Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is catching up with Western Europe for e-commerce, but unique regional challenges and opportunities are shaping its growth trajectory, according to the European e-Commerce Report 2024. Central Europe Many CEE countries still experience uneven digital development, as compared to Western Europe where higher internet penetration
Croatia and Serbia have both announced plans to reintroduce compulsory military service, saying it is necessary to strengthen national defence due to growing regional uncertainties, largely driven by the war in Ukraine. Croatia moves to meet NATO commitments Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s coalition in August announced plans to
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is receiving crucial assistance from across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as well as the EU, as rescue teams help tackle the aftermath of severe floods and landslides that hit large parts of the country on Friday, 4 October. Torrential rain has caused rivers to overflow
The EU has called on Romania to amend its energy price-capping scheme, urging the government to allow gas and electricity producers to set their own prices. The request came in the form of a letter, with Romania expected to respond within two months. The letter marks the first step of
The European Commission (EC) has announced that it will impose additional import tariffs on Chinese battery electric vehicles (BEVs) following a vote among member states on Friday, 4 October, after a year-long investigation. The EC, which suspects China of undercutting European carmakers by subsidising its EV industry, wrote that it
Zabka is planning an initial public offering (IPO) on the Warsaw Stock Exchange on 17 October, as Poland’s leading convenience shop chain expands into Romania and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The IPO could raise as much as PLN 6.45bn. The IPO is set to be
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are seeking EU financial support for a coordinated network of military fortifications along their borders with Russia and Belarus. “The security situation demands comprehensive defences,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said, adding that “the Baltic Defence Line supports NATO’s forward defense and is vital
Czechia’s former industry minister and crisis manager Jozef Sikela has been appointed to lead the EU’s EUR 300bn Global Gateway Strategy, the bloc’s riposte to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Sikela will oversee infrastructure investments aimed at countering the BRI by forging strategic international partnerships.
The outcome of Austria’s election is undeniably historic—not just for Austria, but for the whole European Union. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) is not the first far-right party to gain power in the EU in the 21st-Century, nor will it be the last, but it is unique
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) has won a landmark victory, claiming the largest share of votes and ending 20 years of dominance by the centre-right People’s Party (OVP). Led by Herbert Kickl, the FPO secured 28.8% (which translated to 56 seats, up 25), pipping Austrian Chancellor Karl
Czech opposition party ANO, led by former prime minister Andrej Babis, scored a significant victory in Saturday’s elections for the country’s upper house the Senate, winning 8 of 27 seats up for grabs. Despite ANO’s gains, the ruling coalition, led by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, retained
Hungary’s MOL Group, along with its joint venture partners, has signed commercial agreements to advance the development of significant gas reserves in Azerbaijan’s Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field. MOL, the third-largest shareholder in the ACG field after SOCAR and BP, is working within an amended production sharing agreement framework
After months of negotiations with EU member states, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen revealed the lineup for her second term’s College of Commissioners on Tuesday 17 September from Strasbourg. The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) secured the largest share, with 15 of the 27 commissions,
US firm Intel has decided to delay its semiconductor plant project near Wroclaw, west Poland, until 2026 due to the company’s worsening global financial situation, the Polish Digital Affairs Ministry announced on Monday, 17 September. The ministry said Poland remains committed to semiconductor investments and plans to use its
The incoming EU administration should ensure that countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) lever more influence in the bloc, Slovakia-based think tank Globsec writes in a new report on the interests and security of CEE nations and increasing Europe’s global influence from 2024-29. “Until now, Central and Eastern
South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) will lead Czechia’s largest-ever investment project when the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) country expands its nuclear power plant in Dukovany, south Czechia, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Friday 20 September. A central part of Czechia’s long-term
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday, September 18, reversed decades of opposition to tax hikes as his government amended VAT laws, effective 1 January, 2025. As recently as April, the leader of Slovakia’s nominally left-wing Smer-SD party, positioned himself as a champion of low-income earners, saying “I oppose
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is looking into acquiring a stake in AirBaltic before the Latvian state-owned airline launches an initial public offering (IPO), insider sources told Bloomberg. Talks are still in the early stages, and no final decision has been made regarding the investment, said the sources, speaking to the news
Poland’s strategic energy giant PKN Orlen has signed a five-year exclusive deal with Lithuanian energy terminal operator KN Energies to up the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to north-east Poland and the Baltic countries. Under the deal, effective until the end of March 2030, Orlen will have sole
Polish online platform eSky’s GBP 30mn (EUR 35.5mn) purchase of Thomas Cook from China’s Fosun Tourism Group signals a broader westward expansion trend of companies from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and media outlets in the UK and Poland are taking note. Emtech, Pepco among Polish firms
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared a state of disaster and confirmed that 1,600 people have been evacuated in Klodzko, south-west Poland, as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) faced torrential rains brought by Storm Boris, which has led to widespread flooding and causing numerous deaths across countries including Romania,
Saudi Arabia has launched a new business council to deepen its economic ties with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and tap into emerging investment prospects in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Federation of Saudi Chambers has announced the council’s establishment for the 2024-28 term, under its
Financed with a EUR 5mn EU grant and a EUR 100mn loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the nearly 1km-long Hercegovina Bridge on Corridor Vc (a.k.a. E73) opened on Wednesday, 4 September. The new bridge represents Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) largest infrastructure project and forms part
Germany’s Rheinmetall will spend more than EUR 180mn on an ammunition manufacturing facility in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Economy and Innovation Ministry said. The production unit is expected to produce tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition per year. Last week the Lithuanian economy and finance ministries said another EUR
European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced further EU flood recovery funding and reiterated the EU’s commitment to addressing climate change, in Slovenia on Monday, 2 September. On a tour of the Balkans, von der Leyen visited northern Slovenia, which was hit by flooding in November 2023.