European Union

Hundreds gathered in Portugal's capital Lisbon on Friday to celebrate Labour Day, observing strict social distancing rules in a smaller-than-usual event to show solidarity with those left jobless due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Greek workers and students wearing masks and gloves lined up outside parliament to commemorate May Day, defying a government ban on movement imposed to fight the coronavirus.

Iran has condemned Berlin's ban of Hezbollah activity in Germany and its designation of the Iranian-backed Lebanese group as a terrorist organisation, saying the move serves US and Israeli interests, Iranian state media reported on Friday (1 May).

Irish airline Ryanair announced mass job cuts on May Day and salary caps for remaining employees, as the low-cost flyer made a U-turn on its bullish insistence on being able to ride out the virus outbreak unscathed.

Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic walked away from a state wreath-laying ceremony on Friday (1 May) in protest at a Nazi-era slogan worn by one of the participants, exposing once again deep divisions in the EU's newest member.

Even if the money for an ambitious post-COVID-19 EU recovery plan was on the table, the political elites in Eastern Europe lack the competence and the imagination to create sustainable prosperity, writes Radan Kanev.

European electricity grid operators TenneT, Swissgrid and Terna have launched a cross-border blockchain platform, saying it will help stabilise the grid while allowing households to earn “a few hundred euros per year” from their home and car batteries.

European Commissioners find Masterchef fame, won’t someone come up with Boris’ baby name, and if we can’t go on holidays, that would be a shame.

In these times of COVID-19, the big challenge for most of us is how to protect ourselves and our families from the virus and how to hold on to our jobs. For policy-makers, that translates into beating the pandemic without doing irreversible damage to the economy in the process, writes Guy Ryder.

In a matter of a few weeks, the political challenges facing Europe have changed dramatically, with the unfolding health and economic crisis. In the previous economic turmoil, our collective response was to weaken the rights of the worker. This time it must be different, argue Danish MEPs Marianne Vind, Nikolaj Villumsen and Kira Marie Peter-Hansen.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (30 April) threatened China with fresh tariffs as he stepped up his attacks on Beijing over the coronavirus crisis, saying he had seen evidence linking a Wuhan lab to the contagion.

China did try to pressure the EU into diluting a report on disinformation, the EU's top diplomat has admitted. But this was just normal diplomacy, he said.

The Council appointed Mr Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen for a second term as the Secretary-General of the Council.

Weekly schedule of President Charles Michel 4-10 May 2020

The Council adopted conclusions supporting the ongoing peace process in South Sudan and the country's efforts to face the consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The EU issued a declaration condemning malicious behaviours in cyberspace targeting essential operators, including in the healthcare sector, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the world.

The UK is past the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and the government will next week unveil plans to phase the country out of lockdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday (30 April).

Statement by Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister, following Thursday’s debate with Josep Borrell on disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Statement by Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister, following Thursday’s debate with Josep Borrell on disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

EU crisis management becomes difficult when all member states are hit at the same time, commissioner Janez Lenarcic admitted. To avoid that, the commission wants powers to itself buy strategic reserves for member states.