European Union
In its October notification of 21 October, Eurostat put the 2025 government deficit at 3.0% of GDP in the euro area and 3.1% in the EU. Eleven member states were above 3%; the largest deficits were in Romania (7.8%), Poland (7.2%), Belgium (5.2%) and France (5.1%). Cyprus (+3.6%), Denmark, Greece, Ireland and Portugal ran surpluses. Debt was 87.7% of GDP in the euro area, highest in Greece (145.4%) and Italy (136.7%).
Eurostat
Euro-area government debt reached 88.8% of GDP at the end of the second quarter of 2026, up from 88.4% in the first quarter and 87.3% a year earlier; in the EU it was 82.9%, Eurostat reported on 21 October. The highest ratios were in Greece (140.8%), Italy (139.9%) and France (119.1%), the lowest in Estonia (26.1%) and Denmark (27.1%).
Eurostat
Seasonally adjusted construction production rose 1.8% in the euro area and 2.0% in the EU in August from July, and 1.4% and 2.6% from a year earlier, Eurostat reported on 20 October. Building construction fell 0.4% on the month in the euro area. Among member states, Hungary (+14.0%) and Germany (+9.3%) grew most on the month; on the year, Romania rose 39.0% and France fell 7.8%.
Eurostat
The Commission selected 77 net-zero technology projects in 23 EEA countries on 19 October for 3.4 billion euros from the Innovation Fund, which reinvests EU carbon-market revenue. For the first time the list includes a small modular nuclear reactor and a direct-air carbon capture and storage project, plus six critical-raw-materials projects. The Commission estimates the projects could avoid around 290 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
European Commission
Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement, welcomed by the Commission on 21 October, to strengthen the Market Stability Reserve of the EU Emissions Trading System. Instead of invalidating every allowance above 400 million, the reserve will be able to keep up to 700 million as a buffer against excessive price swings. The Commission proposed the change in April; EU leaders called for it on 16 October.
European Commission
On 21 October the Commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether Booking.com breached the Digital Services Act by failing to assess and mitigate risks from fraudulent listings and phishing scams that exploit reservation and guest data. It will also examine whether listings whose providers paid for higher ranking were clearly labelled as ads.
European Commission
The Commission gave a positive assessment on 21 October to Germany's fourth and final payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, worth 6 billion euros. With it Germany has completed all reforms and investments of its 30.3 billion euro plan, including energy renovation of more than 36,000 buildings, over 1,100 district-heating projects and more than 3,000 electric and fuel-cell buses.
European Commission
The Commission and the High Representative presented a new Arctic strategy on 20 October with four priorities: security and resilience, responding to climate change, prosperity, and opportunities for Arctic communities. More than half a million EU citizens live in the Arctic, which is warming nearly four times faster than the global average while new shipping routes and resources sharpen strategic competition.
European Commission
After a dialogue with the Commission and national consumer authorities led by Sweden and Hungary, the three companies committed on 22 October to replace labels such as 'I am a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic' with 'This bottle is 100% recycled. Excluding cap and label', and to drop 'Recycle me again', which suggests the bottle was already recycled into a bottle before.
European Commission
The Commission opened a formal investigation on 23 October into whether Omya, the largest supplier of calcium carbonates in the EEA, abused a possible dominant position by requiring paper-industry customers to buy all or most of their calcium carbonates from it and by granting exclusivity rebates. The minerals are used as fillers and coating pigments in paper.
European Commission
EPSO & EU careers
EPSO opened EPSO/AD/431/26 on 21 October: lawyer-linguists at grade AD 7 for the Court of Justice of the EU in Luxembourg, one competition per language - Bulgarian (12 places), German (30), Greek (20), Spanish (20), Irish (30), Maltese (10), Dutch (20) and Romanian (12). Candidates need a law degree, their main language at C2 and two more at C1, and may apply for one language only. Applications close on 25 November 2026 at 12:00 Luxembourg time; supporting documents are due by 29 March 2027.
EPSO
EPSO published the application breakdown by nationality for EPSO/AD/430/26 (AD 8) on 19 October. The artificial-intelligence field received 3,734 applications, led by Italy (666), Greece (640) and Spain (502); the cybersecurity field received 2,157, led by Greece (398), Italy (304) and Romania (286). Candidates from all 27 member states applied to both fields.
EPSO
World
In Alberta's first referendum on separation, held on 19 October, about 76% of the roughly 1.8 million votes counted backed remaining in Canada and 24% supported starting a process towards separation, according to preliminary results. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Albertans had made a 'clear choice' for unity; the secessionist Alberta Prosperity Project said its campaign would continue.
Al Jazeera
The Kremlin said on 23 October that trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg this week and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 20 October. Putin said talks should address long-term security arrangements for a final deal rather than a short truce. A week earlier, President Trump had put on hold a package of Russia sanctions he signed into law in September.
Al Jazeera
The European Parliament awarded its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the International Criminal Court on 22 October, two weeks after US President Donald Trump vowed to dismantle the court through new sanctions. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the prize reaffirmed the importance of independent judicial institutions. Former ICC judge Navi Pillay received this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Al Jazeera
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on 22 October that seven oil tankers were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz, four by attacks and three by mines, the highest one-day toll since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February; the claim could not be independently verified. The Guards warned that the conflict could extend to US bases if Washington keeps escorting tankers through the strait.
Al Jazeera
A drone attack on Amiet Market in Abyei, the region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, killed at least 153 people on 19 October, a South Sudanese official said, blaming Sudan's army. South Sudan summoned Sudan's ambassador. A Sudanese officer told AP the army struck fuel tankers heading to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Al Jazeera
The Ebola outbreak declared in DR Congo in mid-May, which has killed more than 4,000 people there, now has active or recent cases in Kenya and Nigeria, the WHO said on 22 October. Nigeria, the most populous country affected, confirmed its first case of the Bundibugyo strain on 20 October; Uganda had cases earlier and has been declared Ebola-free.
Al Jazeera
Authorities banned demonstrations on 22 October in parts of Paris and in Lyon, Lille and Grenoble after more than half a million people protested on 17 October over school conditions and living costs and riots broke out. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said at least 2,700 people had been detained and 217 already convicted. President Emmanuel Macron blamed 'seditious' ultra-left groups.
Al Jazeera
A New Mexico state judge ordered Meta on 21 October to pay 25 billion dollars after a jury found it responsible for more than 43 million violations of the state's consumer-protection laws by misleading Facebook users about who could access their data. It is the largest fine ever imposed on the company; the state says the money will go to education.
Al Jazeera
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck a remote part of northern Tibet at 22:33 local time on 22 October, killing at least 16 people, according to Chinese state media; search and rescue continued on 23 October.
Al Jazeera / Xinhua
A court in Kenya found self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and dozens of associates guilty on 19 October of the murder of 191 people, all but one of them children, who died after followers of his Good News International Church were told to starve themselves and their children to death.
Al Jazeera
Germany
Industrial producer prices rose 6.7% in September 2026 from a year earlier and 1.9% from August, Destatis reported on 20 October. Energy was 14.9% dearer, with mineral oil products up 51.3%, which Destatis links to the conflict in Iran and the Middle East. Excluding energy, prices rose 3.2%. Intermediate goods were up 6.4% (metals +14.0%), while food prices fell 4.1%.
Destatis
Germany imported 49.1 million tonnes of crude oil from January to August 2026, 0.6% less than a year earlier, but paid 30.0 billion euros for it, up 21.7%, Destatis reported on 20 October, citing higher prices after the conflict in the Middle East. The average price was 607 euros per tonne in August. The United States was the biggest supplier, ahead of Norway and Kazakhstan.
Destatis
The real stock of orders in manufacturing rose 0.5% in August from July and was 10.7% higher than a year earlier, Destatis reported on 19 October. Unfilled domestic orders rose 0.4% and foreign orders 0.5%. At the current level of turnover, the backlog would take 9.0 months to work off, unchanged from July; for capital goods it is 12.6 months.
Destatis
About 200 executives attended the Invest in Germany Summit in Berlin on 19 and 20 October. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the companies contacted had agreed to invest around 230 billion euros in total, including projects announced earlier. Amazon plans more than 16 billion euros in 2027 for AI data centres, satellite internet and logistics; Brookfield plans several tens of billions over five years; Nvidia announced stakes in four German start-ups and an industrial-AI partnership with the government.
deutschland.de / dpa
After lengthy negotiations, Germany and France agreed joint proposals that would let carmakers keep selling new hybrid and combustion-engine cars after 2035 without the risk of fines: from 2035 manufacturers would have to cut average emissions by 90% instead of 100%, without offsetting the rest. France had been among the countries able to block a softer rule; the deal could give the proposals a majority in the EU Council. Chancellor Merz said it 'puts an end to talk of the phase-out of conventional vehicles'.
deutschland.de / dpa
At a summit in Budva, Montenegro, on 23 October with the leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, Chancellor Merz said: 'We want you to join the EU. You can rely on Germany and on my personal support.' He also urged the six to speed up reforms. Germany and France favour faster accession and better access to the Single Market before full membership; Montenegro is the furthest advanced.
deutschland.de / dpa
An ifo Dresden study published on 19 October counts 496,000 fewer jobs subject to social insurance in German industry at the end of 2025 than at the start of 2019, a fall of 7.1%; including agency work, about 628,000. Car makers and suppliers lost 123,500 jobs (13%), metal products 115,600 and mechanical engineering 64,500. Services gained more than 2.2 million jobs, mostly in health, social services and public administration. The east lost 8.4%, the west 6.8%.
ifo Institute
Germany spends 20% of industrial R&D on high-tech sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chips and aerospace, down from 32% in 1995 and near the bottom of 18 OECD countries; the United States is at 68% and France at 46%, ifo reported on 20 October. Roughly three quarters goes to mid-tech sectors such as cars, machinery and chemicals. At the 38% international average, ifo estimates, annual growth of GDP per head would be about 0.9 points higher in the medium term.
ifo Institute
The 17-cent-per-litre fuel tax cut in force since 1 October has reached drivers almost in full for petrol but only by about 14 cents for diesel, according to the ifo Fuel Discount Tracker of 22 October, which compares German prices with France. Since 1 October, about 16 cents have been passed on for E5 and 14 cents each for diesel and E10.
ifo Institute
The planned reform from November 2027 cuts the maximum parental allowance period from 14 to 12 months and reserves three months for each parent. The government expects to save about 1.6 billion euros by 2030; an ifo Dresden study of 21 October puts the saving at up to 880 million euros, and at about 311 million if the share of fathers taking leave rises by 2 points a year. Fathers receive 1,345 euros a month on average, mothers 845.
ifo Institute
Brazil
O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) e o senador Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) se enfrentaram em 18 de outubro no primeiro debate do segundo turno, na TV Bandeirantes, marcado por acusações mútuas e intervenções dos mediadores. Na segurança pública, Flávio disse que vai classificar facções criminosas como narcoterroristas e criar 500 mil vagas no sistema penitenciário; Lula repetiu que criará o Ministério da Segurança Pública. Na saúde, Flávio afirmou que indicaria Cláudio Lottenberg, presidente do Hospital Albert Einstein, para ministro. O segundo turno é em 25 de outubro.
Agência Brasil
Em 22 de outubro, as duas campanhas protocolaram no Tribunal Superior Eleitoral um termo em que os candidatos autorizam a abertura total e simultânea dos próprios sigilos bancário, fiscal e telefônico, estendida a familiares e a empresas ligadas a eles. O acordo inclui, a pedido da campanha de Lula, a empresa Alcazar Holdings, do advogado Willer Tomaz, e, a pedido da campanha de Flávio, o ex-chefe de gabinete de Lula Marco Aurélio Santana Ribeiro, os gastos com cartões corporativos da Presidência e a agenda da primeira-dama. O desafio havia sido lançado por Lula no debate de 18 de outubro; o pedido ainda será analisado pelo ministro André Mendonça.
TSE / Agência Brasil
O presidente sancionou em 21 de outubro o PLP 186/2026, aprovado por 78 a 0 no Senado e 461 a 4 na Câmara. A lei perdoa integralmente as dívidas tributárias federais dos microempreendedores individuais inscritas até 13 de outubro de 2026, de forma automática a partir de 1º de janeiro de 2027, desde que o MEI pague em dia as guias do DAS nos seis meses seguintes. Segundo o governo, mais de 3,6 milhões de MEIs terão R$ 18,7 bilhões em dívidas perdoadas. A lei também eleva o limite anual de faturamento do MEI.
Presidência / Agência Brasil
O governo enviou ao Congresso em 21 de outubro uma proposta de emenda à Constituição que destina no mínimo 26,8% das emendas parlamentares impositivas ao custeio da gratuidade do transporte público coletivo urbano. Com base nos R$ 44,8 bilhões em emendas obrigatórias previstos para 2027, seriam cerca de R$ 12 bilhões, valor que, segundo a Secom, pode financiar a tarifa zero aos fins de semana e feriados. A regra valeria a partir do Orçamento de 2027, sem aumento de despesa.
Governo federal / Agência Brasil
A Receita Federal informou em 22 de outubro que a arrecadação de setembro teve alta real de 5,62% sobre setembro de 2025. De janeiro a setembro, somou R$ 2,351 trilhões, com alta real de 6,97%. Contribuíram principalmente a contribuição previdenciária (R$ 64,6 bilhões, +6,18%), o PIS/Cofins, o imposto de renda retido sobre rendimentos de capital (+9,68%) e os tributos sobre importações (R$ 13,3 bilhões, +21,07%).
Receita Federal / Agência Brasil
O Monitor do PIB do Ibre/FGV, divulgado em 19 de outubro, estima alta de 0,5% da atividade em agosto frente a julho, puxada pela indústria extrativa e pelos serviços, e de 1,8% em 12 meses. O IBC-Br do Banco Central, divulgado em 16 de outubro, havia indicado alta de 0,3% no mês. No Boletim Focus da mesma segunda-feira, o mercado projeta crescimento de 1,83% do PIB em 2026.
FGV / Agência Brasil
A 4ª Vara Empresarial do Rio de Janeiro decretou em 19 de outubro o fim da recuperação judicial do Grupo Americanas, por considerar cumpridas as obrigações do plano; ainda cabe recurso. O processo começou em janeiro de 2023, após a revelação de inconsistências contábeis de cerca de R$ 20 bilhões, com dívidas declaradas de aproximadamente R$ 43 bilhões. O juiz ressalvou que credores prejudicados por descumprimento do plano ainda podem pedir a execução ou a falência.
TJRJ / Agência Brasil
A Receita Federal informou em 20 de outubro que quase 26 milhões de contribuintes receberam mais de R$ 41 bilhões em restituições do IRPF em 2026, um recorde; 80% foram liberadas em até um mês após o fim do prazo de entrega. O cashback do IRPF pagou R$ 460 milhões a 3,4 milhões de pessoas, e cerca de 500 mil contribuintes na malha fina receberam cartas para corrigir pendências.
Receita Federal / Agência Brasil
O ministro da Fazenda, Dario Durigan, disse em 21 de outubro que a primeira etapa do Desenrola 3.0 pode receber até R$ 90 bilhões em carteiras de dívidas antigas oferecidas por bancos e fundos. Como o programa exige desconto mínimo de 90%, a União pagaria no máximo R$ 9 bilhões. O edital de chamamento foi publicado em 22 de outubro; as instituições têm cinco dias úteis para informar o volume, com prioridade para devedores de menor renda e MEIs.
Ministério da Fazenda / Agência Brasil
O Ministério do Planejamento informou em 19 de outubro que pretende remanejar cerca de R$ 20 bilhões no projeto de Orçamento de 2027, pouco mais de 1% das despesas sujeitas ao limite, para acomodar as medidas de estímulo anunciadas recentemente, sem elevar o teto de gastos nem mudar a meta de superávit de 0,5% do PIB. A nota não detalha quais despesas serão cortadas.
Ministério do Planejamento / Agência Brasil