Germany warned of legal action over court row

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen holds a news conference in Brussels. (Reuters)
Short Url
Updated 11 May 2020
Follow

Germany warned of legal action over court row

BERLIN: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has raised the spectre of legal action against Germany after the country’s highest court issued harsh criticism of the bloc’s top court.
The unprecedented spat threatens to undermine the authority of the European Court of Justice, giving ammunition to countries like Poland and Hungary in their battle with EU institutions.
“I take this matter very seriously,” von der Leyen said in a written response to a question from Greens MEP Sven Giegold, which he shared on Twitter on Sunday.
“The Commission is now in the process of analizing in detail the more than 100-page judgment of the German Constitutional Court,” von der Leyen wrote.
“On the basis of these findings, we are considering possible next steps, including infringement proceedings.”
In a bombshell ruling on Tuesday, Germany’s Constitutional Court questioned the ECB’s bond-buying scheme, which has been credited with powering eurozone growth after the financial crisis.
The judges in Karlsruhe gave the ECB three months to justify the stimulus and show that the benefits of mass government debt purchases outweigh the side effects.
Otherwise, the judges said they will ban Germany’s powerful Bundesbank central bank from participating in the two-trillion-euro scheme.
The court also slammed the Luxembourg-based ECJ for rubber-stamping the asset purchases in an earlier ruling, and said Germany was not bound by the ECJ decision.

BACKGROUND

The judges in Karlsruhe gave the ECB three months to justify the stimulus and show that the benefits of mass government debt purchases outweigh the side effects. Otherwise, the judges said they will ban Germany’s Bundesbank central bank from participating in the two-trillion-euro scheme.

Observers said the German sidelining of the ECJ could be a boost for nations like Hungary and Poland, whose reforms to the political and judicial systems have drawn allegations they are eroding democracy.
“EU law takes precedence over national law, and of course the rulings of the European Court of Justice are binding for all national courts,” von der Leyen said in the letter, written in German.
The ECJ also hit back at Germany, saying in a statement on Friday that it alone had legal authority over the ECB.
But Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki welcomed the German ruling as “one of the most important rulings in the history of the European Union.”
For the first time judges have clearly stated that the member states decide “where the lines are for EU institutions,” he said in a guest article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Sunday.


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
Follow

Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.