European Commission

A collection of 151 posts

Hungary's decision to quit international court triggers diplomatic fallout

Hungary's decision to quit international court triggers diplomatic fallout

The withdrawal will take legal effect on 2 June 2026, making Hungary the first EU member state to exit the Rome Statute, which underpins the ICC’s jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

China deepens CEE links on agro, rail, as bilateral trade climbs 6.3%

China deepens CEE links on agro, rail, as bilateral trade climbs 6.3%

China's trade with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) reached USD 142.3bn in 2024, marking a 6.3% year-on-year increase, surpassing China's overall foreign trade growth rate by 2.5 percentage points, according to China's General Administration of Customs. The total marked a 4.

Bulgaria’s euro debate intensifies as pro-EU opposition pushes January adoption date

Bulgaria’s euro debate intensifies as pro-EU opposition pushes January adoption date

Bulgaria’s pro-European opposition has tabled a declaration committing the country to join the Eurozone on 1 January 2026, challenging the government to reaffirm its commitment to its deadline, amid suggestions of a referendum on the issue. The We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition, called for Parliament to restate

Romania powers up its largest EV hub to support EU Green Deal transport targets

Romania powers up its largest EV hub to support EU Green Deal transport targets

In a new step in the cleaner transport transition, OMV Petrom has inaugurated Romania's largest electric vehicle (EV) hub with 34 charging points of up to 400kW on the A1 motorway near Miercurea Sibiului, central Romania. The site is located on the Rhine-Danube Corridor - one of Romania’

Hungary pays neighbours to avoid blackouts: lessons from Spain’s recent energy crisis

Hungary pays neighbours to avoid blackouts: lessons from Spain’s recent energy crisis

Hungary currently leads the world for share of solar energy in its energy mix, as it generated a quarter of its domestic electricity from photovoltaic panels in 2024. However, the recent massive blackout in Spain and Portugal served as a reminder of the challenges involved with high reliance on renewable

Far-right Simion wins first round of Romania's presidential rerun, to face Bucharest mayor in runoff vote

Far-right Simion wins first round of Romania's presidential rerun, to face Bucharest mayor in runoff vote

Far-right leader George Simion surged to a clear lead in the first round of Romania’s presidential election rerun, taking 40.9% of the vote ahead of the 18 May runoff that could reshape the country’s entire political trajectory. Simion, leader of the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of

Bosnia's EU accession requires pro-EU coalition - high representative

Bosnia's EU accession requires pro-EU coalition - high representative

The EU can formally begin accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) when a stable and pro-European coalition has been formed, according to Christian Schmidt, the international high representative overseeing the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The Dayton accords were signed in 1995 and ended the Bosnian War. The

Single market is not single, and it’s costing us all

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

Gender pay gaps remain in CEE, despite EU efforts

Gender pay gaps remain in CEE, despite EU efforts

Romania and Poland have gender pay disparities among the lowest in the EU, according to Eurostat data published this month. In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Romania and Poland recorded the smallest gender pay gaps in 2023, at 3.6% and 4.5% respectively — both well below the EU average