European Union

French president Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France must develop a "society of vigilance" where everyone looks out for signs of Islamic extremist networks' influence. Speaking at site of the victims of the knife attack at the headquarters of the Paris police, Macron said that "the administrative services, and all the combined services of the state alone, will not be able to overcome [this issue]".

The European Union accused Britain of playing a "stupid blame game" over Brexit on Tuesday after a Downing Street source said a deal was essentially impossible because German Chancellor Angela Merkel had made unacceptable demands.

Another five years? European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has thrown her hat into the ring for another term.

Poland's pick for EU agriculture commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, won MEPs' approval after a second mini-hearing in Brussels on Tuesday.

Poland's pick for EU agriculture commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, won MEPs' approval after a second mini-hearing in Brussels on Tuesday. He got approval from "all" the political groups, Polish MEPs from his own party said. The nominee gave more detailed answers on issues such as US tariffs and industrialised farming and he spoke in his native language, instead of in halting English as in his first hearing last week.

EU Council president Donald Tusk on Tuesday tweeted directly to British prime minister Boris Johnson that what is at stake in the Brexit talks is "not winning some stupid blame game", but the future of Europe and the UK, including security. "You don't want a deal, you don't want an extension, you don't want to revoke, quo vadis?," Tusk wrote. The Latin phrase means 'where are you going?'.

The European Parliament is grilling the proposed members of Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission in a series of hearings between 30 September and 8 October. On Tuesday, Danish official Margrethe Vestager, nominated as Executive Vice President for Europe fit for the Digital Age, will be questioned by MEPs

The Agriculture and Rural Development Committee on Tuesday resumed the 1 October hearing of the Polish candidate for the agriculture portfolio, Janusz Wojciechowski.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The Agriculture and Rural Development Committee on Tuesday resumed the 1 October hearing of the Polish candidate for the agriculture portfolio, Janusz Wojciechowski.
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

A shift to a less-polluting economy requires significant investment. The EU wants to attract more private money as public funds are insufficient.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

A shift to a less-polluting economy requires significant investment. The EU wants to attract more private money as public funds are insufficient.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The first debates held in the French National Assembly led the government to suggest that the criteria for family reunification, which allow refugees to bring their families, should be "tightened". EURACTIV France reports.

The Employment and Social Affairs and the Economic and Monetary Affairs committees questioned Valdis Dombrovskis, Latvian candidate for An Economy that Works for People portfolio.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The Employment and Social Affairs and the Economic and Monetary Affairs committees questioned Valdis Dombrovskis, Latvian candidate for An Economy that Works for People portfolio.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The European left should under no circumstances turn its back on the digital transition of agriculture and give the floor to neoliberal political forces to further “marginalise” smallholders, Petros Kokkalis, a leftist MEP, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

The US has begun to withdraw its troops from Northern Syria. At the same time the Turkish army has announced that it has completed preparations for an offensive in the area. Until now Washington had opposed a Turkish invasion of Syria in order to protect allied Kurdish militias. In view of the latest developments commentators also take Europe to task.