European Union

EU economic ministers are set to meet on Monday and Tuesday to discuss economic affairs within the EU and beyond - including the impact of coronavirus. Parliament's committees will also work on new measures to fight consequences of the pandemic.

As 60 million Italians face a coronavirus country-wide lockdown, many daily interactions among family, friends and colleagues have moved to messaging platforms such as Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp and Microsoft’s Corp Skype.

By 18 March, trade commissioner Phil Hogan wants to sign a deal with the Trump administration which, to add a bit of spice, includes fast-tracking GMO imports in an attempt to please the US farming industry.

Beware the modernisers and saviours - autocrats often play the 'saving democracy' card as they undermine it.

Alphabet’s Google said on Saturday (14 March) that it was working with the U.S. government to develop a nationwide website that would help Americans with questions about coronavirus symptoms, risk factors and testing.

Denmark’s government told private companies struggling with drastic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus that it would cover 75% of employees’ salaries, if they promised not to cut staff.

As of Sunday morning (15 March) the number of coronavirus cases in Hungary has grown to 32, with 13 additional cases registered over the weekend, all Hungarian citizens some of whom have traveled to Italy and Austria or have been...

In Estonia, the number of cases has risen to 135 as of Sunday morning (15 March). Considering the increasing spread of the virus, it is no longer expedient to test patients with milder symptoms and in order to save healthcare...

Norway is to shut its ports and airports from Monday (16 March) in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus, although exemptions will be made for Norwegians returning from abroad as well as for goods imports, Prime Minister Erna...

All of Pope Francis’ Easter services next month will be held without the faithful attending due to the coronavirus outbreak, Vatican said on Sunday, in a step believed to be unprecedented in modern times. The services, four days of major...

Sanchez's government decided on Saturday (14 March) to limit with immediate effect the movement of people for 15 days to what is absolutely necessary: to buy food, medicine and other essential goods, to take care of the elderly or go to the hospital or the bank.

A number of prominent figures are calling for a "European response" to the coronavirus threat, with strict containment measures of the pandemics, and an EU-wide plan to re-start the European economy afterwards.

Tom Holmes, a 34-year-old British primary school teacher living in Poland, had expected to welcome home his twin babies and his wife in Warsaw on Monday (16 March) upon their return from a holiday in Britain.

Austria is making €4 billion immediately available to deal with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the conservative-led government said on Saturday as it ditched a central pledge to balance its budget.

Spain put its 47 million inhabitants under partial lockdown on Saturday as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus epidemic in Europe’s second worst-affected country by the disease after Italy.

The EU issued a declaration on the latest incidents on the Kenya-Somalia border resulting in instability and large-scale displacement of civilians.

The Belgian foreign office advises "against any travel abroad," because "countries around the world are taking action to contain the coronavirus and end the pandemic. Many have put in place mandatory quarantine measures or have closed their borders. (...) Many airlines are also drastically reducing the number of flights they offer. Consequently, the risk that Belgian citizens get stuck in a foreign country is becoming a lot higher."

The French municipal elections which will take place on 16 March are the first since President Macron was elected and an important test of his popularity. They are also the first set of municipal elections in which British citizens in France will be unable to vote.

Former European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Javier Solana is being treated at a Madrid hospital for coronavirus, a source close to the Spanish politician said Saturday (14 March). “He tested positive and is evolving favourably,” the source told...

There have been 35 registered coronavirus cases of coronavirus in Serbia as of Friday (13 March), of which four of 25 were tested positive. Director of WHO Office in Belgrade, Marijan Ivanuša, said on Thursday (12 March) that Serbia had...