Euobserver.com

Cyprus is demanding that parts of Syria be designated safe enough to return prospective Syrian asylum seekers, an assertion that the island-nation has been pressing for months.

The case of Germany's Patriotic Union tells us not so much about Russian malign influence, but rather about Russian malign inspiration.

Last year saw again a large number of extreme weather events, unprecedented global temperatures, record concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, and high ocean temperatures.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán is facing a new push by MEPs to derail his upcoming EU presidency, but diplomats say there's no appetite in the EU Council for such a move.

As currently designed, the EU's Green Deal could exacerbate social and gender inequalities — how can public environmental policies improve women's access to these better paid jobs?

A funding body established and governed jointly by the European Commission and an industry group awarded numerous grants to research and develop packaging products that lack proper disposal options in the common market.

The EU needs a million migrants annually to make up for a demographic shortfall, says the European Commission.

Returning from the Christmas holidays, the Belgian EU Council presidency will host its first informal council and the European Parliament's committees will resume their work in Brussels.

The US and EU's inability to field a joint naval mission in the Red Sea is a sign of Nato weakness in dangerous times, Italy's ex-armed forces chief has said.

EU Council president Charles Michel has said he will step down early from his job in order to run in European Parliament elections in June.

Many of these stadiums were constructed decades ago, renowned for their architectural magnificence or for hosting international tournaments. They held a special place in the hearts of Ukrainians and football fans worldwide.

The current clash in Poland over the future of public service media marks a key test for prime minister Donald Tusk in his bid to restore the country to the rule of the law after eight years of populist rule.

Charity vessels operating in the Mediterranean were detained at least 13 times last year under an Italian decree that curtails rescue efforts, according to civil society groups. And the requirement to immediately sail to distant ports inflates fuel costs.

The European Commission is preparing a proposal to improve working conditions for trainees in the EU. The initiative is expected in the first semester of 2024, but so far seems to focus more on ending bogus internships than unpaid internships.

The EU has added Russian mining giant Alrosa and its CEO to an ever-growing blacklist over the war in Ukraine.

The UN and leading Arab states have followed EU condemnation of Israeli talk of moving Palestinians out of Gaza.

It is not widely-known that the German armed forces carry out reconnaissance activities. Despite involving around 7,000 personnel, the German government does not consider the Bundeswehr is running an intelligence service, thus there is barely any control or legal oversight.

The new Belgian EU presidency wants to expand migration-busting relations with countries in Africa — following the bloc's controversial agreement with Tunisia last summer.

Forced sterilisation is still legal in the EU. Disabled women, especially those under guardianship, are the most vulnerable to being subjected to it. Now, MEPs are trying to ban the practice, via the directive on combating violence against women.

It is all but certain that much of the EU is heading towards austerity in 2024.