Since early 2020, EU Member States have been taking restrictive measures to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This didn’t stop in 2021, when different waves of COVID-19 outbreaks required the Member States to react, resulting in a considerable decrease in petroleum products consumption in the EU. Consumption of motor gasoline, kerosene-type jet fuel and gas and diesel oil used for transport of people, heating and products were severely affected, and none of the fuels has completely returned to pre-COVID levels. While in 2020, EU Member States showed a combined decrease in motor gasoline consumption of 11% (from 74 million tonnes to 66 million tonnes) compared to 2019 levels, this value stands at a 5% decrease in 2021 (from 74 million tonnes to 70.4 million tonnes in 2021). The biggest declines in consumption were registered in Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain (more than a 20% decrease in each). As every Member State's air transport was profoundly affected, consumption of kerosene-type jet fuel fell drastically in 2020 compared to 2019 (-56%) and did not recover considerably in 2021 (still -46%). In 2020 and 2021, the smallest reductions in consumption were registered in Luxembourg and Belgium, while Croatia, Romania and Cyprus saw the largest decreases. Among the Member States, the largest increases were in Slovenia (21.7%), Slovakia (16.5%) and Portugal (15.9%). In Romania, retail sales increased by 5.6% year-on-year, above the EU average. EU consumption of gas and diesel oil down 7% In terms of gas and diesel oil, in 2020, EU wide consumption fell by 7%, especially in Luxembourg, Italy, Spain and Slovenia. Only in Finland, Cyprus and Romania was consumption greater than in 2019. In 2021, EU consumption increased but was still below 2019 levels (-6%). In some cases, like Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece, consumption in 2021 compared to 2019 levels fell to even lower levels than in 2020, while in 10 Member States the use of gas and diesel oil increased above 2019 levels (Romania, Estonia, Croatia, Poland, Cyprus, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia, Sweden and Latvia).
A Romanian construction worker has died after being trapped for several hours under rubble following the partial collapse of the medieval Torre dei Conti in central Rome on Monday, November 3. The incident occurred during restoration work on the 13th-century tower, located near the famous Colosseum. Emergency services rescued the man late on Monday and […]
Over a third of Romanians, around 35%, would vote for the opposition party Alliance for the Union of Romanians, or AUR, according to data from a CURS survey published on Sunday, November 2. A further 24% of votes would support the governing Social Democratic Party, or PSD. The two other parties included in the current […]
The Romanian government and one of the most important European arms manufacturers, Rheinmetall, signed a cooperation agreement regarding the construction of a powder factory on Monday, November 3. The value of the investment is EUR 500 million, and Romania may be able to secure EU funding for it through the Security Action for Europe program, which […]
More than twenty years after launching Flavours Group, Romanian entrepreneur Raluca Țeposu continues to shape Romania’s modern food and hospitality landscape through a mix of creativity, consistency, and care. What began in 2002 as a small catering company built on the simple idea that “food should be about joy, connection, and good energy” has evolved […]
North Bucharest Investments (NBI), a real estate investment and management company, reports a transaction volume of €161 million as of the end of October 2025. By the end of the year, the company anticipates a 25% increase compared to the average level of the reporting period, driven by sustained investor interest and new investment packages […]
Cambridge School of Bucharest (CSB), one of Romania’s leading British international schools, is delighted to announce its Open Days for Admissions for the 2026–2027 academic year, to be held on Wednesday, 19 November, and Friday, 21 November 2025, at its modern campus in Pipera. The Open Days provide prospective families with the opportunity to explore […]
