European Union

Six weeks after the parliamentary elections there is still no sign of a new government in Italy. Talks led by the speaker of the Senate, Elisabetta Casellati, also seem likely to end without any results today, Friday. The main sticking point is that the Movimento Cinque Stelle is only willing to form a coalition with the Lega Nord if the latter ends its alliance with Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza Italia party. What will become of the voters' hopes of a fresh start?

Following huge tensions in the UN Security Council in particular regarding the Syrian war, the diplomats of 15 member states have convened today Friday for a weekend of informal talks in a country house in southern Sweden. The General Secretary António Guterres will also be in attendance. Just how important is the work of the United Nations these days?

The Cuban parliament has elected the former Vice-President Miguel Díaz-Canel to take over from 86-year-old President Raúl Castro, who stepped down on Thursday. In 2006 he took over government duties from his ailing brother Fidel Castro, who died in 2016. What opportunities will the new leadership bring?

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The High Level Forum "Together for Strong Digital Agriculture" takes place on 20 April 2018, in Sofia.

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DRAFT OPINION on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council providing further macro-financial assistance to Ukraine
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Michael Gahler

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 338 - Draft report on Cyber defence
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

The Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed an agreement reached with the European Parliament on the Omnibus regulation.

On 19 April 2018, High Representative issued a declaration on behalf of the European Union on the recent developments and situation in Venezuela.

President Donald Tusk presented to the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg the outcome of the European Council meetings on 22 and 23 March 2018

On 17 April, the Eurogroup issued a statement welcoming Austria's submission of an updated draft budgetary plan (DBP) for 2018.

G7 Leaders adopted a joint statement to condemn the use of chemical weapons in the April 7 attack in Eastern Ghouta, Syria and to support the action of the United States, the United Kingdom and France on April 13 to degrade the Assad regime’s ability to use them.