European Union

The Council decided that sanctions against individuals or entities which undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine should be extended for a further six months until 15 September 2020.

While nine news cases have been confirmed as of Friday (13 March), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 25, no one has yet died from the virus. As of Friday (13 March), those entering the country will have to work or live Slovakia and will have to self-quarantine upon arrival or face a €1,659 fine.

On Friday (13 March), the Czech Republic decided to ban entry to all foreign citizens and to ban all Czech nationals from leaving the country after it had a declared a state of emergency for the next 30 days on Thursday. New measures will take effect on Monday (16 March). EURACTIV.cz's Aneta Zachová reports.

Poland has cancelled all international flights and trains and has closed the border for ten days, while Polish citizens will be quarantined for 14 days. "Then, we will see what is next," said PM Mateusz Morawiecki, adding that "other countries will do the same with their borders. EURACTIV Poland looks into what prompted the situation

The European Commission said on Friday (13 March) that the coronavirus COVID-19 will “very likely” push the European economy into recession this year, and warned that the rebound next year will depend on a bold response from member states.

The Greek government has decided to take stricter measures to tackle escalating coronavirus outbreak. The new measures resemble Belgium’s “lockdown” and are due to apply from tomorrow morning. EURACTIV's Sarantis Michalopolous reports.

Statement by Parliament President David Sassoli following the announcement by the European Commission of measures to address COVID-19

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by Parliament President David Sassoli following the announcement by the European Commission of measures to address COVID-19

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Europe has become the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China, the World Health Organization said late Friday. "More cases are now being reported everyday than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic", Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO secretary-general said, adding: "Our message to countries continues to be: you must take a comprehensive approach."

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned countries not to unilaterally close borders, saying "I am convinced that the EU can withstand this shock."

Stadiums are a great environment in which to trial sustainability measures because of the number of people who regularly attend sporting and entertainment events, according to those involved in their day-to-day running.

The G7 leaders of the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will hold an extraordinary summit by videoconference on Monday amid the coronavirus outbreak, French president Emmanuel Macron said. "We will coordinate research efforts on a vaccine and treatments, and work on an economic and financial response," he tweeted.

The UK's local and mayoral elections, scheduled for May, have been postponed for 12 months over the coronavirus outbreak, the government announced on Friday. The polls, including for London mayor, had been scheduled for 7 May. The decision came after advice from the independent Electoral Commission that there was a "growing risk" voters would not be able to full participate.

The European Commission on Friday said health checks imposed by EU states inside the passport-free Schengen zone won't be classified as a border control. "If they introduce health checks, it is not seen as an internal border control," said home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson. Anyone entering the EU from another country at the external border and showing symptoms of the virus can be denied entry, she added.

Whoever said that British exceptionalism would end with Brexit? While the continental cousins put themselves on self-imposed lockdown – closing schools and ordering people to work and stay at home as much as possible, it is almost business as usual across the Channel.

Morocco closed the border with Ceuta and Melilla, Spain's two North African enclaves, early on Friday (13 March) to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, officials said.

The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg has ruled that the construction of Nord Stream 2 pipeline project could continue, rejecting a complaint over a plot of land through which the pipeline should pass and finally clearing the path for the German-Russian project. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Friday (13 March) against imposing unilateral travel restrictions to fight the coronavirus epidemic, as some member states have done.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said on Friday (13 March) that he had sent an "ambitious" first draft of what could be a new post-Brexit trade deal with Britain to EU capitals.

"China and Russia have started an information war with the West ... In the time of a real plague let us be immune to the virus of a lie," Donald Tusk, a senior EU politician who was recently EU Council president, has said. The Chinese and Russian propaganda lines were "the virus has come from the USA" and "the EU is doing nothing", Tusk warned on Twitter.