Hungary and Slovakia have emerged as the most vocal opponents of two of the EU’s most consequential reform proposals: plans to phase out Russian energy imports and to overhaul the bloc’s long-term budget to prioritise defence, climate and digital transition.
EU mulls ban of new Russian energy contracts
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
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
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
Moldova and North Macedonia have been approved to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), marking a significant step in their integration with European financial systems.
The countries will become operational members on October 5, after becoming compliant with SEPA regulations from April, the European Payments Council (EPC) announced on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on European leaders to step up their efforts towards peace in Ukraine during a string of high-level phone calls on Friday, 21 February, including several with premiers of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries.
Zelenskyy stressed that Europe must act more decisively, in a televised
The Munich Security Conference ended on a cautiously positive note for EU candidate countries Albania and Montenegro on Sunday, 16 February.
After a tumultuous 3 days, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos namechecked Albania and Montenegro as “front-runners” for EU accession during a roundtable discussion, adding that their negotiations could be
Greece is poised to become a key player in the EU’s efforts to secure critical raw materials (CRMs) due to its richness in minerals such as nickel and magnesium, making it a strategic asset for a Europe increasingly focused on supply chain autonomy.
The Balkan country is already a
US President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on Monday, 20 January, broke with tradition and extended invitations to political leaders. However, footage of former Poland prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki attempting to cross a barricade into the ceremony site by showing US National Guard members his Wikipedia page, which went viral
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he will prioritise security, defence and support for Ukraine while strengthening sanctions on Russia, at the launch event of his country’s presidency of the Council of the EU on 3 January, 2025.
The gala began with a speech from Tusk, who outlined the
Polish government representatives outlined the key priorities for its six-month stint holding the presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January , at a press event at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw on Tuesday, 10 December.
Unveiling the motto of its upcoming tenure “Security, Europe!”, Polish
A new report on the pros and cons of euro adoption from the Czech National Economic Council (NERV) warns that joining the eurozone would see Czechia lose control over interest rates and monetary policies, limiting its ability to address domestic economic issues.
On the positive side, the report highlighted that
Romania’s Constitutional Court (CCR) annulled the country’s presidential election on Friday, 6 December after the emergence of evidence of Russian interference in the lead-up to the first-round vote late last month.
Pro-Russian ultranationalist candidate and political newcomer Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round of voting on 24
European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen looks set to push through her new team of commissioners and executive vice-presidents this week, following a contentious process that has exposed political divides in the European Parliament (EP).
EC executive vice-presidents and commissioner-designates were selected after weeks of disputes between the
Hungary’s electricity market has become a focal point for speculative trading, driven by a combination of renewable energy imbalances and the rise of algorithmic trading, Hungarian media reported.
Denmark leads charge in algorithmic trading
Danish firms, leveraging advanced forecasting tools, are exploiting price fluctuations in Hungary, which lacks the