EU Affairs

Political storm in Germany over choice of von der Leyen for European Commission chief

The nomination of German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen as new European Commission chief has sparked fresh tensions within Chancellor Angela Merkel's fragile coalition that threatened to split her…

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EU election was targeted by Russian disinformation

The Financial Times reports that according to an initial review by Brussels, Russian sources mounted a “continued and sustained” disinformation effort to “suppress turnout and influence voter preferences” at last…

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Slovak capital to host the new European Labour Authority

The Slovak capital Bratislava on Thursday won the right to host a new European Union agency to oversee the labour market that is due to start operating this autumn. A…

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EU reviewing past money-laundering cases at banks in the EU

The European Commission is reviewing past money-laundering cases at EU banks to assess what went wrong and decide possible tweaks to rules. Under the plan, the European Commission is assessing…

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Strength in unity: Commission makes recommendations for the EU’s next strategic agenda 2019-2024

Ahead of the meeting of EU27 leaders in Sibiu, Romania, tomorrow, the European Commission is setting out a number of policy recommendations for how Europe can shape its future in…

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Italy requests EU plan of action for new migrant wave from Libya

Italy's government has written to the European Union asking it to prepare a plan of action to address the risk of a new wave of migrants escaping from the armed…

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Merkel says possibility of a longer Brexit delay

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the European Union may well decide on a longer Brexit delay than the one sought by the British government, but it would be flexible…

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Salvini calls for Turkey’s EU application to be definitively rejected

Deputy Italian Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Monday called for Turkey's application to join the EU to be definitively rejected. Salvini, who is also leader of the…

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Romania laments brain drain

Eugen Teodorovici, Romanian Finance Minister, said the country's brain drain is undermining Romania's ability to compete on a European level and called on the European Union to do more to…

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Poland hints that it will not fully apply EU copyright law

The Polish ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Saturday that a copyright directive adopted by EU lawmakers this week, to be implemented by the 28 member nations, threatens freedom.…

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Barnier says EU would allow permanent customs union if UK wants it

Michel Barnier, the EU's Brexit negotiator, in a speech in Warsaw, Poland, said that the EU would agree to put a permanent customs union in the political declaration, the text…

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EU expected to drop threat of Huawei ban

A Reuters exclusive report states that the European Commission will next week ignore U.S. calls to ban Huawei Technologies but urge EU countries to share more data to tackle…

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Suspension of EU’s Operation Sophia not of great concern to Libya

The spokesman for the Libyan Navy, Ayoub Qassim said that the European statements regarding the suspension of Operation Sophia are not of the Libyan state's concern in any means.…

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Brexit once more set to dominate EU summit

Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, travels to Brussels on Thursday to meet with EU leaders at the European Council and discuss a short delay to Brexit, which is…

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EU expected to call special summit on Brexit extension

Shortly after it was announced that British Prime Minister Theresa May won't be asking for a long extension for Brexit, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that EU leaders will…

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ECJ clears the way for Germany to deport asylum-seekers to other EU countries

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has cleared the way for Germany to deport asylum-seekers to other EU member states. Judges in Germany had asked the ECJ to interpret…

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Proposal so EU states scrutinise each other’s democratic track record

In an effort to beef up the EU’s defences against governments of member states flouting its key principles, Belgium and Germany have proposed that EU member states should be given…

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Corporate Dispatch Europe Explained – The Week Ahead

A quick glance at the main forthcoming events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings and other EU-related conferences and events. Main events for the week…

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Romano Prodi on Brexit: “It’s a mess”

After another chaotic performance in the British Parliament, Euronews interviewed seasoned European dealmaker Romano Prodi, the former EU Commission President and Italian Prime Minister for his views on the current…

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European Parliament’s President Tajani under fire for Mussolini comments

The European Parliament's Italian President, Antonio Tajani, is facing harsh criticism for suggesting fascist dictator Benito Mussolini did some positive things before he turned bad. The outcry was sparked…

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BREXIT: Prolonged uncertainty damaging UK housing market

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) warned that prolonged Brexit uncertainty will damage the UK housing market. The UK housing market has slowed since the EU referendum in…

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The European Accessibility Act: a big step forward but not enough

The European Disability Forum (EDF) described the European Parliament's approval of the European Accessibility Act as a big positive step forward on a long journey but there is still…

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EU Parliament calls for suspension of Turkey’s membership talks

The European parliament called for the suspension Turkey's negotiations for membership in the EU. MEPs, in a symbolic rebuke of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, voted 370 in favour and 109…

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Over 270 financial firms fleeing Britain to the EU over Brexit

A report released by a London think tank on Monday said that 275 financial firms are in the process of transferring a combined €1.06 trillion worth of funds, assets and staff…

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EU to add Bermuda to tax haven list

European Union finance ministers are set to add the British overseas territory of Bermuda to the bloc's blacklist of tax havens on Tuesday. But Reuters reports that Italy is objecting…

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The EU and the US concerned following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China’s Belt and Road initiative

The European Commission stressed the need for EU States to stay united following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China's huge Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.…

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Time’s Up: European Parliament to vote on scrapping mandatory daylight savings time

After the European Parliament’s transport and tourism committee this week became the latest EU body to endorse the proposal in a report this week a vote on scrapping mandatory…

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48 financial firms to move to Germany due to Brexit

German regulators have received 48 applications in recent months from financial firms seeking to relocate to Germany in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the European Union. Reuters…

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Spain and Greece get additional €45.6 million in emergency funds support to respond the migratory challenges

The European Commission has awarded an additional €45.6 million in emergency assistance to support Spain and Greece respond to the migratory challenges they face. The European Commission has awarded an…

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EU Summit Reaction – Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli

The final agreement reached in the early hours of Friday morning falls short of an agreement on asylum rules. Once again, the EU has failed to agree to real solutions.…

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Italy wants relevant EU Commission portfolio linked with Economy

Reuters: Italy is looking to secure one of the economic commissioner positions when the European Union Commission expires next year, Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Friday. “I think the…

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EU Summit – Maltese Prime Minister Muscat comments to Corporate Dispatch

Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who was one of the first to announce the agreement in the early hours of Friday expressed his views to Corporate Dispatch that the conclusions…

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EU Summit – Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Comments

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is reported to be satisfied by the deal. "It was a long negotiation but from today Italy is no longer alone." He listed the elements…

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Breaking News: EU leaders reach migration deal after night long discussions (Continuously Updated)

The 'Mother of All Summits' gave birth to an agreement on Immigration. The agreement reached before dawn included approval of the full set of Council conclusions, along with the migration…

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EU Summit Agenda- External Relations and Brexit

External relations The European Council is expected to adopt conclusions on the downing of flight MH17, calling on the Russian Federation to accept responsibility and fully cooperate will all efforts to…

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EU Summit Agenda- Economy and Finance

EU leaders are expected to adopt conclusions on several issues recently debated under the Leaders' Agenda, such as digital taxation, tax avoidance and evasion. Trade will be discussed in light of…

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Broadband Internet access across rural EU

Euronews : More than a dozen EU countries have poor broadband coverage in rural areas, latest figures reveal. The data, published in a report by the European Court of Auditors…

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Total Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU decreased by 0.4% in 2016

Total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) decreased by 0.4 % in 2016, according to latest official data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Using less…

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EU committed to Iranian nuclear deal; wants the US to exempt the bloc from steel tariffs

The EU remains firmly committed to the Iranian nuclear deal, and it wants the US to permanently exempt the bloc from steel tariffs. Donald Tusk, the European Council president said…

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BREXIT – Britain will be unable to leave customs union before 2023

The Telegraph reports that the Cabinet's Brexit sub-committee informed ministers that Britain will be unable to leave the customs union before 2023. This sparked fears that the delay will be…

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EU Commission to unveil budget plan

The European Commission is expected to unveil its seven year budget plan today. According to reports on the Financial Times, Brussels is seeking to increase the seven-year EU budget to approximately…

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ECB retains same interest rates

This week, the European Central Bank announced that it will keep its interest rates unchanged. This decision was based on the ECB's regular economic and monetary analyses. In a statement, the…

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CNN: David Cameron says he doesn’t regret calling Brexit referendum

CNN: Former British Prime Minister David Cameron says he doesn't regret calling a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union -- but wishes the result had gone the other…

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15 years ago – The EU Big Enlargement Signed and Delivered

The 16 of April 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the accession treaties of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia,…

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First Citizens’ Dialogue in Gozo discussing the future of the Cohesion Policy for Malta and Gozo

In the first Citizens' Dialogue ever to be held on Gozo, the European Commission Representation in Malta will be discussing the future of the EU's Cohesion Policy with two EU…

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EU countries to commit to doing more together on the digital front

Tomorrow the European Commission will bring ministers, representatives of EU countries, industry, academia and civil society representatives together to encourage cooperation in artificial intelligence, blockchain, eHealth and innovation. Discussions will…

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18% increase in number of people who acquired EU citizenship

Eurostat data on those who acquired European Citizenship show that in 2016, 994 800 people obtained citizenship of an EU-28 Member State, a increase of 18 % compared with 2015. This increase occurred after…

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Hillary Clinton: Don’t let Brexit undermine Ireland’s peace

Hillary Clinton - Twenty years ago, the Good Friday/Belfast agreement helped bring an end to decades of conflict and violence in Northern Ireland. It was a watershed moment – the result of…

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The election in Hungary

Hungary’s right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is the second-longest-serving government leader after Germany's Angela Merkel, seeks a third consecutive term in parliamentary elections on Sunday. Opinion polls show…

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Politico – Guy Verhofstadt on BREXIT

POLITICO: If there’s one member of the European Parliament who is thriving on the Brexit process (rather than mourning it, or popping Champagne bottles) it’s Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal…

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Euro area annual inflation up to 1.4%

Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 1.4% in March 2018, up from 1.1% in February, according to a flash estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European…

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Cheap euro transfers everywhere in the Union and fairer currency conversions

The European Commission is proposing to make cross-border payments in euro cheaper across the entire EU. Under current rules, there is no difference for euro area residents or businesses if…

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February 2018 Euro area unemployment at 8.5% EU28 at 7.1% – Malta (with Germany) registers second lowest unemployment rate

The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 8.5% in February 2018, down from 8.6% in January 2018 and from 9.5% in February 2017. This is the lowest rate recorded…

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