Tourists spent a total of 3.09 billion nights in hotels, hostels, and rented apartments in the European Union in 2025, according to final estimates from the EU’s statistical office.
This is 2.2% (66.4 million) higher than the 2024 figure and represents a record.
At the same time, the number of overnight stays by foreign visitors increased by 3.4% (49.7 million) last year, while for EU residents, this figure rose by 1.1% (16.7 million).
An increase in tourism activity was observed in 24 of the 27 EU member states. The most significant growth in tourist numbers was recorded in Malta (by 10.1%) and Poland (by 7.2%), while the number of overnight stays in Luxembourg decreased by 2.4%, in Romania by 1.7%, and in Ireland by 0.4%.
The most popular tourist destinations for foreigners were Spain (513.6 million overnight stays), Italy (476.9 million), France (471.7 million), and Germany (442.1 million). The least popular destinations were Luxembourg (3.6 million), Latvia (5 million), and Estonia (6.7 million).
The European Union may provide Ukraine with a grant to modernize the Shepit-Izvoarele Sucevei border crossing point on the border with Romania as part of the Interreg VI-A NEXT Romania-Ukraine 2021-2027 program, according to the press service of the Recovery Agency. According to the report, the program’s governing body has approved the selection of the BOND – Border Operations and National Development project. The project has been recommended for funding and may receive a grant of up to €690,900, which is 90% of the total project budget.
The Recovery Agency noted that BOND is the next stage of comprehensive work on opening the Shepit-Izvoarele Sucevei border crossing point, provided for by an intergovernmental agreement between Ukraine and Romania. Earlier, as part of the Romania-Ukraine 2014-2020 program, mirror infrastructure projects were implemented on both sides of the border – bridges and access roads were built, and flood protection measures were carried out on a 2 km section on the Ukrainian side and a 3 km section on the Romanian side.
As specified, the BOND project provides for the technical equipment of the checkpoint on both sides of the border, in particular the purchase and installation of specialized equipment for the safe and efficient operation of the checkpoint, as well as the development of a joint cross-border strategy for the development of border areas.
The Interreg NEXT “Romania-Ukraine” program for the period 2021-2027 is aimed at supporting cross-border cooperation and covers the border counties of Romania and the Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Odesa regions of Ukraine.
BORDER, CHECKPOINT, EUROPEAN UNION, GRANT, MODERNIZATION, ROMANIA
One in six residents of the European Union lives in cramped housing, while approximately one in three lives in a household that is considered too spacious for the number of residents, according to Eurostat’s overview publication ‘Housing in Europe – 2025 edition’.
According to the statistics agency’s estimates, in 2024, about 17% of the EU population lived in overcrowded housing. The highest rates of ‘overcrowding’ were recorded in Romania (41%), Latvia (39%) and Bulgaria (34%).
The lowest rates of overcrowded housing were recorded in Cyprus (2%), Malta (4%) and the Netherlands (5%).
At the same time, about 33% of the EU population lives in ‘underoccupied’ housing – houses and flats that are considered too large for the number of people living in them.
The highest proportion of such households is in Cyprus (70%), Ireland (67%) and Malta (64%), and the lowest in Romania (7%), Latvia (10%) and Greece (13%).
Former head of the European Union delegation to Ukraine José Manuel Pinto Teixeira said that Ukraine is currently more ready to join the EU than a number of Western Balkan countries. He said this in an interview with Deutsche Welle. According to the diplomat, fears about the new stage of EU enlargement are exaggerated.
Teixeira noted that Ukraine has significant potential for the EU: it is a large country with natural resources, developed agriculture, and an educated and hard-working population that has demonstrated resilience and courage in the face of war. He stressed that Ukraine’s accession would be an “important acquisition” for the European Union in terms of territory, resources, and human capital.
The former ambassador recalled that Ukraine has made significant progress in the fight against “physical corruption” since the Revolution of Dignity, but such reforms always take a long time. He stressed that Ukraine remains a unique case in modern history: a country in the midst of a full-scale war is simultaneously carrying out reforms and moving towards European integration.
Teixeira pointed out that Ukraine continues to reform its public administration system amid constant Russian missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure. At the same time, Moscow, despite its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is effectively avoiding international responsibility for its actions.
Assessing the prospects for EU enlargement, Teixeira said that the long preparation period for the Western Balkan countries does not in itself mean that they are more ready for accession than Ukraine. In his view, Kyiv is already ahead of a number of Balkan states in terms of its fulfillment of most of the key criteria, but must continue with reforms even after receiving candidate status.
He recalled that Ukraine is moving forward in the same “enlargement package” as Moldova and the Western Balkan states of Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have been negotiating for many years but face chronic problems of the rule of law, corruption, and territorial disputes.
José Manuel Pinto Teixeira headed the EU Delegation to Ukraine from 2008 to 2012 and is now vice president of the European Center for Electoral Support (ECES) in Brussels.
The European Union is facing a serious crisis in the supply of critical materials after the decision of the Chinese government to impose new export restrictions on rare-earth magnets and raw materials for their production, reports Politico.
As noted, Beijing’s decision in early October has escalated the trade standoff with the United States and created risks for European industry, which is almost entirely dependent on imports of such elements from China.
“A crisis in the supply of critical raw materials is no longer a remote risk. It is already on our doorstep,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told MEPs on the eve of the EU summit.
She emphasized the need for “decisive and urgent action” to ensure faster and more reliable supplies of critical materials “both within Europe itself and from trusted partners.”
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said the EU was not interested in escalating tensions, but emphasized the need to resolve the situation quickly. “However, this situation casts a shadow on our relations. Therefore, a quick solution is essential,” he said.
Šefčovič said China and the EU will “strengthen contacts at all levels” to discuss the restrictions. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is due to arrive in Brussels for consultations in the coming days.
“The European Union is also holding talks with the G7 countries on an agreed response to the crisis ahead of a ministerial meeting to be held October 30-31 in Canada,” the report said.
Earlier, the information and analytical center Experts Club analyzed the global market of rare earth metals of the world and Ukraine, the video is available here -.
https://youtu.be/UHeBfpywpQc?si=0L-2nSUrLlIbqVZ5?si=Fk6Oi_13NKpEW81K
CHINA, EUROPEAN UNION, EXPERTS CLUB, EXPORT, rare earth elements
As part of its 19th package of sanctions, the European Union will impose a ban on transactions with five Russian credit institutions from November 12: Alfa Bank, MTS Bank, Absolut Bank, Zemsky Bank, and NKO Istina, according to an EU statement.
In addition, Belarusian Alfa Bank, Sberbank, VTB, Belgazprombank, BelVEB, as well as VTB’s subsidiary in Kazakhstan and VTB’s branch in Shanghai have been added to the EU sanctions list.
BAN, BANK, BELARUS, EUROPEAN UNION, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, SANCTION, TRANSACTION
