Europe Explained

Majority in the EU approved of bloc’s handling of first coronavirus wave

The majority of people in the EU approved of the bloc's response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Pew Research Centre study carried out…

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EU Commission President announces Covid-funding for Malta to be made available today

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the first tranche of funds from the SURE programme, amounting to some 120 million euro, will be made available to Malta…

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Hungary, Poland block 2021-2027 EU budget, recovery package

Hungary and Poland blocked on Monday the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget and recovery fund by European Union governments because the budget law included a clause which makes access to money conditional on…

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Privacy activist files complaints against Apple’s tracking tool

A group led by privacy activist Max Schrems filed complaints on Monday with German and Spanish data protection authorities over Apple's online tracking tool, saying it breached European law by…

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Poland should veto EU budget, Justice Minister says

Poland should veto the European Union budget over an EU attempt to tie rule of law to EU funding, Poland's Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said on Monday. "Now is the…

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Macron: Europe needs its own sovereignty in defence, even with new U.S. government

Europe still needs its own independent and sovereign defence strategy, even if it is dealing with a new U.S. government which may result in friendlier ties, French President Emmanuel Macron…

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EP adopts Recovery and Resilience Facility in bid to help EU countries tackle effects of pandemic

The European Parliament has adopted the Recovery and Resilience Facility, an instrument designed to help EU countries tackling the effects and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Budgets and Economic…

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Euro zone investor morale worsens in November but beats forecast

Investor morale in the euro zone fell for a second consecutive month in November but the drop was not as bad as feared because lockdowns imposed to curb the spread…

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European leaders to discuss initiative against Islamist extremism: sources

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will take part in a phone call with other European leaders to discuss an initiative against Islamist extremism on Tuesday, two participants in a call with…

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EU ‘regrettably’ hits U.S. with tariffs, seeks better Biden ties

The European Union will impose tariffs on up to $4 billion of U.S. imports in retaliation for U.S. subsidies for Boeing, but said on Monday it was hopeful of an…

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EU ministers agree to set up EU anti money laundering body

European Union finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to set up an EU body that would fight money laundering across the 27-nation bloc, supporting a European Commission proposal from May. The Council of Finance ministers…

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European leaders react with caution as U.S. election scenario unfolds

European politicians have cautioned patience after Donald Trump falsely claimed victory in the US election in the early hours of Wednesday morning, warning that a drawn-out court battle over the…

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European police in coordinated raids against online hate speech

European police launched coordinated raids in seven countries on Tuesday as part of a clampdown on online hatred and incitement to violence, the European Union law enforcement agency Europol and…

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EU Agenda – What’s on at the European institutions

03 November – 07 November Tuesday 03 November - European Commission Vice President for the Green Deal delivers a keynote speech via videoconference at the Commission’s Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference.…

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Euro zone factory activity boomed in October as Germany roared

Manufacturing growth in the euro zone soared in October but the recovery from severely depressed activity at the height of the coronavirus pandemic was again mostly driven by a buoyant…

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Bulgaria says North Macedonia must address historical issues or face delay on EU path

Bulgaria has threatened to block North Macedonia’s path towards European Union membership and said it should recognise that both its national identity and language have Bulgarian roots, its foreign minister…

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Prolific coronavirus strain which started in Spain and spread across Europe identified

Scientists identified the prolific coronavirus strain which started in Spain in June has spread across Europe and now makes up a large proportion of infections in several countries, researchers said,…

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Belgium becomes EU nation with highest rate of COVID-19 infections

The Belgian government will convene on Friday to decide on a potential new national lockdown with the country now suffering the highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 citizens, according…

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Euro zone banks curtail credit access amid fresh pandemic worries

Euro zone banks are tightening access to corporate credit amid a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic, fresh data showed on Tuesday, adding to already numerous arguments for the European Central…

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EU Agenda: What’s on in the European institutions this week

Here’s a look at the upcoming events in the European Parliament, European Council and European Commission. Tuesday 27 October: Public hearing in the European Parliament on Beating Breast Cancer: Challenges…

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EP intensifies fight against unsafe products sold online

The European Parliament has doubled up on its efforts in favour of product safety in the Single Market, putting forward a resolution addressing the risks of unsafe products, particularly those…

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Europe needs ‘serious acceleration’ in fight against coronavirus: WHO

Europe needs a "serious acceleration" in the fight against the coronavirus and a lack of contact-tracing capacity could drive the disease into the darkness, a top World Health Organization official…

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France tallies record daily COVID infections as cases surge in Europe

France registered a record 52,010 new confirmed coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, following a record 45,422 on Saturday, the health ministry said in a statement on Sunday, as…

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Trust in EU remains stable during pandemic

Trust in the European Union has remained stable since autumn 2019 at 43%, despite variations of public perceptions during the pandemic. Trust in national governments and parliaments has increased (40%, +6 percentage…

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Euro zone economic activity risks double-dip recession

Euro zone economic activity slipped back into decline this month as a second wave of the coronavirus sweeps across the continent, heightening expectations for a double-dip recession, surveys showed on…

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European carmarkers seek support to UK concessions

The EU's auto car manufacturing lobbies are pushing Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier to open up to the possibility of some concessions to the UK with regard to rules governing the…

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Over half Europe’s small firms fear for survival, survey finds

Over half the small and medium-sized companies which together provide jobs for two-thirds of European workers fear for their survival in the coming 12 months, according to a survey released…

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Facebook launches dating service in Europe

Facebook Inc said it is launching its dating service in 32 European countries after the rollout was delayed earlier this year due to regulatory concerns. The social media company had…

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Almost 170 000 additional deaths in the EU from March to June

In 2020, among the 26 EU Member States for which data is available, there were 168 000 more deaths during weeks 10-26 (March – June) than the average number of…

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Covid-19 second wave can derail Euro zone recovery – ECB’s Panetta

The risk that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic could derail the euro zone’s recovery from deep recession makes ultra-easy monetary policy all the more necessary, European Central Bank…

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ECB could live with some inflation overshoot to help employment: Rehn

The European Central Bank should follow the U.S. Federal Reserve in putting more emphasis on welfare when it's setting policy, even if that would mean inflation exceeded its target temporarily,…

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WHO warns Europe case surge ‘of great concern’

At a press conference in Copenhagen, the WHO’s regional director for Europe Hans Kluge told reporters it was time to “step up the measures” as rising case numbers on the…

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UK expresses disappointment at EU Summit Conclusions

U.K. chief negotiator David Frost has expressed disappointment in his first reactions after the conclusions of the European Council on Brexit. In a tweet this afternoon, Frost said that he…

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France says EU should press ahead with digital tax plans

The European Union should press ahead with plans for a bloc-wide digital tax in case global talks at the OECD to rewrite international tax rules fail, French Finance Minister Bruno…

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New Swiss chief negotiator seeks “good will” to resolve EU impasse

Switzerland swapped out its chief negotiator with the European Union on Wednesday, aiming for what Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis called "new elan" in talks over a stalled bilateral treaty with…

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Europe takes strict measures against COVID second wave

European countries have begun to close schools and cancel surgeries, going well beyond curbs on social life, as overwhelmed authorities face their nightmare scenario of a COVID-19 resurgence right before…

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Sakharov Prize 2020: MEPs select the finalists

The democratic opposition in Belarus, Guapinol activists and Berta Cáceres, and the archbishop of Mosul were shortlisted for the 2020 Sakharov Prize on Monday. Following a joint vote by MEPs…

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EU struggles to formulate common approach to travel as coronavirus cases spike around the continent

The EU finds itself in a situation reminiscent of that experienced back in March at the onset of the pandemic, with national capitals failing to coordinate national health policies and…

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EU mobilises €13 billion from Cohesion Funds to respond to coronavirus pandemic

The European Commission has announced the first provisional results of the implementation of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) and Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus (CRII+). From the beginning of…

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Europe unprepared as 2nd virus wave hits

Europe’s second wave of coronavirus infections has struck well before flu season even started, with intensive care wards filling up again and bars shutting down. Making matters worse, authorities say,…

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EU parliament chastises Bulgaria for rule of law deficiencies

The European Parliament on Thursday chastised Bulgaria for flaws in respecting the rule of law, combating endemic corruption and supporting media freedom, underlining the legislature’s line on defending the bloc’s…

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European Parliament wont accept “little MFF” – rapporteur

MEPs have maintained their hard positions on refusing any reductions from the proposed EU's multi-annual budgetary framework, after breaking off talks yesterday with the Council, lamenting that long-term EU priorities…

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ECB is watching out for pandemic-induced credit crunch

The European Central Bank is watching out for signs of a credit crunch as banks see their profits wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic and brace for a wave of…

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WHO says Europe must go beyond science to survive Covid crisis

The World Health Organization has said European countries will need to “move beyond biomedical science” to overcome Covid-19 as “pandemic fatigue” and new infections rapidly rise across the continent. Hans…

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UK sees 66% chance of Brexit trade deal but tells EU to hurry up

Britain said on Wednesday there was a 66% chance of a Brexit trade deal but sought to use Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deadline of Oct. 15 to hurry the bloc's…

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McGuinness and Dombrovskis confirmed by EP as finance, trade commissioners

The European Parliament confirmed Mairead McGuinness and Valdis Dombrovskis to new positions in the European Commission. McGuinness won the support of the European Parliament to join the EU executive body…

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WHO warns Europe experiencing ‘coronavirus fatigue’

Covid is taking an emotional toll across Europe with rising levels of apathy among some populations, the World Health Organization is warning. Survey data reveals the scale of this "pandemic…

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European Parliament backs a 60% EU emissions-cutting target for 2030

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of a legally binding target for the European Union to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030, against 1990 levels,…

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“Big progress” in Brexit talks leaves EU seeing trade deal closer

Britain and the EU are closer to agreement on reciprocal social security rights for their citizens after Brexit, two diplomatic sources said, with one describing talks last week on an…

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Renew Europe MEPs react to Eurogroup’s male-only list of candidates to ECB Board

Renew Europe deplores the decision made by the Eurogroup to present, once again, a male-only shortlist of candidates for the position of new member of the ECB's executive board and…

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EU member states urged to agree on Rule-of-Law to safeguard trust among member states

Vera Jourova, European Commission vice-president for values and transparency, was reported on the Financial Times urging the 27 countries and EU parliament now debating the new rule aimed at protecting…

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EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel in self-isolation

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel said on Twitter that she is self-isolating after she was notified that a member of her team tested positive…

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EP to award outstanding journalism with Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize

As of October 2021, the European Parliament will start awarding The Daphne Caruana Prize for Journalism on a yearly basis. This new Prize has been approved by the European Parliament’s…

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Germany expects EU to impose new sanctions against Russia over Navalny’s poisoning

Germany expects the European Union to impose new sanctions against Russia over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with an internationally banned nerve agent, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said…

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Powerbroker Aguila Saleh removed from EU’s Libya Sanction List

The European Union on Friday removed an east Libyan powerbroker from its sanctions blacklist to encourage peace efforts and ensure the EU plays a central role in any negotiated settlement…

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ECB urged to prepare to issue a digital euro

The European Central Bank must prepare to issue a digital euro to complement banknotes "if and when" it becomes necessary, ECB board member Fabio Panetta said on Friday. Major central…

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Europe lays ground for fast-tracking COVID-19 vaccine reviews

The European health regulator has started reviewing data on AstraZeneca and Oxford University's potential COVID-19 vaccine in real time, the first of such moves aimed at speeding up any approval…

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