V4 Reloaded: Central Europe Unites to Defend Cohesion and Agricultural Funding
The next big debate on the future of the European Union has already begun—not over enlargement, migration or defence, but over the EU's next long-term budget.
European Union
A collection of 241 posts
Romania's Senate passes amended defence laws with days to spare before EU funding deadline
Romania's upper house has approved two emergency ordinances clearing the last legislative hurdles for the country to sign military procurement contracts under the European Union's SAFE programme. The Senate voted on Tuesday to adopt both pieces of legislation, though in amended form. The legislation is required
Presidential veto in Poland – losing the EU defence loan?
A serious domestic political conflict has emerged in Poland after the head of state, Karol Nawrocki, refused to sign a law that would have enabled the country to join the European Union’s joint defence loan programme. The decision is not only a turning point in a specific economic policy
Czech parliament shields Babiš from prosecution in long-running EU subsidy fraud case
Czech lawmakers have voted to shield Prime Minister Andrej Babiš from criminal prosecution in a decade-old EU subsidy fraud case.
Druzhba pipeline shutdown plunges Hungary and Slovakia into oil dispute with Ukraine
Oil still halted a month after a Druzhba pipeline strike, with Hungary and Slovakia blaming Ukraine for stalling repairs in a deepening row.
For industrialised, export-oriented CEE countries, the EU–Mercosur agreement is incrementally beneficial
Only Poland has strong structural reasons for concern, while Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia stand to benefit from expanded industrial exports.
Seismic shift in Venezuela – How it could affect Central and Eastern Europe
The aftermath of Trump’s Venezuela move remains unclear, but CEE states are likely to be impacted indirectly by oil prices and EU sanctions.
EU-Mercosur agreement: No unified regional position
Despite expectations, the EU–Mercosur deal was not signed and stances of CEE countries remain divided.
Polexit – a little more than a bad joke
Support for EU membership in Poland remains high, but the share of those who would favour leaving the Union now exceeds 10 percent.
Poland: A new regional power center in search of its role
Poland’s economic weight is undoubtedly increasing in the region, with Polish-German economic relations and political tensions deepening.
EU forecasts point to weak growth and slow deficit reduction in Romania
Romania is projected to see modest growth and a gradual narrowing of the budget deficit over the next three years.
The Polish problem: On the frontline of migration
More and more migrants enter the EU via its northeast border, making Poland a buffer against Moscow’s politically driven bid to destabilize Europe.
Overtaking on the bend – are the Poles really catching up with Japan?
Over the past decade and a half, Poland has undergone a remarkable economic transformation, and in several key indicators it is now comparable with Japan. The question many economists are asking is: what is Poland’s secret, and how has it managed to outpace its Central European peers?
Moldova may leapfrog Ukraine in EU accession talks as Brussels mulls separate tracks
If the EU decides to approach Moldova separately, it would depart from recent EU practice of advancing Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia as a group under the "Association Trio" framework.
Hungary, Slovakia resist EU's energy, budget reforms amid growing east-west schism
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