European Union

European Socialists say EU must uphold values and live up to global ambitions as we tackle pandemic

The EU must reinforce the resilience of our democratic model and values - inside and outside Europe - and take on a global role as we overcome COVID-19. European…

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EU Bank and WHO strengthen efforts to combat COVID-19 and build resilient health systems to face future pandemics

The World Health Organization and the European Investment Bank will boost cooperation to strengthen public health, supply of essential equipment, training and hygiene investment in countries most vulnerable to the…

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Asylum applications in Europe down by 43% in March

Applications for asylum in the EU+ dropped by almost half in March as COVID-19 containment measures took effect, following persistently high levels of applications in the first two months of…

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EU Ministers push for single EU contact tracing app but divergences persist

EU ministers are pushing for a single EU contact tracing app to facilitate coordination between member states but divergences over the systems to implement are stalling development. Interior ministers from…

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EU sees new Brexit talks ‘at an impasse’

Negotiations between the European Union (EU) and ex-member Britain over new trade arrangements from next year are at an impasse due to disagreements and the coronavirus crisis, according to diplomats…

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EU foreign policy body denies kowtowing to China

The EU’s diplomatic arm dismissed accusations that it has yielded to pressure from Beijing to scale down denunciation of disinformation campaigns emanating from China. The EU External Action Service (EEAS)…

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EU seeks to mitigate disruption on clinical trials during pandemic

The European Commission has published guidance to ensure that clinical trials can continue taking place in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to mitigate the disruption of clinical…

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MEPs call for concrete details and novel tools to address the economic crisis

MEPs on Monday quizzed Commissioners Dombrovskis and Gentiloni on planned measures to tackle the looming economic crisis due to COVID-19. Opening the discussion held within the Economic and Monetary Affairs…

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MEPs push for support to culture sector

MEPs underlined the special nature of the creative sector and the difficulties faced by artists and called on the EU to provide support in a resolution adopted on 17 April. The pandemic…

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Photo Story: Romanian transports EU aid to Italy

A C-27 J Spartan aircraft of the Romanian Air Force took off on Saturday, April 25, from Otopeni Air Base, to Milan, Italy, with a consignment of 90,000 FFP 2.…

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EU ministers propose Covid-19 support for neighbouring countries

EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs are assessing the possibility of setting up an EU humanitarian air bridge to facilitate the delivery of medical supplies and transportation of healthcare staff to…

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Coronavirus: EU guidance for a safe return to the workplace

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has issued today guidance on coming back to work after coronavirus. The European Commission said in a statement that it…

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We can’t relaunch economies unless we act together – EP President

Europe’s economies can only be relaunched by member states acting together, Parliament President David Sassoli warned EU leaders. Speaking at the start of an EU Summit on 23 April on…

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British PM Johnson to stick to December 31 Brexit transition deadline

The top official at Britain’s foreign ministry said that he expected Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stick to the existing end of December deadline to reach a post-Brexit trade…

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Von der Leyen outlines three criteria for lifting lockdown restrictions

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her road map for lifting coronavirus restrictions across the bloc. In a 14-page document laying out her ideas, von der Leyen says…

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Europe strengthens coordinated judicial response to serious cross-border crimes

Judicial authorities across the EU increasingly turn to Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, to work together to tackle serious cross-border crime. Eurojust’s 2019 Annual Report, shows that prosecutors…

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Next EU budget should be a “revitalisation programme” – German Foreign Minister

Germany will assume the Council of the European Union's rotating presidency in July, but no doubt, its priorities will change from those that would have been identified earlier this year.…

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Eurojust tackles online fraud and hacking during pandemic

Eurojust is taking action against online fraud and computer hacking by criminal organisations abusing the current COVID 19-crisis. At the request of, for instance, Germany, France and the Czech Republic,…

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Italian PM Conte warns EU could fail over outbreak

Italy's prime minister has told the BBC that the European Union risks failing as a project in the coronavirus crisis. Giuseppe Conte says the EU must act in an adequate…

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Marathon talks over EU virus rescue package stall

EU talks on how to help southern Eurozone countries badly affected by the coronavirus epidemic have stalled after 16 hours. The European Central Bank says the bloc may need…

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Romania to host EU stockpile of medical equipment

Romania is the first EU country that volunteered to purchase and host, on behalf of the European Union, a stockpile of ventilators, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the…

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China returns the favour for EU aid

The EU delivered a consignment of protective equipment that was donated by China to support local efforts against the spread of coronavirus. The EU redirected two million surgical masks, 200,000…

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EASA publishes first rules for safe drone operations in Europe’s cities

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published the first view worldwide on the use and control of drones in an urban environment, balancing the desire to maximise the…

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“No single country will be left behind in this crisis” says EU Commissioner for Internal Market

“Not one single country on the planet has been prepared, fully prepared, for this kind of crisis. No one." Those were the words of the man at the heart of…

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European Union survival at stake – Spanish PM

The European Union’s very survival is at stake and a new ‘Marshall Plan for Europe is needed’ to rebuild the continent’s economies, Spain’s prime minister writes in article published today by…

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EU’s von der Leyen calls for ‘Marshall Plan’ for Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on EU nations to invest billions in the bloc's budget to avert catastrophic economic consequences from the current coronavirus crisis. "We…

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Plans to transform European Parliament into a hospital

he European Parliament has offered the city of Brussels the use of one of its buildings, as well as its vehicles, to help in the fight against coronavirus. Klaus…

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EU top court rules countries can’t freely extradite EFTA citizens

EU countries’ responsibility to ensure people extradited to third countries are not at risk of human rights abuse extends to citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, according to the…

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Talks underway over possible EU border closure extension

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that talks were underway among European Union member states over whether or not to extend border closures beyond Easter in…

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Covid-19 Bulletin Update – Friday 3rd April 2020

Updated 1501 Government has indicated that entities operating in the media sector will be provided support to continue to operate as they face the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus…

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Top EU court says eastern states broke law by refusing to host refugees

The European Union’s top court ruled on Thursday that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic had broken the law by refusing to host refugees to help ease the burden…

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The European Commission mobilises all of its resources to protect lives and livelihoods

Saving lives and supporting livelihoods in these times of acute crisis is paramount. The Commission is further increasing its response by proposing to set up a €100 billion solidarity instrument…

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European Commission eyes markets to fund €100bn pandemic jobs scheme

The European Commission will propose to borrow €100bn against EU governments’ guarantees to finance a short-term work scheme to protect jobs impacted by the coronavirus epidemic. The commission will propose…

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Joint statement on the principles of the rule of law in times of Covid-19

Thirteen EU countries on Wednesday issued a joint statement calling for coronavirus emergency measures to be temporary and in line with rule of law principles. The move comes after Hungary’s…

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EU presents practical guidance to ensure the free movement of critical workers

The European Commission has issued new practical advice to ensure that mobile workers within the EU, in particular those in critical occupations to fight the coronavirus pandemic, can reach…

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EU launches new naval mission to police Libya arms embargo

The European Union announced Tuesday the launch of a new naval mission in the Mediterranean Sea aimed at enforcing the U.N. arms embargo on Libya. The new operation, dubbed…

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Around 672,300 persons acquired citizenship of one of the 27 EU member states

In 2018, around 672,300 persons acquired citizenship of one of the 27 EU member states. In 2017 there 700,600 persons who acquired EU citizenship while in 2016 the figure stood…

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EU launches naval mission to police Libya arms embargo

EU ambassadors agreed to deploy a new naval mission in the Central Mediterranean to police the U.N. arms embargo on Libya. The new Irini mission (the Greek word for "peace"),…

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EU prioritizing free goods flow, vaccine search, Italy issues ultimatum

The European Union is prioritizing maintaining open borders for goods to flow and the hunt for a vaccine against the coronavirus, European Council president Charles Michel said in a video…

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Dear Nurses, Doctors, Care Workers; Europe owes you all a debt of gratitude – Ursula Von der Leyen

by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen I want to start by thanking all of those who have made this extraordinary session possible in what are truly extraordinary circumstances. It…

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Major telecom companies to help EU track virus

Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange and five other telecoms providers have agreed to share mobile phone location data with the European Commission to track the spread of the coronavirus, lobbying…

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‘Europe is in a fight for its life’ says Ursula Von Der Leyen

European Council President Ursula Von Der Leyen said that Europe was in a 'fight for its life' as the death toll and infection rate of coronavirus rises across the continent.…

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EU guidelines to protect critical European assets and technology in current crisis

The European Commission issued guidelines to ensure a strong EU-wide approach to foreign investment screening in a time of public health crisis and related economic vulnerability. The aim is to…

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European bid to ensure supply of protective equipment proving successful

The joint procurement of personal protective equipment launched by the European Commission to address the coronavirus crisis has proven successful. Producers made offers covering and, in some cases, even exceeding…

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EU finance ministers divided over crises measures

EU finance ministers argued over crisis measures to help European countries withstand the economic shock of the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday, with powerful Germany cautious about rewriting the rulebook, reports Euronews…

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EU approves €3 billion guarantee schemes for Portuguese SMEs affected by Coronavirus outbreak

The European Commission has found four Portuguese guarantee schemes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps affected by the Coronavirus outbreak to be in line with EU State aid…

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EU moves to start membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia

The European Union can start membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, according to a draft decision by the bloc's 27 member states seen by Reuters on Monday and due…

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European standards for medical supplies made freely available to increase production

In the context of the Coronavirus crisis, the European Commission is working with industry and Member States to maximise the availability of masks, gloves, gowns and other medical supplies. Efforts…

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ETUC appeals for extraordinary macroeconomic measures

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), with the support of economists and personalities, has issued an appeal on the need of extraordinary macroeconomic measures to tackle the COVID-19 emergency. The…

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EU adopts Temporary Framework to enable Member States to further support the economy in the COVID-19 outbreak

The European Commission has adopted a Temporary Framework to enable Member States to use the full flexibility foreseen under State aid rules to support the economy in the context of the…

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Britain and EU exchanged Brexit agreement drafts

Britain and the European Union have exchanged draft legal texts containing their proposals for how relations between the two sides should work after the end of a Brexit transition…

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ECB launches emergency €750bn coronavirus package

The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched an emergency €750bn package to ease the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It will buy government and company debt across the eurozone, including…

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Brexit talks set to be paused

Britain and the EU finally gave up hope of holding formal Brexit negotiations amid the unfolding coronavirus crisis. A U.K. government spokesperson said the two sides “will not formally be…

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EU plans to agree coordinated economic coronavirus response on Monday

European Union finance ministers plan to agree on Monday on a coordinated economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the European Commission forecasting the effects of the virus could push…

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EU states record highest one-day death toll

The three states bearing the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe have all recorded their highest death tolls for a single day. Italy saw 368 deaths bring its total…

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EU approves Danish compensation scheme for cancellations of large public events

The European Commission has found a DKK 91 million (€12 million) Danish aid scheme to compensate organisers for the damage suffered due to the cancellation of large events with more…

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EU warns high risk European healthcare systems will be overwhelmed

The risk is high that European healthcare systems will be overwhelmed by the new coronavirus outbreak, the EU's health agency warns. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)…

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