The shadow economy includes the production of goods and services "hidden" intentionally for any of the following reasons:

a) to avoid paying income tax, value added tax and other taxes;

b) to avoid paying contributions to the health system, the social security system etc;

c) to avoid compliance with certain legal labour market standards, such as the mandatory minimum wage per economy, the maximum number of working hours, labour security standards;

A comparative Eurobarometer survey on citizens’ 'perceptions and expectations', conducted for the European Parliament in 2016 and 2018, shows that the share of EU citizens who would like the EU to intervene more in the fight against tax fraud has remained almost unchanged – a marginal fall of one percentage point, from 75 % to 74 %.

Legislative work in the European Parliament’s eighth term ends on 18 April 2019. In other words, 73 days will elapse until 1st July 2019 (date at which the EP’s eighth term ends) without any legislative work. Ongoing negotiations with Member States on legislative proposals have already been suspended. If no agreement was reached Parliament as a whole can vote on its position and close first readings for the next Parliament to continue the work.

Major legislative decisions during the Parliament's 8th term

Trade between Russia and the European Union started to improve in early 2017 despite trade barriers from mutual sanctions introduced almost five years ago. In the first three quarters of 2018, trade turnover between Russia and the EU increased by 21.5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Russian exports to the EU countries increased by almost 30 percent while imports are up by 7.4 percent. The trade volume has already exceeded 2014 figures when Western anti-Russia sanctions were introduced.

Author: Igor Delanoë is Deputy Director of the Franco-Russian Observatory in Moscow.

Alphabetical Listing

Nationalist anti-immigration parties plan to join forces following next month’s European Union parliamentary election, looking to create a new bloc to shake up the EU. The group would be called the European Alliance for People and Nations (EAPN) and would draw its members from Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD), and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) to involve at least 10 parties from as many nations.

Russia’s actions in Crimea in 2014 prompted international sanctions and Western attempts to isolate the Kremlin. And relations between Russia and the West remain at their lowest level since the end of the Cold War. But the West’s response has had no effect whatsoever on Russia’s position. Despite international protests, Russia is in full control of the peninsula and nearby areas. Infrastructure has been built there, including a road and rail bridge across the Kerch Strait to connect Crimea to Krasnodar Krai in Russia.

RE: Peaceful Settlement to Conflict in Ukraine,  Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity of Crimea, Donbas Region

Speakers

Source: World's Top Exports (WTEx)

Amount and % of EU Total