European Union

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...

As of Friday (13 March), Slovenia has 141 confirmed coronavirus cases. The coronavirus epidemic and its future consequences are the biggest crisis that has hit Slovenia since it declared its independence, Slovenia’s new Prime Minister Janez Janša said on Thursday...

While the number of infected people rose to 96 (10 more cases than the day before) on Saturday (14 March), no one has yet died from the virus and seven people considered to have recovered. As the country is nearing...

As the total of infections has now grown to 32 and there have still been no fatalities as of Saturday (14 March), according to the government's website with no fatalities, the country has decided to close its schools for two weeks.

Airports will come to a standstill and land borders will be closed by noon Saturday (14 March) in order to halt spread of the coronavirus in Denmark, prime minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Friday. Only trucks transporting goods and people with special permission will be allowed to pass the borders under control of the army. Neighbouring countries and the European Commission were informed of the new measures in advance.

Weekly schedule of President Charles Michel 16-22 March 2020

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.