* The Commission will provide technical expertise to help nine Member States welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Member States that have applied for support will receive it in the coming months. These are Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. We have a duty to help those fleeing war and seeking safety in the EU. This means access to housing, education, healthcare and jobs. Through the Technical Support Instrument, the European Commission is supporting Member States to provide this aid smoothly and quickly”. Technical expertise shall be provided under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) managed by the Commission. It will support Member States in: absorbing EU funds for reception and integration purposes, implementing the Temporary Protection Directive, facilitating the recognition of Ukrainian refugees’ qualifications and diplomas to facilitate their entry into the EU labour market, adapting school curricula to the needs of Ukrainian pupils, and improving inter-ministerial coordination. On 21 March 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Commission launched a specific call to support Member States receiving refugees from Ukraine and phasing out their dependence on Russian fossil fuels. The applications submitted by the Member States have been assessed and approved by the Commission. Through IST 2022, the Commission is already supporting Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal in the framework of the flagship projects “Integration of third-country nationals in EU Member States”. These projects improve the capacity of national administrations to provide inclusive and effective integration services, contribute to the retention of talent and facilitate the access of third-country nationals to the labour market. Support through IST complements the work of EU agencies, in particular the European Asylum Agency (EUAA), which is active in Malta, Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Romania, Belgium, Latvia and Lithuania, and will soon be in the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
On Thursday, January 23, the European Commission granted a protected geographical indication status to Romania’s Jidvei wine. The new status offers recognition for the distinctive qualities of the wine. The brand encompasses white, rosé, red, sparkling, semi-sparkling, and liqueur wines produced from grape varieties grown in the Alba region, in central-western Romania. The vineyards in […]
Romania's pavilion at the Osaka World Expo 2025, which will take place from April 13 to October 13, was built with a focus on sustainability, including contributions from Romanian workers. The pavilion also highlights Romania's national resources. The mascot for the expo is a pelican named Haru (meaning "spring" in Japanese), symbolizing the importance of […]
Examin, a Romanian startup specializing in AI-powered video analytics, has secured EUR 200,000 in pre-seed funding from a private investor. The funds will be directed toward a market-ready product, creating an AI-driven prototype for quality inspection in manufacturing processes (AI Quality Inspection), developing its first AI Video Analytics camera, expanding the team, and scaling marketing […]
The beginning of 2025 brought increased pollution in the Bucharest-Ilfov area, as traditional pollutants such as cars and heating systems met low wind speeds, high humidity, and thermal inversion. The latter three prevent pollutant particles from dispersing and instead keep them at ground level. As a result, the level of pollution has doubled in the […]
Update: DNA confirmed that Sinaia mayor Vlad Oprea had been detained for 24 hours beginning January 23 on charges of bribery in continuous form, conducting financial operations incompatible with his position, false in asset declarations, abuse of office, and influence peddling. The prosecutors also said that Oprea indirectly received a total bribe of EUR 238,000 […]
Prosecutors from Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) reportedly detained Vlad Oprea, the mayor of the popular mountain town of Sinaia, for 24 hours on Thursday, January 23. He faces corruption charges in a case investigated by the DNA, with further searches set to take place at the Sinaia City Hall later today, in the presence […]
