What’s happening this week in economics? Deloitte’s team of economists examines news and trends from around the world.
06
Apr
EACC & Member News
02
Apr
The European Blockchain Sandbox (‘Sandbox’), a European Commission initiative, concluded its work with the publication of the 3rd cohort best practices report in February 2026. The Sandbox provided a pan-European framework enabling cross-border regulatory discussions between blockchain/DLT innovators from both the private and public sectors with regulators and authorities on national and EU level.
02
Apr
The German industry is under massive pressure. Several crises are unfolding simultaneously. Following Covid, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and the initial semiconductor crisis, many companies are under severe economic pressure. The current situation is making matters even worse.
01
Apr
Loyens & Loeff New York regularly posts ‘Snippets’ on a range of EU tax and legal topics. This snippet is focused on the proposal for cross-border EU corporate structure.
01
Apr
On 18 March 2026, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal for EU Inc. – a completely new, harmonised European company form intended to be the cornerstone of the so-called ‘28th regime’. The proposal is ambitious: it aims to provide European founders and investors with a common, digital corporate law framework applicable across the EU, without having to navigate 27 national legal systems and more than 60 different company forms. Below, we outline the key elements from a practical start-up and VC perspective.
30
Mar
The prospect of a prolonged conflict of uncertain outcome sent stocks, bonds and almost all currencies except the dollar down. The sell off accelerated into the Friday close and continued in early Asian trading on Monday. Energy prices are spiking and dragging other commodities upward; these are the only major asset classes benefiting from the situation. Macroeconomic data around the world is starting to reflect the war’s consequences – higher inflation and lower growth.
30
Mar
Algorithms and AI are rapidly reshaping how companies set prices and compete, but they are also attracting intensified antitrust scrutiny. Competition authorities have made clear that technological sophistication does not neutralise traditional cartel risks, and may even amplify them.
30
Mar
Digital accessibility is rapidly moving up the regulatory agenda. Recent findings by the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) show that 61% of the largest Dutch webshops are still not digitally accessible. A clear signal that action is needed.
26
Mar
Unternehmen mit energie‑, rohstoff- oder logistikintensiven Geschäftsmodellen stehen erneut stark unter Druck: Der Iran‑Konflikt hat die Straße von Hormus als Engpass des Welthandels in den Fokus gerückt. Über diese Meerenge läuft rund ein Fünftel des weltweiten Rohölverbrauchs und etwa 20 Prozent des LNG‑Handels; Blockaden und Angriffe führen zu massiven Preissprüngen bei Öl und Gas, aber auch bei Düngemitteln, chemischen Vorprodukten und Frachtraten.
23
Mar
The DHS shutdown continues as the White House and Congressional leaders negotiate to fully reopen the Department.