In 2020, household consumption expenditure in the EU decreased by an unprecedented 8% compared with 2019, the largest annual reduction recorded since the time series started and it is due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission Statistics Office (Eurostat) reported on Monday.Social distancing measures, government restrictions imposed on the movement of people and non-essential economic activities severely affected household consumption expenditure.All the EU Member States recorded a decrease in household consumption expenditure. Data for Romania, Greece, Germany, Belgium, France, Croatia, Cyprus, Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal are provisional, Eurostat said.When comparing 2019 with 2020, the largest decrease was recorded in Malta (around -22%), followed by Croatia, Spain and Greece (all around -16%). On the other hand, the smallest decreases were recorded in Slovakia and Denmark (both around -2%), followed by Lithuania and Poland (both around -3%), Sweden (minus 3.8%), and Romania (minus 4.3%).According to Eurostat, the largest decreases in household consumption expenditure were observed for 'Restaurants and hotels' (-38% compared with 2019), 'Clothing and footwear,' 'Transport' and 'Recreation and culture' (all -17%). On the other hand, the largest increases were recorded for 'Food and non-alcoholic beverages' (+3%) and 'Communications' (+2%).In 2020, over a quarter (26%) of household consumption expenditure was devoted to 'Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels,' making it the EU's largest household expenditure item, ahead of 'Food and non-alcoholic beverages' (15%) and 'Transport' (12%).
Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz, Tracy Chevalier, the author of the international best seller Girl with a Pearl Earring, and French author Michel Bussi, known for his widely translated thriller novels, are among the authors set to attend this year’s Iași International Literature and Translation Festival (FILIT), the largest literary festival in the country. They […]
Bucharest is about to welcome a culinary moment like no other. This September, the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel will host Michelin-starred Chef Theodor Falser - a name synonymous with nature-inspired haute cuisine - for three exclusive evenings that promise to delight the senses and tell stories through food. The Chef Who Cooks Nature Theodor […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has endorsed Romania’s latest fiscal measures, forecasting that the economy will grow by 1% in 2025 and 1.4% in 2026, the government said Friday, September 12, after talks with a visiting IMF delegation. The delegation, led by Joong Shik Kang, met prime minister Ilie Bolojan in Bucharest to discuss the […]
The George Ciprian Theater in Buzău has unveiled “E-Waste E-Motion,” the first performance in Romania in which all characters are played by small autonomous robots, blending art, technology, and sustainability in an experimental theatrical project. “E-Waste E-Motion” is part of a broader artistic research initiative supported by the National University of Theatre and Film (UNATC) […]
With extensive experience in the luxury hospitality sector, gained as General Manager of Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam and Hotel Okura Amsterdam (LHW), as well as in various Director of Operations and Business Development roles, Ms. Emmy Stoel is a seasoned professional whose career reflects a deep passion for excellence in guest service, having successfully […]
Update: The woman made her first statements on Friday afternoon after being questioned. According to Digi24, she told journalists outside a police station in Bucharest that the items were family heirlooms from the Soviet era, and that she...
