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
European leaders met in Brussels on 20 March to confront a mounting policy dilemma: how to balance rearmament, the green transition, and economic competitiveness. The discussions come amid slowing growth, high energy costs, and growing strategic insecurity — all while EU fiscal rules remain in place.
At the heart of the
The European Commission (EC) has launched an inquiry into state support provided by Hungary to Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD, as part of a broader investigation into foreign subsidies distorting competition in the EU.
The preliminary probe, initiated on 19 March 2025, comes under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set for stronger economic growth in 2025, with GDP expected to expand by 2.6%, according to a report by Erste Group. The forecast marks an improvement from previous years, driven by higher consumer spending, increased investment, and inflows of EU funds.
Poland boosted
As political landscapes shift across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), governments are recalibrating their approaches to Ukraine, European security, and internal governance.
The region remains split between pro-European integration and nationalist, often pro-Kremlin, forces: Czechia and Poland reinforce their commitments to Ukraine, while Hungary and Slovakia align with Moscow.
Meanwhile,
Poland is set to purchase an additional 180 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for approximately USD 6.2bn (EUR 5.7bn), South Korean government officials announced on 9 March. The proposed agreement could be finalised as soon as next month and follows Poland’s earlier USD 12.4bn deal
Except for wartorn Ukraine, Slovakia has the most red tape in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), according to the latest Bureaucracy Index, an annual report by the Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS).
The Bureaucracy Index measures the time and resources businesses must dedicate to compliance with government regulations.
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
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
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban described 2025 as a “breakthrough year” when he set out his government’s agenda for the coming year in Budapest on Saturday, 22 February. In his annual “state of the nation” address, Orban referred to the returning US President Donald Trump as “our comrade in
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
Poland’s economy emerged as a regional standout in 2024, recording a GDP growth of 2.9%, significantly outpacing its Central and Eastern European (CEE) peers, according to an ING Bank analysis that cited Poland’s StatOffice.
While other CEE economies fell short of expectations, Poland’s economic expansion was
German companies are considering ramping up investments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with 55% expecting the region’s economic significance to grow in the next 5 years, according to the “German CEE Business Outlook 2025” report by auditor KPMG.
The survey analysed the economic prospects and business strategies of
The suspension of foreign aid by incoming US President Donald Trump on 24 January is causing major disruption in sectors including independent media and NGOs across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with many institutions now frantically seeking alternative funding sources.
The US has traditionally played a key role in funding
Hungary’s political landscape is marked by a mix of economic uncertainty increasing opposition momentum and continued tensions with the EU, according to the annual report of independent Budapest-based think tank Policy Solutions.
“Fifteen years in power was supposed to be a key milestone when things could have mellowed for