17 May 2016 - In the latest attempt from a big city to move away from car hegemony, Barcelona has ambitious plans. Currently faced with excessive pollution and noise levels, the city has come up with a new mobility plan to reduce traffic by 21%.

23 May 2016 - Within Europe, Ms Violeta Bulc's focus is on the single market. She wants to make sure that Transport is as efficient as possible as it is an enabler of the Economy and not an obstacle.

26 May 2016 - A Beijing company has unveiled spectacularly futuristic designs for a pollution-busting, elevated bus capable of gliding over the nightmarish mega-jams for which urban China has become notorious.

26 May 2016 - Councils across the country have won nearly £21m (€26.25m) of funding from the government to promote green forms of transport.

The funding is being given out for 23 sustainable travel initiatives across England that offer cheap, clean and healthy travel options to access jobs and education opportunities.

The government says its £21m funding continues its commitment to green transport. Over £300m is committed to support cycling and walking over this Parliament. More than £6bn is earmarked for local road maintenance up to 2021 benefitting cyclists as well as motorists.

On 09 June 2016 in Brussels EPN Consulting attended The Brussels Economic Forum 2016

The 16th Brussels Economic Forum focused on how a revamped EMU (Economic and Monetary Union) and next generation structural reforms, supported by the Investment plan for Europe could serve to boost jobs and growth in the EU.

Following introductory remarks by the European Commission's Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Marco Buti, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi gave the 5th Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa Lecture.

Monetary policy does not exist in a vacuum, he said, describing the situation of central banks as independence in interdependence. While each euro area country has its own challenges, raising economic potential is above all about structural reforms, and ultimately comes down to two factors: employment and productivity.
Relating to keynote speeches given by Vice-Presidents Dombrovskis and Katainen, Commissioner Moscovici and EIB President Hoyer, four panels explored the Forum's topical issues in detail and also discussed lessons learnt from economic adjustment programmes.

An inspiring and stimulating day.

The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) represents a major step in the integration of EU economies. It involves the coordination of economic and fiscal policies, a common monetary policy and a common currency: the Euro.

- Coordination of economic policy-making between Member States
- Coordination of fiscal policies, notably through limits on government debt and deficit
- An independent monetary policy run by the European Central Bank (ECB)
- Single rules and supervision of financial Institutions within the euro area
- The single currency and the Euro area