European Union

Four eastern European Union members on Thursday (12 September) backed the accession of Western Balkan countries to the bloc, saying North Macedonia and Albania should start talks this year.

Phil Hogan on trade could cause post-Brexit strife, dual-role Vestager sharpens Big Tech knife, but what on earth is a European way of Life?

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday (12 September) he was optimistic that the new European Commission would improve ties with the EU's eastern members, long strained by disagreements over migration and multi-culturalism.

Europe needs a shoulder-to-shoulder approach between European institutions and network operators to protect the digital world, argues Dr. Thomas Kremer of Deutsche Telekom Group.

The European Central Bank said on Thursday (12 September) it will reactivate its bond-buying programme, stepping up the monetary stimulus to maintain economic growth, but its president Mario Draghi told Germany and the Netherlands the time has come to spend more in order to avoid the risk of a downturn.

Some media - especially those based in Madrid - have emphasised that "the National Day of Catalonia (the 'Diada') has failed". Nothing could be further from the truth.

When European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen announced the portfolios of the new EU executive this week, one could have expected reactions related to hot potatoes such as energy or economy. Instead, something unexpected took the spotlight.

British prime minister Boris Johnson was forced to deny Thursday that he had mislead the Queen when asking for the suspension of parliament. Johnson was asked about the reasons he gave the monarch after a Scottish court on Wednesday ruled the prorogation was "unlawful" because it was done to prevent scrutiny of a no-deal Brexit by MPs. Johnson said the accusation was "absolutely not true."

The Guardian reported Thursday the leak of a European Parliament resolution - back by both major groupings, the EPP and S&D - that threatens to use the parliament's veto on any agreed Brexit deal that does not guarantee EU citizens' rights in the UK, and ongoing regulatory alignment on environment, consumer and workers' rights. The resolution only applies to an agreed Brexit deal, not a no-deal Brexit.

Germany and Poland are pressing for EU budget negotiations to be concluded as quickly as possible. For Poland, the primary beneficiary of the EU's cohesion policy, there is a great deal at stake. Germany hopes the negotiations will finish before it takes over the EU presidency next July. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during a Sept. 11 meeting in Beijing to “develop a long-term, strategic and comprehensive partnership,” reports the Akorda.

There will be no Brexit deal without an Irish backstop, European Parliament President David Sassoli said on Thursday (12 September). However, the EU is willing to revive a proposal that would keep only Northern Ireland in the bloc’s orbit to...

Welcome to EURACTIV’s Digital Brief, your weekly update on all things digital in the EU. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.    “This centralised harvesting of citizen’s data is very suspicious…” Tom Watson, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Wednesday...

The ifo Institute for Economic Research has lowered its forecast for Germany's economic growth for 2019 and 2020. Instead of the previously predicted 0.6%, the institute now expects a 0.5% growth rate for 2019. A potential hard Brexit and escalation of trade wars with the US were not taken into account. EURACTIV Germany reports.

In October, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier is set to reveal more detailed plans for the establishment of a  landmark European Cloud initiative known as 'Gaia-X.'

The Greek EU Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas has been tasked with "protecting our European way of life". In this capacity he will be responsible for migration in the EU. The title of the portfolio has drawn criticism from MEPS and NGOs and is also proving controversial among commentators.