European Union

US president Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday imposed new sanctions against Russia, escalating US diplomatic pressure on Moscow. The treasury department blacklisted several firms and individuals accusing them of violating bans on energy trade with North Korea and breaking US laws against cooperation with Russia's intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service. US lawmakers want even tougher measures. The UK on Monday also called for tougher sanctions against Moscow.

Italy's far-right interior minister was happy to use EU funds to escort the Aquarius rescue boat to Spain, while boasting he was "closing down the ports" to migrants.

Google is now allowing its artificial intelligence (AI) system – rather than its staff – to directly control its data centre cooling system as a way of lowering emissions and energy consumption. EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for local and regional banking providers.

Whether you are a business owner, want to start one, or a financial intermediary, you have access to EU funds. The European Investment Bank provides credit lines to finance providers such as local banks and financial institutions, helping them develop their lending portfolio and offer greater access to credit to a wider range of clients. This support helps finance the medium and long-term loans offered to private sector firms, commercially run public-sector enterprises or even local authorities. The Bank invests €75 billion in over 400 projects in a typical year. While such loans must meet some conditions (e.g. increase local growth and employment or help protect the environment), they offer benefits such as long time-to-maturity and attractive pricing. The finance providers can also make use of the technical assistance offered both to the intermediaries and the final recipients.

Twitter Hashtag #EUandME

© Elnur / Fotolia

In addition, EU microfinance support tools help microfinance providers (e.g. private or public banks, non-bank microfinance institutions and not-for-profit microcredit providers) to offer loans up to €25 000 for setting up or developing a small business. EU support includes not only loans but also guarantees, which help share the providers’ potential risk of loss. Microloan conditions for entrepreneurs vary depending on the provider, but the EU makes sure that priority goes to groups which have difficulty getting conventional credit, e.g. social enterprises and the unemployed. In addition, technical support is available for microcredit providers to help them build capacity.

Further information

• EPRS Publication on ‘Helping European SMEs to grow’, 2017, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/603967/EPRS_IDA(2017)603967_EN.pdf
• EPRS Publication on ‘SME support in EU regions’, 2015, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/564360/EPRS_BRI%282015%29564360_EN.pdf
• European Investment Bank, http://www.eib.org/intermediarieslist/search
• EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service: www.epthinktank.eu

Europe needs to set up payment systems independent of the United States if it wants to save the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that was abandoned by President Donald Trump, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said.

Czechs and Slovaks on Tuesday (20 August) marked 50 years since Soviet tanks crushed the "Prague Spring" democratic reform drive, as protesters used the anniversary to rail against the current Czech government's ties to the Communist Party.

Discrepancies between Italy and the EU over its expenditure, the trade dispute with the US and political quagmires such as the Brexit talks and the migration challenge cloud EU prospects ahead of the tenth anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Louis (21, Belgium) works as an educator for people with mental and physical disabilities during the day and writes rap music the night. For a month, he has been one of the travellers for a Road Trip Project financed by the European Commission.

The murder of the Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in February provoked a wave of anger, resulting in Prime Minister Robert Fico’s resignation. However, half a year later, the state of press freedom in the country is still in limbo.

Brexit chief negotiators on both sides pledged to talk non-stop in the final push to find a divorce deal, particularly an agreement to the Irish border conundrum.

The EU and UK’s chief Brexit negotiators vowed on Tuesday (21 August) to step up talks in the coming weeks in a bid to avoid the UK crashing out of the bloc without agreement next March.

The expulsion from the Schengen zone of Lyudmyla Kozlovska, a Ukrainian human rights activist, was due to serious doubts regarding funding of her organisation, Poland's Internal Security Agency said on Monday (20 August).

The European Commission said Tuesday that "efforts are ongoing" with regards to Italy's request to find member states that would be willing to host the 177 migrants aboard an Italian coast guard vessel that rescued them last week. Italy's government on Monday allowed the ship to dock in Catania after a row with Malta. Italy said the migrants will be kept on the ship until the EU finds a solution.

The European Parliament is in recess over the summer holidays from 23 July 2018 to 26 August 2018

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Czech filmmakers on Tuesday (21 August) said they were launching a rotating hunger strike in solidarity with Ukrainian colleague Oleg Sentsov.

On the night of 20 August 1968 the troops of the Warsaw Pact ended the attempts to democratise the communist system in Czechoslovakia, which went down in history as the Prague Spring. According to commentators the impact of the invasion is still visible today - and not just in Eastern Europe.