The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) are launching the “Ukrainian SME Recovery” program, which is expected to provide approximately EUR135 million in financing and advisory support for small and medium-sized enterprises, larger companies, and startups in Ukraine, the financial institution announced on its website.
EU support under the program is being implemented through the Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) and amounts to EUR46 million, including EUR41 million in guarantees and approximately EUR5 million in technical assistance.
According to the announcement, the program provides for financing at least 15 investment projects by Ukrainian companies, as well as advisory support for up to 34 startups.
The first component of the program will be implemented through the EBRD’s Risk Sharing Framework (RSF) in collaboration with partner banks. EU guarantees will be used to cover the first-loss risks of the EBRD and partner banks on a parity basis.
According to the bank’s assessment, this will expand Ukrainian companies’ access to long-term financing, particularly for the restoration and expansion of production assets and capacity.
The second component involves expanding the EBRD’s Star Venture program in Ukraine, aimed at supporting high-potential startups and developing an innovative ecosystem.
Under this initiative, selected startups, accelerators, and venture capital firms will receive advisory support. The funding is intended to help early-stage companies cover operational and market development costs and enhance their readiness to attract commercial investment.
The EBRD is the largest institutional investor in Ukraine. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the bank has allocated nearly EUR10 billion to Ukraine.
Ukrainian men of conscription age who are already under temporary protection in European Union countries should not lose their status under the current scheme. Any restrictions currently under discussion within the EU are likely to apply primarily to new applicants, should the temporary protection scheme be extended or amended after March 2027.
The discussion began following reports in the European media that some EU countries are considering restricting access to extended temporary protection for Ukrainian men of conscription or mobilisation age. This does not refer to the immediate withdrawal of status from those already in the EU, but to the possible parameters of the future regime once the current period of temporary protection expires.
The current temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU has been extended until 4 March 2027. This mechanism was first activated in March 2022 and allows Ukrainians to live, work, and access education, healthcare and social support in EU countries without going through the standard asylum procedure.
The European Commission has previously emphasised that the current rules on temporary protection apply to all Ukrainians eligible for this status, with no specific exception for men of conscription age. Any potential changes must be discussed by EU member states and will require a separate political and legal decision.
According to Eurostat, as of the end of March 2026, 4.33 million people from Ukraine were under temporary protection in EU countries.
Germany remained the largest host country – around 1.275 million people, or 29.4% of all recipients of temporary protection in the EU. Poland was in second place – 961,400 people, or 22.2%, and the Czech Republic in third – 379,800, or 8.8%.
The composition of Ukrainians under temporary protection remains predominantly women and children. According to Eurostat, adult women accounted for 43.3% of all beneficiaries of temporary protection, minors for 30.1%, and adult men for 26.6%.
In absolute terms, this means that approximately 1.87 million adult women, around 1.30 million children and approximately 1.15 million adult men were under temporary protection in the EU.
A rough estimate suggests there are between 0.9 and 1.1 million Ukrainian men of working age and potentially conscriptionable age under temporary protection in the EU. This is an indicative estimate, not official statistics on those liable for military service.
The discussion of possible restrictions is linked to two parallel processes. On the one hand, the EU is seeking a long-term model for the millions of Ukrainians who have been under temporary protection for over four years. On the other hand, Ukraine has an acute need for human resources for defence and economic recovery.
At the same time, any changes within the EU will be legally sensitive. Restricting access to protection on the basis of gender, age or conscription status could spark debates about discrimination, human rights, the national powers of states and the alignment of EU policy with Ukraine.
Thus, the current status of Ukrainians in the EU will remain in place until at least March 2027. The question of whether there will be new restrictions for men of conscription age after that date is still under discussion and has not yet been decided.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed two decrees enacting decisions by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to align sanctions with those of the European Union, according to the president’s press service.
“The synchronization of EU sanctions under the 20th package covers 120 individuals and organizations and imposes economic sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy. Some of them are already subject to Ukrainian sanctions. Today’s decision applies to an additional 16 Russian citizens and 31 companies from Russia, Belarus, the UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine,” the statement reads.
Among the individuals are heads of Russian strategic enterprises, state-funded institutions, units of the Russian army, and entities serving Russia in our temporarily occupied territories.
The list also includes Russian defense industry enterprises, manufacturers of electronic warfare equipment, software, and drone components, as well as companies involved in oil, gas, and gold extraction. In particular, restrictions have been imposed on the Russian manufacturer of aerospace products and drone components, LLC
“Atlant Aero,” as well as on the Russian manufacturer of communication systems and components for UAVs and missiles, LLC “Irz-Zvyazok.”
Sanctions have been imposed on companies from the UAE that sell machine tools and laboratory equipment, chemical products, and spare parts for commercial aircraft, as well as on an oil exporter in Belarus.
Ukraine has also imposed restrictive measures on three Russians: Prosecutor Lyudmila Balandina, who was involved in systematic repression and human rights violations against individuals who supported Ukraine or criticized the Russian government; Judge Dmitry Gordeev, also implicated in repression, who issued politically motivated rulings against opposition figures and human rights defenders; and Russian editor and propagandist Maria Sittel, who systematically disseminated disinformation.
Sanctions have also been imposed on 19 Iranian citizens, 7 Sudanese citizens, and 11 Iranian companies involved in Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs.
“We continue to coordinate sanctions regimes with the EU and our partners. We expect further pressure on Russia and all those who help it sustain its aggression. We are already finalizing joint work on draft EU and partner-state sanctions decisions, including the 21st sanctions package,” noted Vladyslav Vlasyuk, the President’s Advisor and Representative on Sanctions Policy.
According to Serbian Economist, Montenegro is drafting new regulations for home producers of rakija and other spirits as part of its efforts to align its legislation with EU requirements. Even small producers who make the beverage solely for their own consumption will be required to register with the Customs Service and declare their distillation equipment.
The regulations are contained in a draft of the new law. The law is set to take effect after Montenegro joins the European Union.
According to the draft, an individual will be able to produce up to 50 liters of strong fruit-based alcoholic beverage per year per household without paying excise tax. However, such a beverage may only be used for personal consumption, family members, and guests. The sale of homemade rakija under this regime will be prohibited.
A producer planning to produce more than 50 liters per year or sell the beverage will be required to register as a small distillery and pay excise tax. For strong alcoholic beverages, the rate remains at 1,250 euros per hectoliter of pure alcohol. This corresponds to €12.50 per liter of pure alcohol, and for rakia with an alcohol content of about 50%, approximately €6.25 per liter of finished beverage.
The draft also provides for the status of a small distillery. Such a distillery will be able to produce up to 1,500 liters of pure alcohol per year, which is equivalent to approximately 3,000 liters of 50% rakia. A preferential rate—50% of the standard excise tax on spirits—will apply to such producers.
The new rules significantly tighten control over home production. A small producer will be required to submit an application to the local Customs Service office at their place of residence no later than eight days before production begins. The application must specify the capacity of the still and the production location.
If a producer exceeds the 50-liter limit without notifying customs or begins selling the beverage without registration and excise accounting, the entire batch produced will be considered illegal. In this case, the customs authority may assess excise tax on the entire volume, not just the excess over the limit.
Several types of penalties are provided for violations. First, monetary fines for failure to register, failure to submit a notification, exceeding the permitted volume, and selling without excise clearance. The published materials do not provide an exact scale of fines in euros, but indicate that the new law specifically establishes such penalties.
Second, the violator may be charged unpaid excise tax on the entire volume of alcohol produced. Interest will also be charged on the amount of unpaid excise tax.
Third, the Customs Service will be able to seize illegally produced alcohol and decide whether to sell or destroy it. This measure will apply in cases where production is deemed illegal due to exceeding the limit, failure to report, or selling without registration.
Fourth, customs will be able to seal or confiscate equipment used for the production of strong alcoholic beverages. This measure applies if the distillation apparatus is unregistered or is used to produce more than the permitted volume and to sell without excise accounting.
For Montenegro, this issue has not only fiscal but also social significance. Home production of rakija is a widespread tradition in the country’s rural areas and throughout the Balkans. Therefore, the new rules may cause discontent among some households that are accustomed to producing the beverage for personal consumption without a complicated registration process.
The authorities, in turn, aim to make the market more transparent, curb the illegal sale of strong alcohol, and bring the excise system into line with European standards.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2919
The European Commission may present legislative proposals as early as summer 2026 to restrict minors’ access to social media. This was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen while speaking at a democracy summit in Copenhagen.
According to Reuters, von der Leyen said that the European Commission is stepping up measures to protect children from the “addictive design” of digital platforms, including TikTok, Meta, Facebook, Instagram, and X. She linked excessive social media use by teenagers to risks related to sleep, mental health, anxiety, cyberbullying, and other threats to young people.
However, this does not involve an immediate shutdown of social media platforms or a temporary suspension of their services for all users. Primary sources mention a possible “social media delay” for children, meaning a delay or restriction on the age at which minors can independently use social media. Euronews reports that the European Commission may present plans for a Europe-wide ban or age restriction for children as early as this summer.
The European Commission has already established a special panel of experts on children’s online safety. According to official EC documents, by the summer of 2026, the panel’s co-chairs are to present von der Leyen with recommendations on protecting children online, including possible harmonized age restrictions for access to social media and other online services.
Digital age verification will be a separate element of the future policy. In April 2026, the European Commission held the second meeting of the special panel, dedicated to current rules for protecting minors online and EU initiatives in this area. Reuters also reported that the EU has already developed an age verification app designed to help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and services.
The new proposals could become part of a broader EU digital policy, including the Digital Services Act and the future Digital Fairness Act. The EU is currently investigating major platforms regarding the protection of minors, advertising transparency, researchers’ access to data, and the use of mechanisms designed to capture users’ attention.
Switzerland has expanded its sanctions lists targeting Russia and Belarus, partially aligning itself with the European Union’s 20th sanctions package, adopted in response to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to the Swiss government, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education, and Research expanded the sanctions lists against Russia and Belarus on May 22.
An additional 115 individuals and entities have been subject to the new restrictions. Asset freezes and a ban on the provision of funds are being imposed on them. Individuals are also prohibited from entering Switzerland and transiting through its territory.
The Swiss government specified that the new sanctions apply, in particular, to individuals and organizations linked to the Russian military-industrial complex and the energy sector.
In the trade sector, Switzerland is imposing stricter export controls on an additional 60 companies, including entities in third countries. The aim of this measure is to prevent the supply of critically important goods to the Russian military-industrial complex.
Bern has also adopted some of the EU measures targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet.” The restrictions have been extended to 46 additional vessels, with bans on their purchase, sale, and the provision of services to them. At the same time, in accordance with the EU decision, previously imposed bans on 11 vessels have been lifted.
In addition, Switzerland has imposed a ban on transactions involving two Russian ports and one port in a third country that are used for the transport of Russian petroleum products.
At the same time, Switzerland has not yet included seven companies from a third country, which were mentioned in the EU decisions, on its sanctions list. Bern stated that operational measures are being applied to prevent the circumvention of sanctions.
