Talks on Romania's full Schengen accession are making progress, Foreign Affairs Minister Luminita Odobescu told a press conference on Monday, stating that she is "optimistic" about the outcomes."An official decision regarding the final, full entry to the Schengen Area must go through a series of mandatory institutional steps. We are optimistic, but we are still working in this direction and I can say that the outlooks are positive due to Romania's readiness not only in what concerns the fulfillment of the accession criteria, something that is already known, but also thanks to what we did in terms of protecting the EU's external borders, to the permanent and constant dialogue we had with the other states, and to our contribution to ensuring the security of the external borders," the Romanian top diplomat said.Odobescu said that "the last months' results in considerably reducing and, in particular cases, even in eliminating illegal migration in the region are also due to the considerable efforts put in by Romania together with its external partners."The foreign minister said that at his meeting on November 22 in Budapest with his Bulgarian and Austrian counterparts, the Romanian minister of the interior will discuss the exact Schengen accession calendar and the technical details."It's encouraging that the new European Commissioner for Migration has set himself as a goal for his term the completion of this process," Odobescu pointed out.Regarding Romania's inclusion in the Visa Waiver program, the foreign minister said that there is "significant progress"."We are optimistic, the signals are positive, but there are still a number of procedural steps. This month we will receive an assessment mission of the American authorities, after which the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the American Congress must go through a series of internal procedures, which we hope will be completed in a reasonable time, so that next year the Romanian citizens can enjoy Romania's full Visa Waiver status," detailed Odobescu. (Photo: www.mae.ro)
Romanian deep-tech startup .lumen, the developer of what it says are the world’s first AI-powered glasses for the blind, has secured a new investment from EIT Urban Mobility, the European innovation community focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive urban mobility solutions. The value of the new funding round was not disclosed. The investment aligns with […]
The health spending per capita in Romania was the lowest in the EU, with spending less than half the EU average in 2023, the recently released report, State of Health in the EU - Romania Country Health Profile 2025, shows. At the same time, life expectancy in Romania is 5.1 years below the EU average, […]
Romania’s annual inflation rate stood at roughly 9.8% in November 2025, similar to October, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Food prices increased by 7.6% last month, while services rose roughly 11% and non-food goods climbed 10.7%. The consumer price index rose by 0.42% in November compared with October, while […]
Three French soldiers deployed in Romania as part of NATO’s Multinational Battle Group at Cincu intervened to save a truck driver following a serious traffic accident on the A3 Bucharest–Ploiești motorway, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said. The incident occurred earlier this week as the soldiers were traveling toward Ploiești and witnessed the truck crash...
Eight contemporary art galleries will present the works of the artists they represent at the third edition of the Smallest Art Fair in Town, an event dedicated to works on paper. This edition showcases works “investigating the state of wandering, disorientation, and rediscovery in the face of uncertainty.” Under the title In Dark Woods, A […]
Parents everywhere are asking an important question: What skills will truly prepare a child for a world defined by rapid change, global uncertainty, and the rise of artificial intelligence? For decades, schools focused entirely on academics. Today, research from neuroscience, performance psychology, and leading universities shows a different reality: The students who thrive long-term are […]
