About: Romania
Juncker will need to accept replacement Commissioners from Romania, Estonia
Faced with opposition from the member states, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was unable to block the replacement of the Romanian and Estonian commissioners, who were elected as MEPs and already took their MEP seats.
Romanian national parks and forest at risk
Romania hosts the largest remains of natural and old growth forests in the whole of the EU. However, they are not on the safe side yet, writes Luc Bas.
Europe’s ambitious but uncertain future on show at Bratislava forum
As Globsec’s 2019 forum in Bratislava kicked off earlier this week, EURACTIV went along to listen to world leaders from politics, civil society and business on the Future of Europe. Here we present a summary of the main talking points in the field, across the first two days.
Ciolos: Romanian PSD government can only be trusted after it resigns
In an exclusive interview, the former Romanian prime minister and former European Commissioner, Dacian Cioloș, said his newly-formed political force will be able to tap into a reformist wave that will change his country - and help change the EU.
EU praises Romanian U-turn on controversial reforms
The European Commission on Tuesday (4 June) welcomed Romania's pledge to renounce controversial judicial reforms that had triggered strong criticism and threats of sanctions from Brussels.
Pope pleads for European unity, warns against fear-mongers
Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for Europe to stick together and revive the ideals of its founders on Sunday (2 June), saying ideologies and fear-mongering politicians were threatening its very existence as a bloc.
Romanians prepare for Pope’s visit at times of domestic upheaval
Pope Francis travels on Friday (31 May) to Romania, giving him another opportunity to preach a message of European integration and political rectitude even as he pays tribute to Christians killed during the communist era.
The Romanian diaspora – a force to be reckoned with
A hundred-meter queue stretches on Boulevard du Régent in Brussels where foreign embassies are located. Occasional shouts – "Let us vote!” – pierce through the usually quiet neighbourhood.
Romanian ruling social-democrats suffer heavy loss
Romania's pro-European parties inflicted a serious defeat on Romania's ruling Social Democrats (PSD) in the European parliament elections Sunday (26 May), according to partial official results.
Romania’s anti-corruption referendum explained
Besides electing their new European Parliament members on Sunday (26 May), Romanians will be taking part in another vote: a referendum which their president says lets voters express their frustration over corruption. President Klaus Iohannis called the referendum over the...
#EU2019 – Romania: The referendum and the EU isolation threat
Romania is in a weird position as it’s holding the EU Council presidency and simultaneously feels the heat of the Article 7 nuclear option.
Ponta denies talks with ECR, flirts with Socialists and Macron
Romania’s former Prime Minister Victor Ponta is not planning to ally his new ProRomania party with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, he told EURACTIV on Wednesday (22 May), insisting that his primary goal was to be with the EU's Socialists and Democrats.
EU socialists say Romania’s Victor Ponta is ‘fully unreliable’
Romania’s former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who has left the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) and formed his own ProRomania party, cannot be trusted as he changes his mind every week, a high-ranking EU socialist told EURACTIV.com.
Romania cuts VAT rate for ‘healthy and traditional food’
The Romanian government has decided to promote the consumption of healthy and traditional foodstuffs by cutting the VAT rate from 9% to 5%. EURACTIV Romania reports.
Romania’s Schengen perspective in jeopardy over rule of law
The European Commission said on Monday (13 May) that Romania is close to being hit with Article 7 of the EU treaties, the heaviest punishment for a member state deviating from rule of law fundamentals. Losing the chance to join the Schengen zone any time soon would be one of the consequences.
EU heads adopt vague declaration on future of Europe
Heads of state and government from the EU-27 signed off on broad-brush 'ten commitments' for Europe in the next five years on Thursday (9 May), as they adopted a vague Sibiu Declaration during the opening stages of an informal summit dedicated to the bloc's future.
Macron pleads for Schengen renegotiation, possibly with fewer members
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday (25 April) that he was in favour of renegotiating the internal-border-free Schengen area, even if the result would be a “Schengen space with less countries”.
Iohannis: Teach Romanian ruling party a lesson at referendum
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis urged the nation Thursday (25 April) to vote next month in a referendum on judicial reforms, calling it a chance to teach the ruling left-wing social democrats "a lesson".
One month to EU elections: An ‘educated guess’ who the next MEPs could be
In many countries, it is already possible to guess, with a good degree of certainty, who the next MEPs could be. All political forces have published their lists, and opinion polls give a snapshot into the balance of power in each country. What is more challenging, is to imagine future coalitions.
Romanian lawmakers approve bill that could close graft cases
Romania’s lower house of parliament approved changes to the criminal codes on Wednesday (24 April) that could shut down several ongoing high-level graft cases, but opposition politicians plan to challenge the bills at the Constitutional Court.
Romanian justice minister sacked for shunning reforms
Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) sacked justice minister Tudorel Toader on Wednesday (17 April) for spurning controversial changes to the national penal code that critics say benefit PSD chief Liviu Dragnea.
Flagship study exposes decline of press freedom in Europe
Reporters Without Borders published their flagship annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ on Thursday (18 April), revealing that worldwide, authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, while in Europe, decline of press freedom goes hand in hand with...
EU country briefing: Romania
The following article is a part of a series of brief country profiles for the EU-28 ahead of the European elections in May. Romania, together with Bulgaria, missed the first wave of the EU’s eastward expansion in 2004. The two joined the...