In July 2025, global steel production amounted to 150.126 million tons, which is 1.3% less than in July 2024.
According to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), the top ten countries are as follows:
China — 79.660 million tons (-4% y/y)
India — 14.000 million tons (+14%)
United States — 7.142 million tons (+4.8%)
Japan — 6.918 million tons (-2.5%)
Russia — 5.700 million tons (-2.4%)
South Korea — 5.256 million tons (-4.7%)
Turkey — 3.182 million tons (+4.2%)
Brazil — 2.930 million tons (-5.5%)
Germany — 2.719 million tons (-13.7%)
Iran — 2.235 million tons (+29.7%)
Romania is the most accessible country in Europe for digital nomads, according to a study by Omio. The index looked at the cost of living, rent, visa requirements, and internet access, with interest in remote work across borders growing fast.
Romania ranked first among European countries in terms of accessibility for digital nomads. Its assets include the lowest cost of living (index 37) and favorable rental conditions (index 7), which are significantly lower than in the US (72).
However, to obtain a digital visa in Romania, you need to prove that you have a monthly income of at least £3,700 (~$5,000), which is a high threshold for many freelancers.
In second place is Albania, which has the same low cost of living and rent but a more lenient income threshold (€1,000), although it lags behind Romania in terms of safety and internet speed.
Georgia is one of the leaders in terms of low living and rental costs, but its mandatory income requirement for a visa — around £2,000 — is higher than in Albania.
Hungary also ranks highly in the regional rankings thanks to its fast internet speeds and moderate income requirements for a visa.
Omio’s research confirms Eastern Europe’s status as the most accessible region for digital nomads. Romania leads the way thanks to its favorable combination of cost of living and infrastructure quality. However, visa requirements — particularly the relatively high level of provable income — remain a barrier for effective freelancers with unstable incomes.
Norway is allocating approximately NOK 7 billion (US$696.12 million) to finance air defense systems for Ukraine, according to a press release from the Norwegian government on Sunday.
“Together with Germany, we will ensure that Ukraine receives powerful air defense systems. Germany and Norway are working closely together to support Ukraine in defending the country and its civilian population against Russian air attacks,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.
It is noted that Norway and Germany are financing two Patriot systems, including missiles. In addition, Norway is contributing to the purchase of air defense radars from German manufacturer Hensoldt and air defense systems from Kongsberg.
“Air defense is crucial for protecting military units and infrastructure. Together with Germany, we are now stepping up our efforts even further,” added Defense Minister Tore Rømmers.
Earlier this summer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Støre agreed to transfer two Patriot systems to Ukraine, which are currently in Germany and will be delivered to Ukraine as soon as possible.
The US has confirmed that it will replace the transferred systems, and Norway has pledged to make a financial contribution to their replacement.
The long-awaited revival in the construction of vegetable storage facilities has begun in Ukraine, with small and medium-sized facilities prevailing, Andriy Marushchak, Commercial Director of Van Dyke Techs, told SEEDS in an interview. According to him, this format allows farms to quickly meet local needs, but “storage is not everything”: without parallel development of processing, the effect will be limited.
According to the expert, construction is currently most active in Lviv, Khmelnytsky, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Odesa, Dnipro, and Chernihiv regions. The farmers’ decision was influenced by the high cost of logistics: “It is no longer as profitable to transport onions 400-800 km as it is to grow and store them closer to the market,” Marushchak said.
The most promising areas for a quick launch are French fries, dried mashed potatoes, peeled/ready-made potatoes; for onions, peeling, freezing and drying. In countries where processing is already in operation, farmers have gradually scaled up storage facilities from 3 to 30 thousand tons or more; it is logical for the Ukrainian market to follow the same trajectory, the expert emphasizes.
Vegetable consumption in Ukraine is less than 30% of WHO recommendations (≈150-200 g per day versus 600 g), which restrains demand beyond the “borscht set”. In a typical consumption structure, the share of potatoes is 50-60%, cabbage – ~10%, carrots – ~5%, and beets – “very little,” Marushchak said.
For the stable operation of storage and processing plants, it is important for farmers to form commodity lots and fulfill long-term contracts through professionally managed cooperatives, a model that has been successfully operating in the EU, the expert emphasizes.
https://www.seeds.org.ua/ovochesxovishh-v-ukraini-stane-bilshe-fermeri-pochali-aktivne-budivnictvo/
The leaders of the Ukrainian insurance market in terms of premiums collected in January-July 2025 were insurance companies SG TAS with UAH 4.213 billion in premiums collected, ARKS with UAH 3.270 billion, and INGO with UAH 3.101 billion. Unica attracted UAH 2.897 billion, and VUSO attracted UAH 2.613 billion, according to the website of the National Association of Insurers of Ukraine (NAIU). It is noted that compared to the same period last year, INGO surpassed Unica, pushing it out of third place.
The top five companies in the compulsory motor third-party liability insurance market in terms of premiums collected in January-July this year are TAS (UAH 2.245 billion), Oranta (UAH 1.708 billion), Knyazha VIG (UAH 1.368 billion), INGO Insurance Company (UAH 724.1 million), and USG (UAH 619.1 million).
The leaders in the Green Card market in terms of premiums collected for the period are TAS (UAH 753.9 million), USG (UAH 651.2 million), PZU (UAH 427.7 million), which rose from fourth to third place, ahead of Knyazha VIG (UAH 216.1 million), and SK INGO (UAH 152.8 million) instead of SK Oranta, which left the top five.
There were also minor changes in the CASCO market. As before, it is led by ARKS Insurance (UAH 1.539 billion), Arsenal Insurance (UAH 1.425 billion), VUSO (UAH 723 million), which swapped places with Unica (UAH 658.3 million), and Universalna (UAH 640.8 million), which took the place of USG.
At the same time, there were no changes among the leaders in voluntary medical insurance: Unika Insurance Company (UAH 1.412 billion) remains the leader in this segment, followed by Universalna (UAH 710.3 million), INGO (UAH 646 million), VUSO (UAH 493.9 million), and ARKS (UAH 370.6 million).
There were minor changes in the top five life insurance companies in January-July. As a year ago, MetLife Insurance Company (UAH 1.693 billion) ranks first. The next places were taken by IC TAS (UAH 500.6 million), Grave Life (UAH 341.8 million), PZU Life (UAH 221 million), and Arks Life (UAH 203.4 million). At the same time, Unica Life, which was in fourth place at the end of the first seven months of 2024, dropped out of the top five leaders in this market.
As reported, as of the end of July 2025, there were 51 risk insurers operating in the Ukrainian insurance market (compared to 69 on the same date in 2024), 10 specializing in life insurance (down from 12), and one with special status (Export-Credit Agency, ECA).
The State Customs Service of Ukraine (SCC) has granted authorized economic operator (AEO) status with the right to apply simplifications to 100 companies, according to a press release from the SCC.
“This milestone symbolizes not only a quantitative achievement, but also qualitative progress in the development of transparent and effective cooperation between customs and business, which is an important step towards Ukraine’s integration into the European economic space,” the agency explained on its Telegram channel on Monday.
It is noted that among the Ukrainian companies that have received AEO status are manufacturers, exporters, importers, freight forwarders, and other participants in foreign economic activity (FEA).
It is noted that five companies already have both types of authorizations: “granting the right to apply simplifications” (AEO-C) and “confirming security and reliability” (AEO-B).
The GTS reminded that AEO status is a recognized mark of trust that confirms the reliability, security, and high standards of companies in the international supply chain. It gives enterprises the right to simplified customs procedures, saves time and reduces logistics costs, and, consequently, increases the competitiveness of Ukrainian businesses in the global market. For Ukraine, this means strengthening its economic potential, increasing exports, and attracting new trading partners.
For more information on AEO status and authorization to apply for simplifications, please visit https://customs.gov.ua/deiaki-pitannia-funktsionuvannia-avtorizovanikh-ekonomichnikh-operatoriv
Previously, round tables were dedicated to customs reform, where event organizer and moderator Maksim Urakin stated that the State Customs Service provides up to 40% of Ukraine’s state budget revenues, with these figures remaining stable over the past few years. That is why customs reforms are so important for the country.
