European Union

Setting European Union targets for reducing cars' greenhouse gas output that are too ambitious could backfire with the loss of 100,000 jobs, Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess said Thursday.

After serving his country as a minister and prime minister, and gaining first-hand experience in dealing with some of the EU's biggest crises, Alexander Stubb is now vying for the top job in the European Commission. He presented his credentials during an interview with EURACTIV.

Growing tensions since Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine on Thursday lead to a historic split of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, as the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul allowed Kiev to establish an independent church. Kiev sees it is a vital step against Russian meddling in its affairs, while Moscow warned it would split the Orthodox world and trigger clashes over possession of major monasteries. .

Norway's supreme court on Thursday ruled that a doctor has the right to refuse medical procedures that are against their conscience. It said a Polish doctor, Katarzyna Jachimowicz, was entitled to compensation of €260,000 because she lost her job in Norway for objecting to fitting intrauterine devices (IUDs). Her lawyer, Haakon Bleken, said the ruling was important "not only for doctors, but for people of faith in all professions".

Luxembourgers go to the polls on Sunday for parliamentary elections that could see the return to power of the Christian Democrats (CSV) and lead to the departure of the liberal prime minister, Xavier Bettel, who ousted Jean-Claude Juncker in 2013 by forming a three-party coalition with Social Democrats and Greens. New rules on subsidising political parties penalise parties whose candidate lists contain less than 40 percent of an under-represented gender.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Thursday (11 October) he did not expect Italy to need aid to deal with its debt pile. Any intervention by the European Central Bank would require Italy to formally apply for a rescue programme, sources said. 

Appointment of the First Advocate General of the Court of Justice

The European Commission has given only cautious backing to a project led by Norway that would see carbon dioxide emissions captured at source from industrial installations and shipped offshore to depleting oil and gas fields where they would be buried more than 1,000 metres underground.

British Prime Minister Theresa May briefed her inner Cabinet on Thursday evening (11 October) that a historic Brexit deal was close, the Financial Times reported.

European manufacturers are supposed to do business freely within the European Union’s single market, but in reality, companies face considerable restraints when sending employees abroad.

A new accreditation, registration and disclosure system is to be put in place to ensure that agents are regulated to the highest standards. Greater transparency relating to fees is to be introduced, with agents' commissions going through a clearing house.

For the first time, Ireland has adopted legislation on the risks associated with alcohol, in a country where alcoholism has had devastating consequences. EURACTIV France’s media partner Ouest-France reports.

The United Kingdom and the EU need to figure out how much access the UK will have to the EU-funded satellite navigation system after Brexit. Now the UK will study whether to set up its own system.

Merkel's key coalition ally, the Bavarian Christian Social Union is expected to suffer a major loss at Sunday elections, as voters flee to either the far-right or the Greens.

EU member states are set for bitter negotiations over the next long-term budget for the bloc - where several issues pit eastern and western European countries against each other.

Visa liberalisation for Kosovo could prove crucial in maintaining leverage for the region, while alllowing for more time to seek a sustainable solution with Serbia, writes Donika Emini and Zoran Nechev.

This week, Bono comes to Brussels to preach, Frans Timmermans thinks the Commission job’s in reach, and Jean Claude’s dance moves make the British Press screech.

Marek Halter, a Jew and Holocaust survivor, used the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to warn Europeans that there is a high risk that fascists campaigning on the Islamophobia ticket win big in next year's European elections.

Theresa May's attempts to negotiate a 'soft Brexit' are not backed by a parliamentary majority. Nor are the plans of the hard Brexiters. That could result in a new referendum, which could lead to the UK staying in, argues Hugo Dixon.

Chinese Ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming, stressed that China and the EU are “in the same boat” on multilateralism. In an interview with EURACTIV.com, he admits that his country has to do more in some sectors to open up to foreign companies and will do more to strengthen protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).