Author: Euronews

Romania also has the highest rate of rate young people not working or in training. ADVERTISEMENTA quarter of Romanian youth (25.4%) is suffering from severe material and social deprivation, according to Eurostat.This is the highest rate in the European Union and more than four times the average of 6% for the whole 27-country bloc.Severe material and social deprivation is described as an enforced lack of necessary and desirable items to lead an adequate life. Young people aged 15-29 are seen as suffering from it if they are unable to meet seven out of 13 criteria including a capacity to face unexpected…

European investment in China is under threat as the country’s shadow banks face crisis. ADVERTISEMENTChinese trusts and wealth management companies have been struggling under the weight of tightening regulations and China’s persistent property crisis – two phenomena that have hit the country’s ‘shadow banking’ industry particularly hard and could have knock-on effects for Europe. Shadow banks, such as Sichuan Trust and Zhongzhi, are non-bank financial institutions, such as credit guarantee companies, hedge funds and asset management companies, that provide some of the key services of banks despite not being traditional lenders.It’s a significant sector: according to the International Monetary Fund…

Farmers from all over Europe marched into Brussels on Monday morning to protest against a varied range of issues, including low prices for their products, environmental regulation and free-trade deals. ADVERTISEMENTBelgian, Dutch, French and Italian producers were among those who took part in the demonstration, which saw an estimated 1,000 tractors take over Rue de la Loi, the street in Brussels that hosts the main European Union institutions, and its surroundings.The protest was deliberately timed to coincide with a closely watched meeting of the bloc’s agriculture ministers, where they discussed targeted changes to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the reduction of bureaucratic…

Hungary’s delay in ratifying Sweden’s membership to the military alliance had seen is accused of trying to secure EU concessions. ADVERTISEMENTHungary’s parliament is on Monday expected to ratify Sweden’s membership to the NATO military alliance, giving its stamp of approval 18 months after the Scandinavian country first made a bid to join. Hungary is the last of NATO’s 31 members to approve Sweden’s membership after Turkey backed the move last month.It comes after Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson travelled to Budapest last week for a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, during which a defence industry agreement was struck.Under…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. The narrative of those who refuse to imagine a future in which cryptocurrencies will be integral to the financial system now seems forced, self-serving, and even fanatical, Silvina Moschini writes. ADVERTISEMENTNothing has been more damaging to the adoption of cryptocurrencies than the “no-coiners” — deniers who refuse to buy into the system and prophesied that the industry is doomed to failure.Fortunately, these “sceptics” appear to be a dying breed and the doubters are becoming less doubtful.Two years ago, an…

Agricultural ministers meeting in Brussels today (26 February) backed the idea of reopening the EU’s farming subsidies scheme starting by dismantling its green architecture. ADVERTISEMENTMinisters greeted a package proposed by the EU executive to address concerns from the farming community, including loosening green elements in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and reduction of on-farm checks.“These measures will be a first concrete step in the right direction. But the EU Council believes that this is not enough,” said Belgium’s agriculture minister David Clarinval, representing the rotating presidency of the council.EU ministers have invited the commission to beef up its package of…

Diesel supplies to Europe are under pressure following disruptions at US refineries, aggravated by global instability. ADVERTISEMENTUS diesel exports to Europe almost halved in February to 6.65 million barrels, down from 11.44 million barrels in January, according to analysis by ship tracking firm Kpler.The drop in supply was driven by technical failures and planned refurbishments at US refineries, which has cut output to 10% below the prior five-year’s seasonal average.Official government data shows that, in the week to 9 February, US distillates output fell to 4 million barrels per day, the lowest figure seen since December 2022.A key loss to the market…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. Walking the corridors of European institutions, we pass posters and banners trumpeting our continent’s commitment to rights, freedoms, and justice. These should be values we live, not words we use when politically expedient, MEP Cornelia Ernst and Spyros Vlad Oikonomou write. ADVERTISEMENTLast month, a report documented vicious punishment beatings of people held in Greek refugee camps and detention centres.Most who spoke to the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) reported having been beaten indiscriminately. Others said they were beaten…

“People everywhere are feeling anxious about the future and this will be felt at the ballot box this year,” the head of the WTO said. ADVERTISEMENTWar, uncertainty and instability are weighing down the global economy, the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) warned on Monday, urging the bloc to embrace reform as nearly half the world’s population brace for elections this year.WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sought to offer some praise for her organisation as it held its biennial meeting in the United Arab Emirates, even as it faces pressure from the US and other nations.But she was blunt about…

Alexander Lukashenko has said he will run for re-election as Belarus’s president in 2025, delivering a further blow to the country’s stifled pro-democracy movement. ADVERTISEMENTThe announcement came over the weekend during parliamentary elections. Described as more of a ritual than a democratic vote, Belarusians could choose between only four parties, all loyal to Lukashenko. The ballot was tightly controlled, international observers were not invited and opposition parties were legally barred from running.It is the first election in the country since the contentious 2020 presidential vote – deemed a sham by the West – that sparked a wave of mass demonstrations…