giorgio Leali

BRUSSELS ― France has always been too big, too powerful and ― most crucially of all ― too much a part of the cozy EU establishment to be fined for its financial sins. But the party might be over. As the European Commission prepares on Wednesday to name and shame the latest batch of governments which have flouted budget rules, France's easy ride no longer looks sustainable.
Governments cool on plan to use EU budget to guarantee loan for Ukraine

Jun 5, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer |Giorgio Leali |Gregorio Sorgi |Ben Munster

European finance ministers are leaning toward a U.S.-led idea of western governments jointly securing a multibillion euro loan for Ukraine ― rather than the EU doing it by itself ― five officials told POLITICO. But during an online meeting today, the alternative option of the EU using the might of its €1.2 trillion seven-year budget as collateral for an EU-only loan remained on the table, other officials said.
EU looks at using its own budget as guarantee for huge loan to Ukraine

Jun 4, 2024 | politico.eu | Gregorio Sorgi |Bjarke Smith Meyer

BRUSSELS ― The EU signaled it could massively scale up its financing of Ukraine by securing its own multibillion euro loan to fund the war-ravaged nation instead of relying on a broader U.S.-led initiative. The European Commission is floating the idea of using future interest generated by the investment of Russian assets frozen in Europe to pay back a loan that would, crucially, use the might of the bloc's €1.2 trillion seven-year budget as collateral.
Politicians passed laws against high spending, but are promising it anyway

May 29, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer

BRUSSELS ― Talk is cheap and election candidates are full of it. But do voters know they can't splash the cash anything like they're implying? After slow growth and years of lavish spending to cope with the pandemic, the EU agreed rules this year that rein in capitals' ability to run up deficits. And yet, the promises continue to come, with familiar themes across the bloc.
Has the EU really just found €400B it could spend on defense?

May 5, 2024 | politico.eu | Gregorio Sorgi |Bjarke Smith Meyer

BRUSSELS — The EU's emergency bailout fund — created at the peak of the debt crisis — could be the answer to governments' prayers: a ready-made money pot it could invest in defense. Powerful figures in the bloc are pushing for the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), worth €422 billion, to move beyond its original role rescuing drowning economies, according to five people with knowledge of the discussions.
Parliament quietly rejects calls to probe Markus Ferber

Apr 23, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer

The European Parliament will not investigate German conservative MEP Markus Ferber following a POLITICO investigation into his relationship with Dutch businessman Michael Heijmeijer. The decision was made effective last week during Parliament’s Conference of Presidents (COP), a routine gathering of political group chairs and Parliament President Roberta Metsola. The Parliament does not comment on COP discussions and there's no written record of the decision.
Time for a European single market ‘with teeth’ to take on China, India, leaders told

Apr 16, 2024 | politico.eu | Giovanna Faggionato |Bjarke Smith Meyer

BRUSSELS ― It's older than the euro and as integral to the EU as being able to cross borders without a passport ― but the single market is failing to deliver while ever-stronger world economies gain the upper hand. Enrico Letta, a former Italian prime minister who will hand his report on the issue to EU leaders at their summit in Brussels on Thursday, told POLITICO the bloc needed to be "less naïve" if Europe was going to be robust enough in the years ahead.
‘Russia must not prevail,’ EU tells the world

Apr 9, 2024 | politico.eu | Bjarke Smith Meyer

The EU will ramp up its rhetoric against Moscow when finance ministers travel to Washington for international meetings next week, according to draft statements seen by POLITICO. “Russia must not prevail” in Ukraine, a nine-page document prepared for the the International Monetary Fund and G20 gatherings says.