April 3, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of local and world news
Ana-Maria Popescu, 03.04.2025, 20:00
TARIFFS “The government is already preparing aid schemes for sectors that could suffer from the new tariffs imposed by the United States, and next week the proposed measures will be discussed in detail with those affected, so as to minimise the impact of these tariffs on Romanian companies,” the finance minister Tanczos Barna announced at the end of the Cabinet meeting on Thursday. Previously, PM Marcel Ciolacu had also promised that the government would protect Romanian companies, with all available resources, from the effects of the new trade war between the US and Europe. “We are working on support measures for all the affected industries, through state aid schemes that are as efficient and easy to implement as possible, so that they can produce effects in the shortest possible time,” Mr Ciolacu said. The US President Donald Trump announced new customs duties, ranging from 10% to 50%, on all trading partners of the United States. He claims he wants to balance trade deficits of hundreds of billions of US dollars and bring wealth back to America. However, experts warn that a trade war escalation will lead to higher prices for American consumers and to a decline in the global economy.
NATO Romania’s foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu said on Thursday that a solid transatlantic bond is critical for a strong North Atlantic Alliance, and Europe must step up its efforts, as peace and security never come by themselves. Emil Hurezeanu is taking part in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. In a social media post, the Romanian official stressed that a “major priority is to strengthen deterrence and defence on the eastern flank, as well as to protect the security of the Black Sea, as the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also said.” In a press conference held on the eve of the two-day meeting, the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte pointed out the importance of increasing defence investment, a key element for the future success of the North Atlantic Alliance. He welcomed the Alliance’s efforts aimed at bringing a just and sustainable end to the war in Ukraine and highlighted NATO’s solid support for Kyiv by announcing the commitment of over EUR 20 billion in security assistance, promised by the Allies, since the beginning of the year. The threat we face from Russia remains, and Russia continues to work closely with China, Iran and North Korea in a way that not only affects Ukraine, but also poses risks to the Alliance and the world, Mark Rutte said.
OECD Romania has already fulfilled half of the conditions required in order to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a target that once reached will allow for a huge economic leap, the Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu said at a conference on the prospects of joining this organisation. The participants, including many business people, identified this as a new goal for the country, after joining NATO, the EU and Schengen. Bucharest aims to complete the OECD integration process next year. The organisation is made up of 38 states, which account for 60% of the world’s GDP.
DEFENCE The Romanian defence minister Angel Tîlvăr Wednesday and Thursday took part in an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Warsaw. According to a news release from the line ministry, the agenda included a session on the implementation of the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030, as well as talks on improving the military support provided by EU states to Ukraine. ‘Romania expresses its interest in strengthening the European industrial and technological base, so as to be able to meet current and future challenges,’ the Romanian official highlighted. He also appreciated the importance of close coordination between European and NATO efforts, in order to ensure complementarity and strategic coherence. During the working session focusing on Ukraine, the participants conveyed broad support for a lasting peace in this country. In this context, Romania’s contribution to the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine was highlighted, as well as the importance of continuing to use all available support instruments, the news release also reads.
EU MEPs have approved the European Parliament’s priorities for next year’s EU budget, which will be negotiated with the Commission and the Council of the EU. In the adopted text, the EP calls for improving the bloc’s security and defence capabilities, as well as for financing dual-use transport infrastructure. The MEPs also highlight the need for sufficient resources, given the sharp drop in international funding, and pledge unconditional support for Ukraine. The European Commission is expected to present its proposal for next year’s budget in June, with the European Council and Parliament to agree on it by the end of the year. (AMP)
