According to the NBR Board decisions on monetary policy dated 6th of August, the annual CPI inflation rate stopped increasing in June, when it stalled at 5.4 percent, above the variation band of the inflation target.
The annual CPI inflation
New digital rights across Europe
According to European Commission’s press release, this summer, European citizens will enjoy more digital rights than ever before. Following the end of roaming charges across the European Union last year, holidaymakers can now travel with their online TV, film, sports, music or e-book subscriptions at no extra cost. In addition, everyone across Europe can enjoy world-class data protection rules that ensure all Europeans have better control over their personal data.
New initiatives for SMEs and mid-caps
The European Investment Bank has published the report EIB Operations Inside the EU 2017, EIB measures its success in terms of its contribution to EU policy, the quality and soundness of the projects it finances, and the technical and financial contribution it makes to each project.
Labour market trends
The annual Employment and Social Developments in Europe review provides up-to-date economic analysis of employment and social trends in Europe. In light of these trends, the review points out potential challenges and highlights potential policy responses to face these. It is the main report in the European Commission’s hands for analysing evidence and reviewing trends and upcoming challenges on the labour markets.
Pressing problems in accessing finance
According to the survey on the access to finance of non-financial corporations in Romania, published by National Bank of Romania, firms kept largely an unchanged view on the evolution of the main financial indicators for April 2017 – March 2018, except solely for labour costs and other costs. Thus, a higher number of companies showed that these indicators posted a moderate increase versus the previous round (49 percent compared to 37 percent and 40 percent compared to 28 percent respectively).
Broadband Fund
High-speed has a necessity for any business to be competitive in today’s global economy. This is true even for more rural and less populated areas where access to broadband infrastructure can be limited, if not altogether non-existent.
Country-specific recommendations
In March, the European Council endorsed proposed policy priorities and guidance for the 2018 European Semester made by the Commission. These priorities were defined as boosting investment, pursuing structural reforms, and ensuring responsible fiscal policies. Following this step, each member state presented their national reform programmes for economic policies and stability programmes for their fiscal policies in April. On 22nd of June 2018, the European Council approved recommendations and opinions on the member states’ economic and fiscal policies for 2018.
Market services turnover
According to the latest press release of National Institute of Statistics, in April 2018 the turnover of market services rendered mainly to enterprises, in nominal terms, decreased as gross series by 2.8% and increased as adjusted series according to the number of working days and to seasonality by 2.1% compared to the previous month.
Lending to non-financial corporations
According to the survey on the access to finance of the non-financial corporations in Romania published this month by the National Bank of Romania, lending to non-financial corporations in terms of credit standards tended to stagnate in 2018 Q1 both at aggregate level and by category. For in 2018 Q2, banks expect credit standards to remain unchanged.
SME listing on public markets
The Commission has proposed in May new rules to give small and medium enterprises (SMEs) better access to financing through public markets.