European Union

Asylum applications in the EU+ increase significantly, but remain at half pre-COVID-19 levels

Following the gradual relaxation of emergency measures in EU+ countries, in June about half as many applications for international protection were lodged compared to the months immediately prior to the…

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EU calls for intensified efforts to solve trade disputes with U.S.

The European Union on Wednesday called for intensified efforts to resolve trade disputes with the United States after Washington kept in place tariffs on European aircraft and other goods. "The Commission acknowledges…

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EU allocates assistance funds to eight enlargment and neighbourhood partners

The European Commission has announced Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on macro-financial assistance (MFA) programmes with eight partners. The agreements are part of the €3 billion MFA package for enlargement and…

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EU pledges additional 30 million euros to Lebanon

At the international conference on assistance and support to Beirut and the Lebanese people, the European Commission has pledged a new funding worth €30 million to help address the immediate…

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German frigate ‘Hamburg’ leaves for the Mediterranean to participate in Operation Irini

A navy officer watches as the frigate F220 'Hamburg' of the German Navy (Bundesmarine) leaves the port of Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany, on Tuesday 04 August 2020. The vessel of the…

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EU sanctions Russian intelligence, North Korean, Chinese firms over alleged cyberattacks

The European Union on Thursday imposed travel and financial sanctions on a department of Russia's military intelligence service and on firms from North Korea and China over their suspected participation in major cyberattacks…

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EIF and European Commission launch new Covid-19 measures supporting micro- and social enterprises

The EIF and the European Commission have launched new COVID-19 support measures under the EaSI Guarantee Instrument (EaSI) to enhance access to finance for micro-borrowers, micro- and social enterprises. The new…

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EU’s Barnier says UK position makes trade deal ‘unlikely’

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator said on Thursday that the United Kingdom had shown no willingness to break deadlock on the level playing field and fisheries issues, making sealing…

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EU Recovery right on time say European Socialists

The Party of European Socialists welcomed the EU recovery plan, adopted last Tuesday by the European Council. The plan, which adds to the EU Budget €750 billion of common debt…

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First day of EU summit ends without deal

EU leaders failed on Friday to make headway in negotiations over a massive stimulus plan to breathe life into economies ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, returning to their Brussels hotels…

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Boosting the EU’s Green Recovery: EU invests over €2 billion in 140 key transport projects to jump-start the economy

The EU is supporting the economic recovery in all Member States by injecting almost €2.2 billion into 140 key transport projects. These projects will help build missing transport links across…

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EU leaders gather in Brussels for first face-to-face talks seeking to overcome differences over stimulus plan

European Union leaders will seek to overcome their differences over a proposed stimulus to kick-start economic growth stifled by the coronavirus as they meet in Brussels on Friday for their…

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European Commission calls for action in protecting seasonal workers

The European Commission has presented guidelines to ensure the protection of seasonal workers in the EU in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. It provides guidance to national authorities, labour…

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EU wants to ascertain Google will not use Fitbit data for advertising

EU antitrust enforcers are asking interested parties whether Google's pledge not to use fitness tracker maker Fitbit's health data for its advertising, and to separate the dataset from its own,…

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EU budget: Parliament pushes for financial transaction tax and consolidated corporate tax base

As Europe recovers from the coronavirus outbreak, MEPs are insisting on the introduction of new revenue sources to cover the refinancing costs of the recovery instrument, prevent sharp reductions in…

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Coronavirus: Commission strengthens preparedness for future outbreaks

The Commission has presented immediate short-term measures to strengthen EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks. The Commission has from the outset coordinated the exchange of information and recommendations with regard to…

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EU member states struggle to resolve differences on massive recovery plan

European Union (EU) member states struggled on Wednesday to resolve differences over a massive recovery plan for their coronavirus-hit economies, but agreed a deal was crucial at an end-of-week summit…

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UK has opted out of EU coronavirus vaccine programme

The UK government has rejected the chance to join the European Union’s coronavirus vaccine programme due to concerns over “costly delays”, according to sources. The EU is planning to spend…

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Europe needs a recovery fund, but with reforms, Dutch PM says

Europe needs a recovery fund, but it is important the fund comes coupled with structural reforms, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday ahead of a meeting with German…

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UK would leave the EU on Australia terms if no deal reached, Johnson tells Merkel

Britain is prepared to leave the European Union on the same terms as Australia has with the bloc if it cannot agree on a future trading deal, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Germany's…

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EU invites citizens to share views on upcoming legislation

The European Commission has launched a revamped version of the ‘Have Your Say' portal. This online platform invites all citizens, (including businesses and non-governmental organisations), to share their views on…

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Boosting the EU’s green recovery: Commission invests €1 billion in innovative clean technology projects

The European Commission the first call for proposals under the Innovation Fund , one of the world's largest programmes for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies, financed by revenues from the…

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Fearing second COVID-19 wave, Europe aims to train ‘army’ of medics

Europeans are enjoying the gradual easing of coronavirus lockdown measures, but in hospitals they are already preparing for the next wave of infections. Some intensive care specialists are trying to hire more…

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EU claims breakthrough in battle against online hate speech speech

The EU's battle against illegal hate speech made important strides forward during the past year, with 90% of all flagged content being assessed within 24 hours, while 71% of the…

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Bold measures needed to protect cross-border and seasonal workers in EU, MEPs say

The COVID-19-crisis has further exposed and exacerbated social dumping and the existing precariousness of the situations of many mobile workers employed in the EU’s agri-food, construction and healthcare sectors.…

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EU seeks unity over coronavirus stimulus in virtual meeting this morning

European Union leaders hope to unite behind an unprecedented stimulus to inject billions of euros into their coronavirus-ravaged economies at a virtual meeting this morning - but many fights still separate…

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COVID-19 crisis is a potential geopolitical game-changer, warn MEPs

A global pandemic needs global solutions, and the EU has to be at the centre of this response, said High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell…

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EU President: no post-Brexit deal without ‘level playing field’

he European Union's chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday that the bloc will do its best to seal an agreement on new ties with Britain by the end of…

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Malta’s Largest Transport & Logistics Operator reacts to new EU Mobility Package

The EU Mobility Package will have an adverse effect on Maltese businesses due to the inevitable increases in freight costs if freight operations are to remain feasible,” according to Franco…

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EU member states agree specs for coronavirus app interoperability

European Union member states have agreed technical standards for interoperability between smartphone apps that track the risk of coronavirus infections, a step that could help revive travel and tourism, the…

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Eurojust coordinates EU-wide action against illegal pay-tv streaming

Authorities in Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Germany have arrested 11 suspects for offering illegal access to over 40 000 streaming services, subscription television channels and films, violating audiovisual copyright on…

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European Defence Fund: €205 million to boost the EU’s strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness

The European Commission has announced 16 pan-European defence industrial projects and three disruptive technology projects that will benefit from €205 million financing aimed at enhancing the EU's strategic autonomy. In a…

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Brexit negotiations stall as both sides agree that new momentum was required

Britain and the European Union agreed on Monday that new momentum was required in talks on their future ties, supporting plans to intensify the negotiations that have all but stalled…

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EU state aid regulators to ease bailout rules for small firms, startups

EU competition regulators plan to loosen the bloc's state aid rules to make it easier for private investors to team up with EU governments to bail out virus-hit start-ups and…

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Quality of Europe’s bathing water rated as high

The quality of Europe's bathing water remains high, according to this year's European bathing water quality assessment published today. Just under 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2019…

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EU strengthens action to tackle disinformation, expects reports from social media giants

Facebook, Google and Twitter should provide monthly reports on their fight against disinformation, two senior EU officials said on Wednesday as they called out Russia and China for their roles…

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Malta: Government appoints three new roles to three ambassadors

Ambassador Daniel Azzopardi, who is currently holding the post of Permanent Representative to the European Union, is nominated for the post of Ambassador to Spain. Mr Vanni Xureb was nominated…

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Maltese workers’ work-life registers highest duration increase in EU

In 2019, the expected average duration of working life for the European Union’s (EU) adult population aged 15 years and more was 35.9 years. This was 0.2 years longer than…

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Malta: 1,000 companies benefit from over €70 million through EU funds

More than €70 million have been invested in 1,000 Maltese and Gozitan companies through European funds, announced Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, together with Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan…

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ECB to decide on further stimulus to eurozone today

The European Central Bank is certain to give the ailing euro zone economy another shot in the arm and the only question is the timing, with arguments split between a move later…

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Combat 5G COVID-19 fake news, urges EU

European Union (EU) nations banking on 5G to boost economic growth are eager to tackle conspiracy theories linking the wireless technology to the spread of the novel coronavirus that have seen masts…

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European cloud computing platform taking shape

A proposed European cloud computing platform that seeks to break the continent's reliance on Silicon Valley will take shape in the coming weeks when a group of 22 French and…

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EU bank supports Kosovo through €11m investment for wastewater treatment

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will invest €11 million to improve wastewater management and provide affordable access to water and wastewater services for more than 90 000 people in the municipality…

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COVID-19 could lead to more resilient EU asylum procedure

Initially limited by the emergency measures, national asylum authorities largely made strong efforts to resume services wherever possible, often within weeks. At the same time, Member States should be prepared…

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UK willing to compromise on fisheries and trade if EU backs off hardline stance

The United Kingdom is expected to indicate its willingness to compromise on fisheries and trade rules if the European Union agrees to back off from its "maximalist" demands related to regulatory alignment and…

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EPP calls for European health ‘independence’

The EPP Group wants to bring back part of the production of medicines to Europe to make it medically independent from third countries such as India and China. Also, stockpiling…

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European Commission lays down plan for unprecedented €750 billion recovery plan

The European Commission has this afternoon put forward its proposal for a major recovery plan. To ensure the recovery is sustainable, even, inclusive and fair for all Member States, the…

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Italy and Spain to get lion’s share of EU recovery fund

The European Commision will propose later today that Italy and Spain -- the countries most affected by the coronavirus epidemic -- get the lion's share of a new recovery fund offering a…

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EU Investment Bank approves €25 billion Pan-European Guarantee Fund to respond to COVID-19 crisis

The Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed on the structure and business approach of the new Pan-European Guarantee Fund to tackle the economic consequences of…

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Eight EU states make case for natural gas industry

Eight EU countries published a joint position paper to highlight the potential of natural gas in the European strategy towards a net-zero emissions policy. The document is signed by…

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No agreement with UK without fisheries deal – EPP

"Fisheries must not be an adjustment variable or a political symbol in the Brexit equation. No fisheries agreement means no post-Brexit agreement. The European Parliament has shown that it wants…

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Eurogroup chief calls Franco-German 500 bln euro recovery fund a step towards EU fiscal union

Eurogroup chief Mario Centeno said plans by Germany and France to set up a 500 billion euro ($545 billion) recovery fund to cope with the coronavirus pandemic would be a…

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Eurojust finds increase in cumulative charges for terrorism and war crimes

Prosecutors in the EU are increasingly cumulating charges against returning foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), members of ISIS and its affiliates, with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, so-called core…

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Cost of living around Europe drops

In April 2020, a month marked by COVID-19 containment measures in all countries, the euro area annual inflation rate was 0.3%, down from 0.7% in March. A year earlier, the…

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‘It’s up to us’: how Merkel and Macron revived EU solidarity

It took a courtroom of scarlet-robed judges to spur Angela Merkel to make one of her boldest moves in 15 years as German chancellor: propose huge cash handouts to the…

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EU calls on Malta to invest in green and digital transition in country-specific recommendations

The Commission has proposed today country-specific recommendations (CSRs) providing economic policy guidance to all EU Member States in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, focused on the most urgent challenges…

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Sanofi to accelerate European COVID-19 vaccine access after CEO prioritizes U.S. preorders

French drugmaker Sanofi SA said on Wednesday that it is working with European regulators to speed up access to a potential coronavirus vaccine in Europe after its chief executive…

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