CEE developers offer better value than Western Europe
Research by TechBehemoths shows that strong education systems, multilingual talent pools and EU-level legal protections keep CEE competitive for global tech outsourcing and nearshoring.
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A collection of 46 posts
Poland leads EU funding recipients with EUR 123.3 bn in long‑term budget draft
The European Commission (EC) published long-term budget allocation plans on 17 July, showing Poland set to receive the highest national allocation under the 2028-34 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), totalling EUR 123.3bn.
Poland's EU presidency under review: efficient but cautious
Key deliverables included the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), East Shield funding eligibility, three rounds of Russia sanctions and progress on Montenegro's EU accession.
Poland invests EUR 565mn in ammo plants
The plan will build a new facility and upgrade two existing ones, investing around EUR 565mn. The project will ramp up Poland's annual production of NATO-standard 155 mm artillery shells from 30,000 to 180,000, and also increase manufacturing capacity for 120mm tank rounds and propellant components.
CEE must better coordinate on defence - Global Peace Index founder Steve Killelea tells CET
Global Peace Index (GPI) founder Steve Killelea spoke to the Central European Times on the day of the release of the GPI's 18th annual report. Despite the steep rise in militarisation in CEE, investment-led ambitions are currently limited by fragmentation, Killelea tells CET.
Lithuania steps up defence as ex-CIA chief cites Russian threat
“If Ukraine falls, Lithuania is next. That’s not speculative. It’s consistent with everything Putin has said and done,” Petraeus said.
Lowest OECD tax burdens in Slovakia, Poland
Workers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) enjoy some of the lowest personal income tax rates in Europe, with Slovakia and Poland the outliers for individuals and families, according to a new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report. The OECD Taxing Wages 2025 report analysed tax data and
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 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with his 25% duty on foreign-made cars posing a direct risk to regional manufacturing. As highly integrated suppliers in Germany-led EU value chains, Slovakia, Hungary and Czechia are
Trump-Putin detente could revive Nord Stream 2
The US and Russia are discussing the potential reopening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, raising significant concerns across Europe, according to media reports. The natural gas pipeline, which runs beneath the Baltic Sea, aimed to double Russian gas exports to Germany. However, it has remained inactive since its
Trump's verbal attack on Zelenskyy prompts security rethink in CEE
The dramatic breakdown of relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, 28 February, is prompting Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations to urgently reassess regional defence strategies. The meeting, streamed from the Oval Office, was ostensibly held to formalise
Trump’s self-defeating trade war with Europe - opinion
US President Donald Trump underscored this week that he intends to impose 25% tariffs on EU imports, reinforcing his claim that the bloc enjoys unfair advantages in transatlantic trade. Trump even went on to say the EU was created “to screw the United States”. Trump may be correct that the
Poland PM urges defence spending hikes as Baltics cut ties with Russian electricity grid
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on European leaders to increase their defence spending while maintaining close ties with the US, before an emergency summit of European leaders in Paris on Tuesday, 18 February. US President Donald Trump’s decision to attempt to negotiate a peace deal on Ukraine with
Lufthansa buys stake in airBaltic
Lufthansa Group acquired a 10% stake in Latvia’s airBaltic for EUR 14mn on January 29, pending antitrust approval. Europe’s largest airline group has long been interested in the Baltic region, and airBaltic, headquartered in Riga, Latvia, and flying to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and
Hungary gov't merges telcos into major player
Telco 4iG’s One Hungary brand launched this month, combining Digi Hungary and Vodafone Hungary into a single, state-backed telco, after a government-subsidized shopping spree aimed at challenging Deutsche Telekom’s local subsidiary, Magyar Telekom. The new company One Hungary will offer fixed, mobile, and pay-TV services as part of
Austria remains in political limbo after coalition talks collapse, chancellor to quit
Austria could be set for snap elections after Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he will resign both as chancellor and the leader of the conservative People’s Party (OVP) “in the coming days”. He made the announcement on Friday, 3 January 2025, after the failure of lengthy negotiations with two other