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).
Accor, a global leader in hospitality, has announced the expansion of its presence in Romania by signing a franchise agreement with Amazonia Aquapark SRL for Novotel Timișoara. The newly built hotel is scheduled to open by the end of 2027, marking the brand's first property outside Bucharest and becoming a flagship for Novotel in Eastern […]
A survey published on Wednesday, May 14, by the Open Minds Association shows that Romanians strongly support respect and mutual support in the workplace, signaling that the business environment can play a critical role in supporting social unity. According to the first data set from the “Diversity and Inclusion Barometer,” May 2025 edition, 81% of […]
Eight of the largest business organizations active in Romania have voiced their concern over the accelerating deterioration of the business climate and the erosion of Romania’s credibility. The call is signed by AmCham Romania – American Chamber of Commerce in Romania, AOAR – Association of Romanian Businessmen, AHK – Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, […]
Low-cost carrier Wizz Air announced six new routes from Timișoara and Brașov, two major cities in western and central Romania, respectively, as well as a third aircraft allocated to its Timișoara base. The additional aircraft will support the launch of five new international routes from Timișoara to Larnaca, Nuremberg, Basel, Frankfurt Hahn, and Naples, with […]
The Ploiești Court of Appeal reinstated the status of protected natural reserve for the Crâng Forest, a remnant of the famous Vlăsiei Woods, in a ruling made public on Tuesday, May 13. In 2024, the Buzău County Council approved the revision of a 1995 decision concerning the protection of natural areas and monuments, removing Crâng […]
Cristina Uruc, interim manager of Romania’s Artexim - the organizer of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition, has been unanimously elected president of the European Association of Artist Managers (AEAA). The decision was made during the organization’s General Assembly held recently in Istanbul, hosted in partnership with Borusan Sanat, one of Turkey’s leading cultural […]
