European Union

President Donald Tusk and President Jean-Claude Juncker invited President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a meeting in Varna, Bulgaria, on 26 March 2018

The 4th Association Council meeting between the European Union and Georgia took place on 5 February and a joint press release was issued.

President Donald Tusk sent a letter of congratulations to Nicos Anastasiades on his re-election as President of Cyprus.

The Council added 3 persons to the list of those subject to an asset freeze and travel restrictions in view of the situation in South Sudan.

Weekly schedule of President Donald Tusk 5-11 February 2018

On 31 January 2018, EU ambassadors endorsed the provisional deal reached with the European Parliament on the financing of the European Union Youth Orchestra.

On 31 January, EU ambassadors approved the revised directive on the energy performance of buildings.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2426 of 21 December 2017 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

AMENDMENTS 1 - 221 - Draft report Violation of the rights of indigenous peoples in the world, including land grabbing
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wants to make the EU more accessible to the people of Europe, proposing on Wednesday a bicameral system consisting of the EU Parliament and a council of member states. The presidents of the EU Commission and perhaps also the EU Council would be directly elected, and in the long term the two presidencies would be fused into one. Journalists ask if this will take the EU in the right direction.

An unspecified number of Russian mercenaries fighting in units loyal to President Assad are said to have been killed by US airstrikes in the governorate of Deir ez-Zor last week. The incident marks the first fatalities in direct confrontations between US and Russian forces in Syria. Russian media seize the opportunity to examine the Russian mercenary army system.

Turkish warships have been blocking gas exploration activities in Cypriot waters since Friday, after an Italian energy company confirmed the discovery of a massive gas field in the area. The rights of Turkish Cypriots to the resources must be defended, pro-government Turkish media assert. Greek Cypriot journalists feel left in the lurch by the EU.