A report by Rhodium Group and the Mercator Institute for China Studies estimates that Chinese direct investment in the EU surged 76 per cent to €35.1bn in 2016. EU acquisitions in China, by contrast, fell for the second consecutive year, to €7.7bn. The imbalance was particularly sharp in Germany. Source: FT
A court in northwestern Turkey on April 25 ordered the continued detention of two Greek soldiers who “inadvertently” strayed across the countries’ border last month.The Edirne Second Criminal Court of Peace ruled against a petition by the soldiers’ lawyers to release them from remand. Source Hurriyet Daily News
Days before the start of the tourist season, hotel and restaurant owners in Romania’s Black Sea resorts say they face the worst staff shortage in 28 years. Romania’s Black Sea resorts are set to start their 2018 tourist season this weekend, with over 40,000 visitors expected to head to the seaside for the traditional May 1 break. Source Balkan Insight
The European Union has started monitoring imports of aluminum to determine whether U.S. tariffs have led to a surge in shipments of the metal into Europe, the EU official journal said on Thursday. Source: Reuters
