European Union

The EU ought to better use regional data on coronavirus travel, a Belgian expert has said, amid confusing national rules.

Travellers to France from 16 countries must now get tested for Covid-19 upon arrival at French airports and ports. Those who test positive must quarantine for 14 days. The new rules began on 1 August. The countries on the list are: Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, India, Israel, Kuwait, Madagascar, Oman, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, South Africa, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Poland's health minister said police health authorities would start checks in shops this week to see if people are following regulations to keep their mouths and noses covered after the country hit daily cases record. 

France's Europe minister Clément Beaune tells the Financial Times that rule of law and fundamental rights cannot be compromised under the new €750bn EU budget recovery fund.

Lamine Diakite has been on the street for two weeks since the Spanish shantytown he was staying in burnt down, one of the hundreds of fruit pickers abandoned as coronavirus cases soar.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen marked Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday (2 August) with an appeal to EU member states to protect today's minorities from discrimination and racism.

A revamping of Indian and EU strategic priorities - coupled with wariness of Chinese expansionism in the absence of American leadership - is pushing them both to seek like-minded partners elsewhere.

As the EU institutions - and the EURACTIV newsroom - wind down for the summer break, take a look at some of the biggest, most popular and unusual stories published so far in 2020, as well as the catalogue of our best videos this year.

The European Commission on Friday (31 July) signed off on a merger between French trainmaker Alstom and the rail arm of Canadian firm Bombardier, setting a number of competition criteria in the process.

German holidaymakers received a summer consolation prize on Friday (31 July) when the European Commission approved a government scheme aimed at helping travel operators guarantee replacement vouchers for cancelled trips.

The Council renewed the EU terrorist list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures and added one person to the list of ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaida sanctions.

Off-the-record technical briefing organised on cyber sanctions.

High Representative Josep Borrell issued a declaration on EU response to promote international security and stability in cyberspace.

The Council imposed the first ever restrictive measures against six individuals and three entities responsible for or involved in various cyber-attacks.

Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted.

The Council appointed Tomáš Szunyog as EU special representative in Kosovo from 1 September 2020 until 31 August 2021.

The Council renewed the list of individuals and entities subject to EU's autonomous sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for one year.

The Council launched a civilian advisory mission and extended the mandate of the existing military training mission in the Central African Republic.

Following the announcement that the US will withdraw troops from Germany and station some of them in other European states, resistance to the move is growing among US Democrats and some Republicans. They argue that the plan will weaken Nato and play into Russia's hands. But rather than hoping that the withdrawal will be cancelled Europe should deal with the consequences, commentators warn.