European Union

Ankara will resist efforts by its NATO allies to persuade it to back an alliance defence plan for the Baltics and Poland until its demands are met over a plan for Turkey's defence, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Wednesday (27 November).

As Europe moves towards net-zero emissions, policymakers are looking at all available sources of energy, including new low-carbon gases like hydrogen, to decarbonise at least cost. But direct electrification – of transport, industry and buildings – remains the top priority for the European Commission.

Qatar has pledged to host not only the most sustainable World Cup in the middle of the desert, but is already sharing lessons from the event three years before the teams even begin to play.

From the early stage of its post-Soviet transition, Kazakhstan has consolidated strong state power to avoid chaos. Today, as the country is considered successful at home and internationally, this centralisation is being reduced and tribute is being paid to the one person who steered the country during the last 30 years.

Germany has pledged to play a more active role in NATO with Chancellor Angela Merkel promising to raise military spending to 2% of the country’s GDP by the beginning of the 2030s. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The question of whether the UK will open its doors to GMOs after Brexit has become more pertinent after EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told MEPs on Tuesday (26 November) that in order to secure a trade agreement, the UK would have to agree to maintain a ‘level playing field’ and not undercut EU regulation.

Patients deserve faster access to safe medical cannabis. Legalization is not enough – governments and businesses need to work together to reduce barriers and lessen patients’ reliance on the illicit market.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

In this final report, President Donald Tusk looks back at the work of the European Council, where the leaders of the European Union meet, from July 2018 to November 2019.

EU ambassadors today approved the Council's position on a proposed out-of-court mechanism to deal with non performing loans.

“God Exists, her name is Petrunya” has won this year’s LUX Film Prize. Director Teona Mitevska talked to us about the power of her story of a woman defying the system and winning.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

“God Exists, her name is Petrunya” has won this year’s LUX Film Prize. Director Teona Mitevska talked to us about the power of her story of a woman defying the system and winning.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

German chancellor Angela Merkel urged EU countries on Wednesday to speak as one in dealings with China, AFP reported. "One of the biggest dangers is that everyone in Europe has their own China policy, and that we end up sending completely different signals," Merkel said, adding that the EU should adopt a common strategy on developing 5G mobile networks, amid concerns that Chinese giant Huawei could be used for spying.

US president Donald Trump poses "perhaps the most difficult challenge" for the EU because he is "praying" for the breakup of the bloc, EU council president Donald Tusk told Germany's Die Zeit newspaper in an interview. "For the first time in history, there is an American president who is openly against a united Europe. He supports Brexit and prays for the breakup of the Union," the outgoing council chief said.

The European Parliament approved on 27 November 2019 the new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen.

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

The new President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, cited climate policy as the most pressing issue facing her new executive team, which was officially confirmed by a vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday (27 November).

Nordic cooperation will give young people a powerful platform on stages in Madrid and Stockholm during the UN Climate Conference COP25 next month.

European parties rushed to stake their claim to political fame in the European Parliament on Wednesday, firing off salvos of righteous demands and bold promises that may, or may not, eventually be addressed in the next five years.

The first female commission president and her (almost) gender-balanced team can take office on 1 December. Despite a large majority of MEPs backing the new commission, many warned that their support was not a "blank cheque".

Member states must strongly support the proposal of the European Parliament to add a budget line for local authorities to tackle global challenges, including through their decentralised cooperation, writes Marlène Siméon.