European Union

The UK could stay in the EU's customs union indefinitely to avoid crashing out of the EU as hopes for a new UK proposal on the Irish border issue grow in Brussels in the final phase of Brexit talks.

French EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici announced that he would not be a Spitzenkandidat during May's European elections because he lacks support at home. EURACTIV France reports.

If nothing else, there is something truly impressive about Theresa May’s sheer bloody-minded resilience. Humiliated in London, Salzburg and elsewhere, she just keeps hanging on.

In late October, NATO will conduct its largest military exercises since the end of the Cold War in Europe's North, amid growing tensions with Russia over Moscow's development of new nuclear-ready missiles and uncertainty over the Trump administration’s commitment to transatlantic security.

Four years spent fighting against the monopoly of the US digital giants have given Margrethe Vestager political prominence. But due to a lack of support from Copenhagen for a second mandate, the competition Commissioner is expected to leave Brussels after the elections. EURACTIV France reports.

The European Central Bank's bond-buying programme does not exceed its mandate and is in accordance with EU law, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) advocate general said on Thursday (4 October), in response to complaints raised in Germany.

"Russia must stop its reckless pattern of behaviour, including the use of force against its neighbours, attempted interference in election processes, and widespread disinformation campaigns," Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday following revelations, by Dutch and British intelligence, that Russian spies had plotted a cyber attack against the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. "We deplore such actions," top EU officials said in a joint statement.

US authorities have opened a criminal investigation into Danske Bank, Denmark's largest lender, after revelations its Estonian branch handled €200bn of suspicious and mostly Russian money. The bank's shares fell a further 3% on the news, amid speculation that a US fine could run into billions of dollars. The bank "received requests for information from the US Department of Justice in connection with a criminal investigation" Danske Bank said.

The US wants to create a massive trade bloc with Europe to curb Chinese expansionism, its EU ambassador has said.

MEPs voted on Thursday to (4 October) to support the final text on the free flow of non-personal data across the EU, hailed as a potential game changer for the digital economy. The regulation was adopted with overwhelming support in the European Parliament with 520 votes to 81.

In a thorough and critical documentary, two filmmakers raise questions about the disproportionate power of BNP Paribas, one of Europe’s largest banks. The documentary is a case study calling into question the credibility of European banking regulation. EURACTIV France reports.

Ahead of the European Week of Regions and Cities, the debate on Cohesion policy continues to spark tension inside the Brussels bubble as well as among stakeholders and networks of regions and cities across Europe.

Prime Minister May defended her Brexit plan at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham: if the party fails to support her either Labour will take over or Brexit won't take place, she said. While some commentators say her dynamic performance has convinced people that she can bring Brexit to a successful conclusion, others fear the outcome is beyond her control.

The Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans has once again called on the Romanian government to renounce its planned judicial reform. The Commission sees the independence of the judges and the separation of powers in danger. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has rejected the accusations. What fate awaits Romania now?