A collection of 17 posts
The EU’s employment rate reached a record high of 70.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). But while this marks a major milestone for the bloc, the picture in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is more complex, as
Attendees from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) nations including Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Moldova and others discussed policy priorities at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in south west Turkey on 11-13 April. The forum's theme "Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World" set the tone for
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,
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
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
Kosovo’s parliamentary elections saw Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling centre-left Vetevendosje (self-determination) party win the most seats but fall short of a majority, on Sunday, 9 February. Kurti’s party garnered around 40% of the votes, down from 50% in 2021, exit polls suggested. He wrote on
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
Hungarian banking group OTP’s subsidiaries in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia were ranked as the best banks in their respective countries at the Bank of the Year 2024 Awards organised by The Banker magazine. The UK-based outlet, part of the Financial Times Group, said it chose the winning banks
Digital news consumption in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is transforming, driven by evolving audience habits, technology adoption, and growing mistrust in traditional media, according to Reuters Digital News Report 2024. Internet penetration and smartphone usage have enabled a rapid shift online, but challenges related to declining trust in news
Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are still navigating post-pandemic economic challenges amid newer geopolitical tensions, according to the Economic Outlook December 2024 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Inflationary pressures, labour shortages, and weakened demand from key European markets, most notably Germany, are affecting industrial
The European Commission (EC) analyses the accession prospects of all ten prospective members of the EU in a new set of reports on how the countries measure up to the criteria for governance, judicial independence and democratic standards required to join the bloc. The EC publishes an annual detailing of
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani was involved in an altercation that became a diplomatic incident in Skopje, North Macedonia, where airport security demanded she hand over her mobile phone for scanning, on Thursday, 1 August. The incident began after the Kosovar head of state refused to hand her mobile phone to
The share of renewable sources in gross final energy consumption at the EU level reached 23% in 2022, up 1.1 percentage points (pp) year-on-year, the bloc’s statistics office Eurostat reports. The EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive has upped the bloc’s 2030 renewable energy target from 32%
The EU will finance Western Balkans (WB) integration reforms to the tune of EUR 6bn, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Skopje, north Macedonia, on Monday. “These reforms will come with investment,” von der Leyen said during a press conference with North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski.
European Council President Charles Michel will announce that the EU should be ready to accept new members by 2030, when he opens the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) in Bled, north-western Slovenia, on Monday, 28 August. Michel will reportedly tell leaders of EU candidate countries at the event that “If we