European Space Education Resource Office Officially Launched In Romania
The European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) has been officially launched in Romania.
The ESERO project is the European Space Agency’s main way of supporting the primary and secondary education community in Europe.
ESERO uses space related themes and the genuine fascination felt by young people for space to enhance school pupils’ literacy and competence in STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects.
ESERO Romania is based in the Romanian Space Agency’s headquarters in Bucharest, it is co-funded by ESA and the Romanian Space Agency, sitting under the Romanian Ministry of Education. (Puterea)
Government Approves Public Healthcare Frame Agreement
The Romanian Government approved Tuesday the frame agreement regulating medical assistance under the public health insurance system for 2014-2015.
The agreement, which takes effect starting June 1, 2014, stipulates, among others, that hospitals must cover all costs, including medicines, for continuous and day hospitalization of insured patients. (Adevarul)
Report: Romania Likely To Raise Oil and Gas Royalties To At Least 10% In 2015
Royalties received by the Romanian state from companies that extract the country’s oil and gas resources are expected to go up from an average rate of 7% to 8% currently to at least 10% starting 2015, according to a report by research and consulting firm GlobalData.
The current royalty rates of between 3.5% and 13% were introduced in 2004 and were covered by a 10-year stability agreement. Since this agreement ends at the end of 2014, the Romanian government is seeking to raise the royalties received from oil and gas production.
Will Scargill, GlobalData’s Upstream Fiscal Analyst, said that despite the expected increase in royalty rates, the Romanian government is likely to set different rates for onshore and offshore fields. (Curentul)
Excessive Taxation Holds Back SMEs In Romania
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Romania complain that excessive taxation, inflation and plunging domestic demand are the most serious problems currently affecting their activities, said Ovidiu Nicolescu, head of the National Council of SMEs, or CNIPMMR.
“The issue of excessive taxation has been signaled this year by 58.0% of a total 1,569 entrepreneurs from across the country, who answered an internal poll conducted in March and April 2014,” Nicolescu also said. (Puterea)
UniCredit: Romania In Dire Need Of New Investments, Jobs
Romania faces one of the highest declines in employment levels in Central and Eastern Europe, has the least skilled personnel and is in dire need of new investments and new jobs, said Dan Bucsa, an economist at UniCredit’s emerging markets office in London.
“If we look at the foreign investments in emerging markets, we can see their levels have fallen substantially since 2008, with no sign of recovery. Also, Romania is one of the nations in greatest need of new investment,” Bucsa told an economic seminar in Bucharest Tuesday.
He said institutional reforms and a better absorption of EU funds are vital for a good economic performance.
„România, țara cu cele mai mari nevoi de investiții” (Curierul National)