TheMarketForIdeas

Dan Pălăngean
Dan Pălăngean
Senior Expert, National Bank of Romania
Romania, Lowest Public Expenditure on Education Among EU Member States

Romania, Lowest Public Expenditure on Education Among EU Member States

Dan Pălăngean

No. 61, Sep.-Oct. 2026 Romania stands out as having the lowest public expenditure on education among EU Member States, according to the latest annual survey published by Eurostat. In 2023 (the most recent year for which processed data are available), the highest level of public expenditure on education relative to gross domestic product (GDP) among EU countries was recorded in Sweden (6.8%), followed by Finland (6.3%), Belgium (6.2%) and Denmark (6.1%). Among the remaining EU countries, public expenditure on education relative to GDP generally ranged between 3.9% and 5.3%, with Romania (3.0%), Croatia (3.1%; 2022 data), Greece (3.3%), Malta (3.4%) and Hungary (3.6%) falling below this range. More


Romania, Shortest Working Life Among EU Member States

Romania, Shortest Working Life Among EU Member States

Dan Pălăngean

No. 60, Jul.-Aug. 2026 Romania has the shortest working life among EU Member States, according to data published by Eurostat for last year. With a value of 32.7 years, our country ranked last in this respect, after Italy (33.0 years) and Bulgaria (34.6 years). By contrast, in seven EU countries, the average expected duration of working life is 40 years or more: the Netherlands (44.0 years), Sweden (43.4), Denmark (42.6), Estonia (41.5), Ireland (40.7), Germany (40.2) and Finland (40.1). More


Romania, Second-Lowest Price Level in the EU in 2025

Romania, Second-Lowest Price Level in the EU in 2025

Dan Pălăngean

No. 60, Jul.-Aug. 2026 Romania had the second-lowest price level in the EU in 2025, with an index of 65.1% relative to the European average. Bulgaria ranked first, with an index of 62.5%, while Poland (73.3%), Hungary (77.5%), Croatia (78.4%), Lithuania (82.8%), Latvia (83.2%), and Slovakia (85.2%) were all above Romania. More


One Fifth of Young Romanian People Neither in Employment nor in Education or Training

One Fifth of Young Romanian People Neither in Employment nor in Education or Training

Dan Pălăngean

No. 59, May-Jun. 2026 Last year, almost one fifth of young Romanian people were neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET), according to data compiled and published by Eurostat. It is the largest proportion among all EU member states, well above the European average, and the situation has improved very little over the last ten years, in contrast to the progress recorded in neighbouring countries. More


Romania, Third Among EU Members Regarding the Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion

Romania, Third Among EU Members Regarding the Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion

Dan Pălăngean

No. 59, May-Jun. 2026 In 2025, the highest share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion among European Union member states was recorded in Bulgaria (29.0%), followed by Greece (27.5%) and Romania (27.4%), according to data published by Eurostat. More


Romania, Second Lowest Level in the EU in Labour Costs Last Year

Romania, Second Lowest Level in the EU in Labour Costs Last Year

Dan Pălăngean

No. 58, Mar.-Apr. 2026 Romania remained at the second lowest level in the EU in terms of average hourly labour costs for 2025, according to data published by Eurostat. In a context marked by significant gaps between EU countries, the lowest hourly labour costs were recorded in Bulgaria (€12), Romania (€13.6, up from €12.5 in 2024), and Hungary (€15.2), while the highest were observed in Luxembourg (€56.8), Denmark (€51.7), and the Netherlands (€47.9). More


Romania Leads Europe: Pensions Cover Costs Better Than Anywhere Else

Romania Leads Europe: Pensions Cover Costs Better Than Anywhere Else

Dan Pălăngean

No. 58, Mar.-Apr. 2026 Romania stands first among a group of only four EU countries where pensions exceed spending, according to a German study published on datapulse.de. With a positive ratio of 21%, Romania surpassed Czechia (+18%), Poland (+4%), and Spain (+3%). In context, two other countries are close to breaking even (Bulgaria, with -2%, and Denmark, with -7%), while all the rest are beyond the -10% threshold. More


Romania, Least Money for Health Among EU Member States

Romania, Least Money for Health Among EU Member States

Dan Pălăngean

No. 57, Jan.-Feb. 2026 Romania ranked second to last among EU member states in terms of the percentage of GDP allocated to health, according to data published by Eurostat. With a value of only 5.71%, Romania edged out Luxembourg (5.67%) and placed below Hungary (6.37%), Ireland (6.58%), Poland (7.14%) or Croatia (7.15%). More


Romania, Lowest Share of Young People Work and Study at the Same Time among EU Member States

Romania, Lowest Share of Young People Work and Study at the Same Time among EU Member States

Dan Pălăngean

No. 57, Jan.-Feb. 2026 In 2024, Romania had lowest share of young people work and study at the same time among EU member states, according to a study published by Eurostat. With a ratio of only 2.4%, Romania was placed significantly under Greece (6.0%) and Croatia (6.4%) and far from the European average of 25,4%. More


Bucharest-Ilfov Region, European Leader in Work Intensity but Encircled by Poverty

Bucharest-Ilfov Region, European Leader in Work Intensity but Encircled by Poverty

Dan Pălăngean

No. 56, Nov.-Dec. 2025 The capital region of Romania is the European leader in work intensity, according to data presented by Eurostat for 2024. While 7.9% of people in the EU lived in a household with very low work intensity, the lowest shares among EU regions were in the capital regions of Bucharest-Ilfov in Romania (0.6%), Bratislavský kraj in Slovakia (0.8%) and Warszawski stołeczny in Poland (1.1%). More


Romania, Lowest Rate in the EU on Tertiary Educational Attainment

Romania, Lowest Rate in the EU on Tertiary Educational Attainment

Dan Pălăngean

No. 55, Sep.-Oct. 2025 Romania has the lost lowest rate in the EU on tertiary educational attainment, according to data published by Eurostat for 2024. Ireland (65.2%), Luxembourg (63.8%) and Cyprus (60.1%) had the highest tertiary education attainment rates, while Romania (23.2%), Italy (31.6%) and Hungary (32.3%) had the lowest rates. More


Romania, Lowest Prices for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages in EU

Romania, Lowest Prices for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages in EU

Dan Pălăngean

No. 54, Jul.-Aug. 2025 Romania has the lowest prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages in EU, according to a study published by Eurostat. Romania’s prices were 24% below the average, followed by Slovakia (at 17% below the average) and Poland (-13%). The study was focused primarily on price levels for food, beverages and tobacco in 36 European countries. The country groups included in the analysis were the 27 European Union (EU) countries, 3 EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) and 6 candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye). More


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The Market For Ideas Association

The Romanian-American Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture (RAFPEC)
THE NETWORK
WISEWIDEWEB
OEconomica

Amfiteatru Economic