The awarding of a turbine tender to China’s Envision Energy by EU applicant Serbia looks to have set the bloc on a new course. The deal has prompted EU plans to ban foreign wind turbines over cybersecurity issues, with protectionist measures to protect European manufacturers against Chinese rivals. The
Europe remains heavily reliant on energy imports even after recent crises, as dependence on Russia has been replaced by that on other countries, according to an Intelligent Energy Association (AEI) analysis, based on data from the EU’s official statistics agency Eurostat. Romania is the country least dependent on imported
The EU approved the opening of accession negotiations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a candidate since 2022, on Thursday, 21 March 2024. BiH now faces a lengthy reform process to join the EU. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote: “Today’s decision to start accession negotiations is an important step
Czechia and Poland are campaigning to stop the importing of Russian and Belarusian grain into Europe, and the former country will formally propose a ban at the European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday, Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny said. “Conditions must not mean failing to look after the land
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has approved the transit of Finnish equipment and supplies to Ukraine as well as the relevant training of around 50 Ukrainian pilots, the Romanian parliamentary press service announced on Monday, 18 March. The training of the pilots will take place in the second half of the
A total of EUR 400mn will be available to Romanian short- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 1 April, as the Start-Up Nation financing line enters a new phase thanks to an agreement with the European Commission (EC), Romanian European Investments and Projects Minister Adrian Caciu announced, news.ro reports. “After
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s incumbent administration will decide to build at least two new nuclear power units in Czechia, Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Sikela said in an interview with left-wing daily Pravo. The offers Czechia has received indicate that it would be prudent to construct two or
Thousands protested at Freedom Square, Bratislava, over Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s plan to overhaul the country’s state media, on Friday, 15 March. According to the plan, state media body Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) would be scrapped and a seven-member government-nominated council could hire and fire
The EU announced further concessions for the bloc’s agricultural workers, especially for smaller farms, to quell agricultural workers’ protests, on Friday, 15 March. The changes to the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidy programme were proposed on Friday evening. The European Commission (EC) said EC President Ursula von
The EU will recommend that member states open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), a candidate for membership since 2022, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday, 12 March. Wary of Russian influence, von der Leyen said “We have realised that it is not enough to just wait
The highest shares of women tertiary education graduates in the scientific STEM subjects were recorded in Romania (42.5%) and Poland (41.5%), according to new data released by the EU official statistics office Eurostat on International Women’s Day on 8 March. STEM subjects include engineering, natural sciences, mathematics
Czechia will host a EUR 7.9bn electric vehicle (EV) battery in Karvina, east Czechia, funded by a foreign investor, the Czech government announced on Thursday, 7 March. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Wednesday that the project should improve the country’s employment figures, energy security and competitiveness, adding
A new, ground-breaking European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) has been announced by the European Commission (EC). The EC said EDIS “sets a clear, long-term vision to achieve defence industrial readiness in the EU (for) when they are needed and in the quantities that are needed.” The strategy includes new programmes
Czech photovoltaic distributor Raylyst Solar is the most rapidly growing company in Europe, according to the latest rankings by UK daily the Financial Times and German data platform Statista. Czech entrepreneur Jan Kamenicek founded Raylyst in 2018, and the company now delivers photovoltaic panels in Czechia, Germany, Slovakia, Italy and
The rating for Romania’s long-term foreign currency debts is BBB- with a stable outlook, Fitch announced. According to the rating agency, the rating is due to Romania’s EU membership and associated capital inflows to support revenue convergence, external finances and macroeconomic stability. GDP per capita and human development