Fiscal Watch: Slovakia topped the EU in the latest European Commission assessment of compliance with fiscal rules, with the Finance Ministry pointing to controlled government spending and noting deficits are also shaped by external factors like energy prices. Auto & Industry Jobs: Flanders is offering up to €119m to support Volvo’s Ghent plant, tied to major investment in energy efficiency, innovation (including battery tech and digitalisation) and staff training—while Volvo prepares a new production site in Košice. Defense Industrial Cooperation: Ukraine’s FM Sybiha says Ukraine is open to joint defense projects with Slovakia under the EU SAFE instrument, highlighting demining and shelter-construction support. Military Procurement: Finland’s Patria has completed the final batch of AMV XP ambulance vehicles for Slovakia, including a technology transfer aimed at boosting local industrial capability. Equal Pay Rules: Slovakia’s equal pay and pay transparency law takes effect this week, ending “wage secrecy” and requiring gender wage reporting and justification where gaps exceed 5%. Logistics & Retail: isklad warns CEE e-commerce needs differ from Western Europe—payment methods like COD and BLIK, plus local delivery expectations, can make or break conversion. Shipping Liability: The IMO’s hazardous cargo liability framework (HNS) is set to enter into force in Nov 2027, closing a compensation gap for incidents involving hazardous substances.