European Union

Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell told attendees at a lunch in Madrid this week that US president Donald Trump seriously suggested the Spanish government build a wall across the Sahara desert to stop migration to Europe. Trump is thought to have made his comment when Borrell accompanied King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the White House in June.

Russian oil producer Surgutneftegaz is pushing buyers to agree to pay for oil in euros instead of dollars if the need arises, apparently as insurance against possible tougher US sanctions, traders who deal with the firm told Reuters.

Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Finland…. The EU's Budget Commissioner Günter Oettinger did not hesitate to point the finger at countries reluctant to increase their contributions to the EU's next seven-year budget during a speech on Wednesday (19 September).

First Vice President Frans Timmermans on Wednesday (19 September) was expected to ask the College of Commissioners to refer the Polish Supreme Court law to the EU’s top court, the European Court of Justice.

The United States has supplanted Brazil as the European Union’s top supplier of soybeans since a deal in July with President Donald Trump to avert a trade war, according to EU data seen by Reuters on Thursday (20 September).

Hungary's foreign minister lashed out at what he called "biased, pro-migration" UN human rights experts on Wednesday (19 September), accusing them of spreading lies about his country and saying Budapest had the right to keep out illegal migrants.

Three former allies of the leader of Romania’s ruling Social Democrats called on him to resign on Wednesday, saying his criminal convictions have become the party’s largest vulnerability ahead of elections in 2019 and 2020.

Europe must stop selling new petrol, diesel and conventional hybrid cars by 2028 in order to stand a better chance of honouring the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious target, according to a new study.

The Bishops of Latin America are concerned that the EU is more prompt in negotiating new trade deals than ensuring the respect of basic human rights, when violated by companies who have their headquarters in Europe, writes Cardinal Pedro Barreto.

At a vote on the agriculture and food law, French MPs again refused to enter the banning of glyphosate within the next three years into legislation. EURACTIV France reports.

Prime Minister Theresa May appealed directly to fellow European Union leaders on Wednesday (19 September) to drop "unacceptable" Brexit demands that she said could rip Britain apart, urging the bloc to respond in kind to her "serious and workable" plan.

Europol, the EU's policing agency, released a report on Tuesday (18 September) in which they warned that EU data protection laws may lead to an increase in cyber-extortion.

Paris Region Key Figures 2018 lays out a panorama of the region’s economic dynamism and social life, positioning it among the leading regions in Europe and worldwide.

As EU Head of States were gathering 19 September in Salzburg (Austria) for an informal meeting, both Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and President of the EU Council Donald Tusk said they will promote the idea among member states of an EU-Arab States summit on migration next February as well as an additional meeting on Brexit next November.

The European Commission's rationale for reforming Frontex is flawed.

Much has been made lately about free speech and whether or not to deny populists and nationalists a platform or to let them speak. Luxembourg’s wise old foreign minister found the solution to the dilemma last week: shout, shout and let it all out.

The Bulgarian government decided today (19 September) to take the side of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban against the possible Article 7 procedure requested by the European Parliament.

Denmark, the EU's cleanest country on paper, just got confirmation that its top bank perpetrated Europe's biggest-ever money-laundering scandal.

European Council president Donald Tusk on Wednesday in Salzburg, Austria announced that the EU aims to hold an summit with Arab League states in February 2019 in Egypt. The announcement follows a joint visit with Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz to Cairo where they held discussions with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Tusk wants to deepen relations with Egypt, including in the area of migration.

EU Council president Donald Tusk on Wednesday warned EU leaders ahead of the Salzburg summit to stop the blame-game over migration. "We can no longer be divided between into those who want to solve the problem and those who want to use it for political gain," he said, pointing out this year fewer than 100,000 migrants arrived in the EU, less than in the years before the 2015 migration crisis.