V4 & Romania
MOL nears NIS takeover to build cross-border refining network
Hungary’s MOL nears a majority stake in Serbia’s NIS, bringing the Pančevo refinery and NIS assets under its control once U.S. sanctions lift.
Business
Wizz Air
How Wizz Air transformed the CEE region's way of travel
Wizz Air transformed CEE aviation since its 2003 founding by delivering ultra-low-cost, point-to-point flights from secondary airports, slashing fares and expanding connectivity.
BID
China's BYD makes Budapest regional HQ
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD on 15 May signed an agreement with the Hungarian government to relocate its European headquarters to Budapest's 11th District, alongside two major research and development projects. The announcement marks the latest phase in BYD's European expansion. Hungary's government
Analysis
CEE auto, steel at sharp end of Trump tariffs
US President Donald Trump’s new raft of global tariffs threatens to hammer the export-driven economies of CEE countries.
Eurofound
Poland tops employment rankings - OECD report
The EU’s employment rate reached a record high of 70.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). But while this marks a major milestone for the bloc, the picture in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is more complex, as
Draghi
Single market is not single, and it’s costing us all
The EU’s internal market is still falling short of its founding promise. Despite decades of integration, consumers across member states face uneven product quality and varied prices. This is due to regulatory fragmentation in two main forms: Territorial Supply Constraints and gold-plating. TSCs occur when suppliers block cross-border sourcing
copper
CEE leads EU raw materials drive as EU selects strategic mining projects
The European Commission (EC) has chosen 47 strategic projects across the EU to reduce critical raw material dependency, with Czechia, Estonia, Poland, and Romania at the forefront, marking a significant boost to regional competitiveness amid intensifying geopolitical tensions. The EC’s selections are critical to the industrial future of Central
auto
Trump tariffs split EU as Hungary seeks exemption
Hungary has broken ranks with the EU in response to the US's new tariffs policy, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban seeks to preserve close ties with the Trump administration amid the resultant trade tensions. Hungary pushes back on retaliatory tariffs The EU confirmed on 9 April that
Erdogan
CEE leaders weigh in on security, expansion, energy at Antalya forum
Attendees from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) nations including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Moldova and others discussed policy priorities at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in south west Turkey on 11-13 April. The forum's theme "Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World" set the tone for
Balkan countries
Serbia, Hungary deepen defence, energy ties
When Croatia, Albania and Kosovo recently formed a new military alliance, Serbia and Hungary followed suit, reshaping the security situation in South East Europe. Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky earlier this month signed a bilateral military cooperation agreement in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Analysis
Krakow layoffs reflect broader shift to AI, automation in CEE
The city of Krakow, south Poland, saw nearly 1,900 group layoffs in the first quarter of 2025, almost equalling the total for all of 2024, local media reported, citing official data. The dismissals, mostly affecting white-collar roles in finance, technology and business services, point to deeper structural changes in
Macron
CEE markets plunge on Trump tariffs shock
Stock markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) fell sharply after US President Donald Trump announced retaliatory tariffs on global imports on 2 April 2025, spooking the region's export-dependent economies and reviving fears of a wider economic slowdown. CEE Stock Market Weekly Performance to 7 April 2025 Most