European Union

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Macron still hope a solution can be found to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Macron, however, has shown little willingness to compromise regarding the backstop. How do things stand in the game of poker over Brexit?

In a bid to prevent the formation of a coalition between the Cinque Stelle and the Democratic party (PD) in Italy Lega leader Matteo Salvini is trying to gain the support of those within Five Star who are willing to continue cooperating with his party. But time is running out for him because President Giuseppe Mattarella expects a decision on who will govern the country by Wednesday. Commentators are appalled by the situation in Italy.

The fighting has intensified in the Syrian province of Idlib, which had been declared a de-escalation zone. Supported by Russia, Assad's army is advancing through the rebel-held territory towards the city of Khan Shaykhun, prompting a mass exodus from the area. Meanwhile tensions between Ankara and Moscow have escalated after a Turkish military convoy was hit in an airstrike.

The Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Democratic Party (PD) are almost ready to form a new government in Italy, but cannot agree on who should be the new prime minister. The PD first refused current prime minister Giuseppe Conte, but now says "'yes' to Conte, but without Di Maio". Luigi Di Maio is currently deputy prime minister and M5S leader. The presidential deadline for an agreement is Tuesday.

At the end of June 2019, there were 439,039 asylum seeker applications in the EU awaiting a decision in the first instance - an increase compared to a year ago, according to figures from the European Asylum Support Office. An equal number of cases were also pending an appeal. The rejection rate for asylum requests in Europe has risen from 37 percent in 2016 to 64 percent in 2019.

US president Donald Trump promised a "quick" free-trade agreement with the UK after Brexit at the G7 summit, saying the UK quitting the EU would be like getting rid of an "an anchor round the ankle". As a member of the EU, the UK cannot conclude trade deals with other countries on its own, but it has provisionally agreed 13 different deals that should apply post-Brexit.

UK leader Boris Johnson said at the G7 summit that Britain could "easily cope" with a no-deal Brexit, adding that the £39bn [€43bn] Brexit settlement previously agreed by his country would not "strictly speaking" be owed to Brussels if there was no exit accord. He added that the prospect of a Brexit deal was "improving", but EU officials said it was up to Britain to solve the Irish border issue.

Western leaders could not agree whether to drop Russia sanctions or how to handle Iran and Brazil at the G7 summit in France.

Belgium's outgoing government has nominated its foreign minister, Didier Reynders, to join the European Commission, complicating government talks.

A trade deal between Europe and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) provides a clear commitment to the Paris Agreement in combatting climate change, the new EU ambassador in Brasilia, Ignácio Ybáñez, told EURACTIV’s partner EFE in an...

The UK government confirmed on Friday (23 August) that it would not nominate a European Commissioner candidate, branding the issue “a distraction” as Britain prepares to leave the EU on 31 October.

It may sound like a strange thing to enshrine in a country's constitution: the right to pay cash. But a debate on whether to do just that has entered Austria's election campaign, shining a light on the country's love of cold, hard currency.