Human Times

European Edition

8th July 2026

THE HOT STORY

Fears that 'EU Inc' could erode labour rights

Unions and lawmakers fear that the European Union's new proposal, "EU Inc", a rulebook which aims to streamline business registration across member states, allowing companies to set up online in under 48 hours, could undermine labour rights and worker protections. "On the surface it looks like a technical company law proposal," Marcus Meyer-Erdmann, a researcher at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), said. "But underneath there are a lot of core elements like pay, worker protection, individual workers' rights, also dismissal protection . . . that would be rendered obsolete in a sense." Finnish radical left EU lawmaker Li Andersson said the proposal "clearly opens up the possibility" for companies to register where labour rights are the weakest. But centrist French EU lawmaker Pascal Canfin is offering reassurances that workers' rights will be protected. "The proposal must not have loopholes that allow abuses," he said. Canfin is to take part in negotiations on behalf of the parliament,

France 24

RISK

ECB says EU banks must set out AI risk plan

European Central Bank chief financial supervisor Claudia Buch has sent a letter to 110 lenders giving them until the end of October to come up with a “comprehensive action plan” on how they will tackle risks from cutting-edge artificial intelligence models. "Emerging AI models are capable of identifying software vulnerabilities and generating functioning exploits at unprecedented speed, compressing the timeline between vulnerability discovery and exploitation. These developments have potentially profound implications for the confidentiality, integrity and resilience of banks’ information and communication technology (ICT) systems," Buch wrote. In a separate warning, the European Systemic Risk Board, a European Union body that issues recommendations to other authorities, also said systemic cyber risks stemming from frontier AI models “should be treated as a source of systemic risk” by the finance industry.

Financial Times

Politico

Reuters

Berlin power outage 'was terror attack'

A five-day power outage in Berlin in January was caused by a terrorist attack, a state-appointed commission has said in a report which makes recommendations to bolster security on critical infrastructure and urges more federal funding to better prepare for such crises. “The terrorist attack on the power grid in January 2026 was a wake-up call for Berlin and other cities,” the commission said. “The power outage was resolved in just a few days, yet it revealed how ill-prepared Berlin is for larger, longer-lasting, or hybrid situations.” The report calls for a new position of chief resilience officer for Berlin.

Bloomberg

WORKFORCE

Tackling unemployment linked to long-term illness 'will unlock UK's economic growth'

Former John Lewis chair Sir Charlie Mayfield has said that tackling unemployment linked to long-term illness will unlock UK economic growth that's "hiding in plain sight." More than 250 of the UK's biggest employers have signed up to his Get Britain Working taskforce, which aims to prevent people dropping out of work due to ill-health and encourage those signed off to return to the workplace. The participating companies will track sickness absence, return-to-work outcomes, and disability participation, which the government said would make workplace health performance visible for the first time. He said his plans could help cut the government's welfare bill. "Fixing these problems at the fundamental level, could make a really big contribution to getting this economy working better - for employers, for employees, for the taxpayer, for all of us."

BBC News

Finland rejects most seasonal visa applications for foreign berry pickers

Finland has rejected the vast majority of seasonal work visa applications for foreign berry pickers, citing concerns over labour exploitation and employers' compliance with legal obligations. Of the 2,200 applications received for the 2026 season, around 1,400 have been denied. Most applications came from Thailand, with others from Kazakhstan, Kenya, Vietnam, Nepal, and India. Katja Luopajärvi, Director of the Visa Unit at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, said: "The most common reason for refusing an application is that the authorities are not convinced the employer will be able to fulfil its obligations." The new Seasonal Workers Act aims to protect migrant labourers.

Helsinki Times

YLE Uutiset

Deal reached to pay construction workers on EIB Luxembourg building project

The May and June salaries for 11 employees of Rizzani de Eccher, a construction firm involved in the European Investment Bank's (EIB) works project in Luxembourg, are to be paid by Ballast Nedam, the company's joint venture partner. Hernani Gomes, central secretary for the OGBL union's building syndicate, confirmed the deal, although uncertainties remain regarding social security contributions and other benefits. The EIB said that construction work continues unaffected. Rizzani de Eccher has faced financial difficulties, with debts reportedly nearing €1bn, precipitating a restructuring process and a change in its role within the joint venture.

Luxembourg Times

LEADERSHIP

Uber dismisses top leaders at data labelling business

Uber has dismissed two top leaders at its nascent AI data labelling business. Naga Kasu, senior director of engineering, and Pankaj Kamat, director of product at Uber AI Solutions, are said to have departed the ride-hailing company recently. Uber has positioned the data labelling unit as a key growth driver. The division employs a network of gig workers to undertake tasks necessary to prepare data to be used in artificial intelligence models, such as labeling video footage for driverless technology.

Bloomberg

LEGAL

UK government has more power to crack down on groups linked to hostile foreign states

The UK government now has more power to crack down on groups linked to hostile foreign states after Parliament passed the National Security (State Threats) Act. The law makes it illegal to support or receive payment from such a group and treats any organisation classed as state-linked under the legislation the same as if they were foreign intelligence services. Anyone convicted of doing the bidding of a hostile state-linked actor could be jailed for up to 14 years.

Bloomberg

ECONOMY

ECB is in a ‘good position’ , Moulin says

European Central Bank Governing Council member Emmanuel Moulin has said the bank is in a “good position” following an interest rate increase last month and data showing inflation has eased amid an oil price slump. “We are not doing forward guidance so I won’t say what we will do in July,” Moulin said at the Rencontres Economiques conference in Aix-en-Provence. “But what is true is that the fall in oil price that was very rapid reassures us and puts us in a better position today on rates.”

Bloomberg

CORPORATE

Continental sells ContiTech to Lone Star

Continental has announced the sale of its ContiTech industrial unit to an affiliate of US buyout firm Lone Star Funds for €4bn, in a deal that completes the German manufacturer’s shift to focus on its tyres business. ContiTech makes industrial components including conveyor belts and air springs. The transaction also includes performance-based components of up to €250m in subsequent years. Bloomberg notes that private equity funds are increasingly targeting industrial assets that are seen as being more likely to benefit from artificial intelligence than be rendered obsolete by the technology.

INTERNATIONAL

AGs oppose plan to impose tariffs on forced labour concerns

A group of Democratic state attorneys general has said the Trump administration’s proposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on 59 countries and the European ‌Union, amid claims they failed to curb trade in goods made with forced labour, are unlawful. A letter signed by the AGs said the levies will make goods more expensive "and will continue the economic devastation that prior tariffs have caused." The U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) is set for a three-day public hearing on the proposed tariffs of 10% on 16 economies, including the European Union, and 12.5% on 44 other countries. The USTR is abusing its authority under "Section 301" in a bid "to paper over ‌the ⁠administration’s predetermined sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports to the United States," said the AGs of states including Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey.

Reuters

Amazon to act against India delivery partner after fatal warehouse fire investigation

Amazon has said it will take "appropriate action" against M&M Logistics Solutions, a third-party delivery partner in India, once a police investigation into a warehouse fire that killed two workers is complete, while also launching its own internal probe. Authorities are investigating allegations that the facility lacked essential fire safety measures, including fire clearance, alarms and emergency exits. The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of workplace safety standards across Amazon's Indian logistics network.

Reuters

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