10

Jun

UPDATED: EU leaders urge unfettered probe into origins of COVID-19

EU leaders on Thursday called for an unfettered investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, first identified in central China, amid criticism of an initial World Health Organization probe.…

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25

May

Global leaders adopt agenda to overcome COVID-19 crisis and avoid future pandemics

On Friday 21 May, G20 leaders committed to a series of actions to accelerate the end of the COVID-19 crisis everywhere and better prepare for future pandemics. The Global Health Summit was…

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25

May

Commission disburses €14.1 billion under SURE to 12 Member States

The European Commission has today disbursed €14.137 billion to 12 EU Member States in the seventh instalment of financial support under the SURE instrument. As part of today's operations, Belgium…

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22

May

Photo Story: Pope Francis receives European Commission President von der Leyen

Pope Francis on Saturday received the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for a private audience at the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. Von der Leyen also…

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20

May

UPDATED: EU vaccination campaign catching up, von der Leyen says, EU looking to summer with optimism

The European COVID-19 vaccination campaign is gaining speed and catching up with that of the United States, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday. "We aim to…

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10

May

UPDATE – Ursula von der Leyen becomes grandmother on Europe and Mother’s Day

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Instagram that she became a grandmother on Sunday. Sunday was Europe day and in several countries in Europe it also…

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08

May

EU calls on U.S. and others to export their vaccines

The European Commission called on Friday on the United States and other major COVID-19 vaccine producers to export what they make as the European Union does, rather than talk about…

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01

May

UPDATE – EU Presidents condemn Russia’s move – Statement

The President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the European Parliament condemned in the strongest possible terms today’s decision of the Russian…

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23

Apr

Ursula von der Leyen meets U.S. President Biden at Leaders Climate Summit

Yesterday, President von der Leyen participated in the Leaders Climate Summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, for Earth Day. Welcoming the U.S. back to the fight against climate change, the President…

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22

Apr

European Commission head Von der Leyen welcomes Portugal’s economic recovery plan

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed the first official submission of an economic recovery and resilience plan by Portugal. "Economic recovery must go hand in hand…

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11

Apr

EU’s Michel says he’s sleeping badly after sofa gaffe in Turkey

BERLIN (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel is suffering from bad nights due to his embarrassment over a seating arrangement incident at a meeting in Ankara this week, he told German newspaper…

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19

Mar

EU president calls for reciprocity on vaccine exports

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a greater openness and reciprocity on vaccine exports, speaking in a newspaper interview about an ongoing row with Britain and the…

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08

Mar

EU expects 100 million vaccines per month from April

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she expects many more vaccines to arrive in the EU in April. "From April onwards, the quantities could double again according to…

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24

Feb

EU’s von der Leyen tells frivilous Europeans: ‘I’d take AstraZeneca vaccine’

The European Union’s most senior administrator said she would happily receive AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine as officials rushed to find ways of ensuring doses refused by skittish Germans did not go…

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10

Feb

UPDATED – EU not where it wants to be in vaccine fight – EU’s von der Leyen

BRUSSELS, Feb 10 (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged failings on Wednesday in the EU's approval and rollout of vaccines against COVID-19, and said the bloc…

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03

Feb

Vaccine doses not enough, and road ahead is bumpy – Von Der Leyen

Euronews / POLITICO - The EU will have access to around 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of June, Ursula von der Leyen has told MEPs. The European…

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31

Jan

Von Der Leyen says Astrazeneca will deliver 9 million more vaccine doses – UPDATE

Jan 31 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca will deliver nine million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in the first quarter of this year, making a total of…

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16

Dec

UPDATED: Von der Leyen says progress on Brexit issues, next days critical

The EU's chief executive said on Wednesday she could not say if there would be a trade deal with Britain but there had been progress and the next few days…

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19

Nov

Calls for solidarity and responsibility in a system that manages migration in the long term and which is fully grounded in European values

On Thursday, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, gave a keynote speech at the Interparliamentary Conference on Migration and Asylum, hosted by the President of the European…

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28

Oct

Supply of potential COVID-19 vaccines to start in earnest in April – EU’s von der Leyen

The delivery of potential COVID-19 vaccines to European Union countries could begin in earnest in April, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. "The…

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05

Oct

EU’s von der Leyen self-isolating after contact with COVID-19 case

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday she would self-isolate until Tuesday after attending a meeting with someone who tested positive. "I've been informed that I participated…

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04

Oct

SOTEU 2020: A Stronger Europe

by KEITH ZAHRA In her State of the Union address on 16 September 2020, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen presented her vision for a Europe that…

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20

Sep

CDE Viewpoint – Let’s make change happen – Ursula Von Der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Throughout history, pandemics have changed the destiny of people.  They make us see the world in a different light and remind…

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18

Sep

Ursula Von der Leyen ‘convinced’ EU and UK can still reach trade deal

The president of the European Commission on Thursday said she was convinced a trade deal with the UK was still possible despite the “distraction” caused by Boris Johnson’s move to…

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16

Sep

UPDATED: EU chief executive unveils blueprint to get Europe back on its feet

The European Union's chief executive on Wednesday painted a sober picture of the bloc grappling with a pandemic and the deepest recession in its history, but laid out ambitious goals…

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16

Sep

Could you imagine Malta without the EU during the pandemic?

EU member states were frozen when the Coronavirus pandemic first hit, European Commission Representation head Elena Grech said. The European Commission was now ensuring that the EU is better prepared…

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31

Aug

EU to contribute €400 million to WHO’s COVAX initiative

The European Commission said it would contribute 400 million euros ($476 million) to an initiative led by the World Health Organization to buy COVID-19 vaccines, but did not clarify whether…

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14

May

Von Der Leyen presents Europe’s roadmap to recovery

While Europe has went through a number of economic slowdowns before the continent never had an economic shutdown like in the last three months. This has presented new challenges which require different…

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02

May

Von der Leyen supports call for international investigation on how the coronavirus pandemic started

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the international community should investigate how the coronavirus pandemic started in order to be better prepared for future outbreaks. In an interview von…

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12

Apr

“Today, the will to get through this together is back” – Von Der Leyen

There was “a great danger” at the start of the coronavirus crisis that the pandemic could “shake the European Union to its core. There was a lack of solidarity, everyone was…

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12

Apr

Von der Leyen threatens Hungary with legal proceedings over new Covid-19 laws

The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened Hungary with legal proceedings over their new laws to slow the spread of coronavirus, in comments published on Sunday. Von der…

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07

Apr

Malta’s President, PM and other world leaders send support messages to Boris Johnson

News of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson being admitted to an intensive care unit drew messages of support from leaders across the world Monday. The UK leader’s symptoms worsened a day…

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05

Apr

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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05

Apr

How our Europe will regain its strength – Together

by Ursula Von Der Leyen  The last few weeks have turned our world upside down. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were going about our everyday business. But…

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03

Apr

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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28

Mar

Von Der Leyen not excluding any options for EU’s economic recovery

The European Council tasked the Eurogroup to come up with proposals within the next weeks. The Commission will participate in these discussions and stands ready to assist, if supported by…

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27

Mar

Women are shaping history

This is coronavirus month, but it is also Women’s History Month. In March the world celebrates the contributions of women to society’s defining moments. Much of the awareness campaign this…

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26

Mar

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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26

Mar

‘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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15

Mar

EU-wide export ban for medical protective equipment

Brussels on Sunday imposed an EU-wide export ban for some medical protective equipment in a bid to keep sufficient supplies within the bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen…

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12

Mar

Von der Leyen postpones trip to Greece over coronavirus

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed a trip to Greece in order to focus on combating the spread of coronavirus. Von der Leyen had been due to…

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11

Mar

“At this moment in Europe we are all Italians” – von Der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday published a video message in Italian saying "we are all Italians". "Dear Italians, at this difficult moment, I want to tell…

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10

Mar

Refugee situation in Turkish-Greek border under focus in Brussels

EU leaders warned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to respect the terms of a previous deal to keep migrants away from Europe's borders, after the Turkish leader came to…

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09

Mar

Von der Leyen tells Turkey to take migrants back from Greek border

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said ahead of talks with President Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey must move refugees and migrants away from the Greek border. “Finding a solution…

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16

Feb

Von der Leyen and I are ‘like the two popes’ – Juncker

Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he and his successor, Ursula von der Leyen, were "like the two popes in the Vatican." Politico reports that "on closer consideration, I'm von der…

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28

Jan

Brussels Viewpoint – US president Donald Trump meets Von der Leyen

The big news this week takes us to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where US President Donald Trump met EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for the first…

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24

Jan

Shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe

The European Commission set out its ideas for shaping the Conference on the Future of Europe, which should be launched on Europe Day, 9 May 2020 and run for two…

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22

Jan

Von der Leyen stresses Europe needs ‘credible military capabilities’

In order to respond to crises, the EU needs "credible military capabilities," the leader of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos…

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15

Jan

New criticism for Von der Leyen over second phone

Ursula von der Leyen is facing fresh criticism over the wiping of a second mobile phone that could have been used as evidence in a parliamentary inquiry. The inquiry is…

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10

Jan

European ministers meet to salvage Iran nuclear deal

European foreign ministers are expected to discuss the Iran crisis at an emergency meeting in Brussels on Friday after US President Donald Trump urged allies to “break away” from the…

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08

Jan

Boris Johnson to meet Ursula von der Leyen

Boris Johnson is heading for a showdown with the new president of the European Commission in a clash over post-Brexit trade. The prime minister is meeting Ursula von der Leyen…

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03

Jan

Ursula von der Leyen to meet Boris Johnson

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet on Wednesday at 10 Downing Street, the European Commission said Friday. Downing Street confirmed the…

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27

Dec

European subsidies cannot support sectors or technologies harmful to the environment – Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen expressed her views on the future of Europe in an interview with the French news outlet Les Echos.  "I feel that a period…

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21

Dec

German politician files criminal complaint against EC President von der Leyen after data from her mobile phone was wiped out

A German politician has filed a criminal complaint over the erasure of data from a mobile phone owned by Ursula von der Leyen, the new European Commission president, when she…

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18

Dec

Photo Story: Ursula von der Leyen at the EP in Strasbourg, warns Brexit will harm UK more than EU

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with David McAllister, Member of Parliament from the EPP Group, before a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 18 December…

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14

Dec

Time frame for post Brexit Trade deal challenging – Von der Leyen

The European Union have welcomed Boris Johnson's thumping general election victory, calling for the Brexit deal to be ratified as soon as possible with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen…

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11

Dec

President von der Leyen on the roadmap for a European Green Deal

Do we, humans, want to continue living well and safely on this planet? Humanity faces an existential threat – the whole world is beginning to see. Forests burn from America…

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