European Union

The swiftly-spreading Coronavirus forces all of us to take a reality-check and face the ugly truth. It also forces us to adapt and change our behaviour for the common good. Because this is what it is all about. This is what is at stake.

The European Commission is planning to re-open basically all files related to the pharmaceutical industry with its roadmap for a new Pharmaceutical Strategy, seen by EURACTIV.com.

The advancement of peace, democracy, respect for human rights and rule of law in the Western Balkans region and their future in a strong and reformed EU is critical for the future of our continent and our fellow citizens, write...

Ursula von der Leyen's European Commission is the first to propose a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) strategy. While it promises to make these businesses fit for the future, many representatives of German SMEs are not too fond of it. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Welcome to EURACTIV’s Global Europe Brief, your weekly update on the EU in the global perspective from our foreign affairs news team: Georgi Gotev and Alexandra Brzozowski. You can subscribe here. /// IMAGE OF THE WEEK | European Council President Charles Michel chairs the first-ever summit...

Leading EU officials have said the US was wrong to have "unilaterally and without consultation" imposed a travel ban on 26 EU states over the pandemic. "Coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent, and requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel said on Thursday. The EU was "taking strong action" on the virus, they added.

Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.    “Many products break down too easily, cannot be reused, repaired or recycled, or are made for single use only.”...

The European Space Agency and its Russian partner, Roscosmos, announced on Thursday (12 March) that a planned mission to Mars will be postponed, blaming it on a mixture of safety concerns and the coronavirus outbreak.

Europe's agricultural sector has barely managed to reduce its emissions since 2018, according to a report by the European Environment Agency published on Tuesday (10 March). EURACTIV France reports.

Italy's government has ordered all shops, bars and restaurants across the entire country to close. Italy's death toll due from coronavirus rose by 31 percent in the space of 24 hours to a total of 827. Only those selling "basic necessities", such as pharmacies and supermarkets, can remain open. Prime mInister Giuseppe Conte asked people not to "rush to the supermarkets" as shelves would be restocked as normal.

Europe’s airlines - already reeling from the coronavirus outbreak - are expected to be hard hit by US President Donald Trump’s 11 March ban on flights from the Schengen area, which has already been criticised by EU heads as unilateral and disproportionate.

The latest draft of the Farm to Fork strategy (F2F), obtained by EURACTIV, features a few notable changes from the previous version, including an emphasis on the possible role of animal farming in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and on options for animal welfare labelling.

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. To combat it in Europe, Brussels is relying on an intensified exchange of information, flexibility on government deficits and financial aid of 7.5 billion euros, which is to be increased to 25 billion later on. Commentators have doubts as to whether these measures will be adequate.

The sex offender and former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault by a court in New York on Wednesday. The verdict is considered a milestone in the MeToo debate triggered by the case in 2017. Commentators welcome the sentence, but warn against unserious accusations.