European Union

Friedrich Merz: Most Syrians to Leave Germany Within Three Years

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that he and the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hope that 80% of the Syrians in Germany will return home in the next three years. During…

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New department at Europol to step up the fight against migrant smuggling

Europol has launched its new European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling (ECAMS), stepping up the European Union fight against migrant smuggling networks that are threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands…

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Australia and EU seal trade deal

Australia and the European Union have signed a long-awaited trade agreement after eight years of negotiations, aiming to boost economic ties and reduce reliance on dominant global suppliers. The deal…

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EU membership back on agenda in Norway amid opposition pressure

Norway should reapply to become a member of the European Union in light of their shared security challenges — namely Russia — the leader of the country’s conservative opposition party…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 19 March 2026

Southern EU states push Brussels over drifting Russian tanker risk Malta and four southern EU member states have formally urged the European Commission to trigger bloc-wide emergency coordination mechanisms after…

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Netherlands Supports European Rules to Safely Reuse Returned Medication

The Netherlands has signalled support for forthcoming European legislation that would allow patients to return unused medication to pharmacies for safe redistribution, in a move aimed at reducing waste, lowering…

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EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn Middle East

The European Commission is confirming €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt in 2026. With major donors withdrawing from the region and international humanitarian law…

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EU weighs naval response as Hormuz crisis rattles energy markets

Foreign ministers from the European Union are expected to discuss reinforcing the bloc’s Aspides naval mission when they meet in Brussels on Monday, as pressure mounts from Donald Trump to…

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Tusk warns of real risk of Poland leaving the EU

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that a potential Polish exit from the European Union is now a “real threat,” accusing nationalist President Karol Nawrocki and right-wing opposition parties of…

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€654,000 per week: the added cost on Malta’s consumers due to ETS and fuel price increases.

The EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) was already highly unfair to Malta as an island state, placing heavy pressure on the international trailer operators that sustain Malta’s connectivity. With the…

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EU leaders push visa crackdown on Russian war veterans

Germany’s Friedrich Merz and Poland’s Donald Tusk are among a group of EU leaders urging Brussels to tighten visa rules for Russian nationals with combat experiencein Ukraine. In a letter…

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US wants to ‘divide Europe’, EU’s Kallas tells FT

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the U.S. wants to "divide Europe" and doesn't "like the European Union" in an interview ‌published by the Financial Times on Friday,…

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Kallas Calls for Faster EU Enlargement Process

The European Union must move more quickly to include new members and expand the 27-member club, the bloc’s top diplomat said Monday in a nod to Ukraine, Montenegro and other…

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Von der Leyen questions Europe’s faith in rules-based order

The EU must decide whether the rules-based international order “is more a help or a hindrance to our credibility as a geopolitical actor”, the bloc’s top official said on Monday,…

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EU countries joining US, Israel attacks would become Iran’s “legitimate target”

European Union member states that join the U.S. and Israel attacks on Iran would ‌become "legitimate targets" for Iran, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in an interview with TV…

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One in three EU women face violence, most cases unreported, survey finds

Physical and sexual violence affects roughly a third of women in the European Union during their lifetime but most incidents go unreported, a survey revealed. The results of the survey,…

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Ukraine to complete preparation in days to start EU accession talks, Zelenskiy says

Ukraine will complete the technical work needed to open negotiations on all topics for its European Union ‌accession process within days, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy reiterated his call on…

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EU policymakers expect no immediate oil security impact from Iran conflict

The European Commission does not expect the widening conflict in the Middle East to have any immediate impact on the European Union's security of oil supply, it said in an…

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Does Trump’s new ‘surcharge’ make EU worse off than under trade deal?

The EU has demanded that the United States stick to the terms of a trade deal they agreed last year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's…

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Cyprus sets wide-ranging EU agenda as ministers outline priorities to European Parliament

Ministers from Cyprus have presented an extensive policy programme to European Parliament committees, setting out priorities for the country’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which runs until…

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Iceland to hold EU referendum ‘in the coming months’

Iceland will hold a referendum "in the coming months" on restarting European Union accession talks, Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir said on Wednesday during a visit to Poland. Reykjavik abandoned EU…

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Gibraltar must follow EU rules

Gibraltar will remain British but must follow EU rules under its new Brexit deal, the full legal text of the agreement has revealed. Madrid deems the British Overseas Territory as…

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Iceland may fast-track vote on joining EU

Iceland's government is considering holding a referendum on EU relations as early as August, according to two sources cited by news publication Politico. Reykjavik had pledged to hold the vote…

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Zelenskiy marks war anniversary vowing to fight on, with Ukraine’s allies divided

Ukraine will not betray the sacrifices made by its people in four years of war just to make peace with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed on Tuesday, as divisions among…

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EU reconsidering funds for Serbia as justice laws ‘eroding trust’

The European Union could withhold funds from a 1.6 billion euro allocation of loans and grants to Serbia, after Belgrade passed laws that are "eroding trust" in its commitment to…

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UK Finance Minister Urges EU to Admit Britain to ‘Made in Europe’ Framework

Britain should be part of any “Made in Europe” club giving preference to European goods, the U.K.’s finance chief has said. Rachel Reeves said she was in favor of the…

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EU unveils strategy to shield bloc from malicious drones

The European Union is setting up a strategy to efficiently detect malicious drones entering the bloc, with the Commission presenting an action plan on Tuesday in response to multiple incidents…

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EU Parliament reaches deal on US trade pact

The European Parliament’s top trade lawmakers on Tuesday agreed a common position on the EU-U.S. trade deal, in a move that will be met with relief both in Washington and…

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‘Made in EU’ Shipbuilding Drive Signals Shift Towards Industrial Self-Reliance

The European Commission is set to propose measures designed to ensure more vessels and other goods and services for the European Union's shipping sector are made in the bloc, according…

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What is EU-INC and its plan to make European businesses borderless?

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the EU-INC at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Europe’s plan to radically simplify startup operations across the bloc and improve the…

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Bettel calls for EU engagement with Kremlin, questions Europe’s absence from Ukraine talks

Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has said the European Union must be prepared to engage directly with the Kremlin if it wants to help bring an end to Russia’s…

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Six European economies vow to drive progress on stalled projects

Ministers from six leading European economies including Germany and France vowed to be the drivers of European progress as they tackled how to advance projects stalled by the EU's complex…

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Europe no longer Washington’s centre of gravity, shift is structural, EU’s Kallas says

Europe is no longer Washington's primary centre of gravity and the shift is structural, not temporary, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday as European leaders grapple…

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UPDATED: Six EU countries hold call in push for ‘two‑speed’ Europe

Ministers from six leading European economies, including Germany and France, will discuss on Wednesday plans to push ahead with joint projects without the rest of the EU, to facilitate agile…

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Majority of Europeans Favor National Control Over Borders, Survey Shows

Most Europeans want their governments to have more control over their borders to tackle migration, polling across 23 EU countries shows. Seventy-one percent of respondents agreed that “the European Union…

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Zelenskyy eyes 2027 for Ukraine’s accession to European Union

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he wanted to target 2027 for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. In a brief update after his phone call with Austrian chancellor Christian…

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Europe must overhaul rules or risk economic decline, banking group warns

Europe's economy risks falling further behind other regions unless the European ‌Union overhauls regulation that is undermining banks' ability to lend, the European Banking Federation has warned. The current situation…

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EU and India sign landmark trade agreement

India and the European Union have finalised a long-pending landmark trade deal, both sides said on Tuesday, as they seek to hedge against fickle ties with the U.S. The deal…

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India to slash tariffs on cars to 40% in trade deal with EU

India plans to slash tariffs on cars imported from the European Union to 40% from as high as 110%, sources said, in the biggest opening yet of the country's vast…

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EU concerned about Trump ‘concentration of powers’ over ‘Board of Peace’

The European Union’s foreign policy arm has raised questions about U.S. President Donald Trump’s broad powers over his new Board of Peace, according to an internal document seen by Reuters.…

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Greenland galvanizes Europe to confront new US reality

Europe may have rallied to see off President Donald Trump over Greenland, but its leaders recognise the confrontation is unlikely to be the last in dealings with his increasingly strident…

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EU wants U.S. trade deal back on track, but warns it would defend itself if threatened again

EU leaders heaved a sigh of relief over Donald Trump's U-turn on Greenland as they met for an emergency summit in Brussels late on Thursday. The leaders said they want…

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EU-Mercosur deal likely to take effect provisionally from March

The EU's free trade deal with South American countries will probably be applied on a provisional basis as soon as March, an EU diplomat ‌told Reuters on Thursday, despite a…

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Trump backs down on Greenland tariffs, says deal framework reached

U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, ruled out the use of force and suggested a deal was…

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Europe Pushes for Diplomacy as Greenland Dispute Threatens Trade Fallout

European leaders moved to cool tensions on Monday as a dispute involving Greenland and U.S. tariff threats risked escalating into a broader transatlantic trade conflict, with multiple EU institutions stressing…

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EU executive weighs idea of quick, but limited membership for Ukraine

The European Commission is considering ways to allow Ukraine's quick accession to the EU as part of a peace deal with Russia but without giving Kyiv full membership rights, which…

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Fault Lines Emerge as EU Debates Two-Tier Integration Model

Countries long waiting to join the European Union are split over proposals in Brussels that would allow them to enter the bloc without full voting rights, as the EU weighs…

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Egypt receives 1 billion euros from EU as part of assistance package

Egypt has received 1 billion euros from the European Union and is set to receive a total of 3 billion euros in two tranches in 2026, the International Cooperation Ministry…

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European military heads to Greenland as Trump’s ambitions for island remain undeterred

Military personnel from France and Germany headed to Greenland on Thursday as Denmark and its allies prepared for exercises to try to assure U.S. President Donald Trump over its security…

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Cyprus casts doubt on EU outreach to Putin as it takes rotating presidency

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her team of commissioners were in Cyprus on Wednesday to mark the start of the island nation’s six-month rotating presidency of the…

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Von der Leyen Pledges EU Support While Germany Proposes Greenland Deployment

European leaders and defense officials are weighing a stronger presence in Greenland amid mounting pressure from the United States, raising concerns about the Arctic territory’s security and sovereignty. Patrick Sensburg,…

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Greenland says defense belongs to NATO, not US, as Russia watches

Greenland’s government said Monday it would step up efforts to ensure the defense of the Arctic territory remains firmly under NATO, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed assertion that the…

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Kaja Kallas to push new Iran sanctions after deadly crackdown

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has signalled that the bloc is prepared to push for fresh sanctions on Iran after a crackdown that has reportedly claimed hundreds…

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Trump says US will take Greenland “one way or the other” as Denmark and EU warn of NATO fallout

President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Greenland “one way or the other,” dismissing concerns about Nato and prompting sharp warnings from Denmark and European Union…

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EU may need 100,000-strong army, says defense commissioner

European Union Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has said the bloc should consider establishing a standing military force of 100,000 troops and overhaul the political processes governing defense. Faced with Russian…

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EU wants ‘Farage clause’ in Brexit ‘reset’ talks with UK

The EU is reportedly demanding guarantees the UK will compensate the bloc if a future government reneges on the Brexit “reset” agreement Keir Starmer is currently negotiating. The termination clause…

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EU countries approve Mercosur trade deal after 25 years of talks

A qualified majority of EU member countries on Friday approved the bloc’s long-awaited trade deal with the South American Mercosur bloc, four EU diplomats said. France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and…

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