EU chief urges caution in tech trade with China
March 30, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union must be prepared to develop measures to protect trade and investment that China might exploit for its own security and military purposes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday.
EU closer to ending US trade spat, moves on Green Deal funds
March 15, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union moved closer to ending a trade dispute with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday following months of wrangling over the billions of America-first incentives in his clean technology plans and said it would ramp up a similar subsidy-laden effort at home.
Wreckage cleared, days after deadly Greek rail disaster
March 6, 2023 GMTTHESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Recovery crews in northern Greece cleared the final sections of wreckage from a deadly train collision off the tracks on Monday, as protests and political fallout from the country’s worst ever rail disaster continued.
EU watchdog seeks clarity about Qatar travel freebies
March 6, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s administrative watchdog is trying to find out how a top transport official was permitted to fly to Qatar with tickets paid for by the government there, as a major corruption scandal linked to the Gulf state roils the bloc's parliament.
UK, EU hail ‘new chapter’ with deal to fix Brexit trade spat
February 28, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — The U.K. and the European Union sealed a deal on Monday to resolve their thorny post-Brexit trade dispute over Northern Ireland, hailing the agreement as the start of a “new chapter” in their often fractious relationship.
UK and EU leaders to meet amid hope of Brexit trade spat fix
February 26, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Union leader Ursula von der Leyen are set to hold face-to-face talks, with expectations high they will seal a deal to resolve a thorny post-Brexit trade dispute.
Global Citizen conference to unite political leaders, celebs
February 21, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Advocacy group Global Citizen will convene political, philanthropic, business and cultural leaders for a thought leadership conference in New York to tackle extreme poverty more quickly.
EU seeks new Russia sanctions package, targets Iran’s drones
February 15, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is considering a new set of sanctions totaling 11 billion euros against Russia and some third countries providing vital goods that Moscow uses to boost its troops on the battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Norway looks to donate $7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine
February 6, 2023 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Oil-rich Norway is looking to donate 75 billion kroner ($7.3 billion) to Kyiv as part of a five-year support package that would make the Scandinavian country one of the world’s biggest donors to war-torn Ukraine, the Norwegian government said Monday.
EU prepares more Russia sanctions; Kremlin readies offensive
February 3, 2023 GMTKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The European Union will unveil its 10th package of sanctions against Russia on Feb. 24 to mark the anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a senior official from the bloc said in Kyiv on Friday, as Ukrainian forces gird for an expected Russian offensive in the coming weeks.
High-level Kyiv visit aims to deepen EU-Ukraine ties
February 2, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — Senior members of the European Union’s executive branch traveled to Ukraine on Thursday looking to boost relations with the war-torn country and pave the way for it to one day join the bloc, but concerns over corruption and democratic deficiencies remain.
EU outlines plan for clean tech future boosted by subsidies
January 17, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union pushed forward on Tuesday with a major clean tech industrial plan which not only should keep the continent in the vanguard of plotting a greener future but also guarantee its economic survival as it faces challenges from China and the United States.
EU inaugurates first mainland satellite launch port
January 13, 2023 GMTKIRUNA, Sweden (AP) — The European Union wants to bolster its capacity to launch small satellites into space with a new launchpad in Arctic Sweden.
EU chief celebrates ‘immense achievements’ of member Croatia
January 1, 2023 GMTZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — The chief of the European Union visited Croatia on Sunday to celebrate the “immense achievements” of the newest EU member nation, which switched to using the euro and joined the world’s largest passport-free travel area on New Year's Day.
EU leaders seek to stand up to US and avoid trade war
December 15, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders sought ways Thursday to stand up to the United States over its new green technologies plan that they say unfairly discriminates against Washington's best global ally and demanded the same concessions as American free trade partners Canada and Mexico.
Hungary, Romania to sign electricity deal with Azerbaijan
December 12, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The leaders of Hungary, Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan plan to meet in Romania's capital Saturday to conclude an agreement on an undersea electricity connector that could become a new power source for the European Union amid a crunch on energy supplies caused by the war in Ukraine.
France, Spain, Portugal to build hydrogen pipeline by 2030
December 9, 2022 GMTALICANTE, Spain (AP) — Spain, France and Portugal agreed Friday to build by 2030 a major undersea pipeline to transport hydrogen from the Iberian Peninsula to France and eventually the rest of Europe.
Italy’s La Scala opens season to Ukrainian protests
December 7, 2022 GMTMILAN (AP) — Italy’s most treasured opera house, Teatro alla Scala, opened its new season Wednesday with the Russian opera “Boris Godunov,” against the backdrop of Ukrainian protests that the cultural event is a propaganda win for the Kremlin during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
EU eyes Russian officials, banks, industry for sanctions
December 7, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday proposed travel bans and asset freezes on almost 200 more Russian officials and military officers as part of a new round of sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
ICC prosecutor opposes EU plan for special Ukraine tribunal
December 5, 2022 GMTTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday denounced a European Union proposal to create an U.N.-backed special tribunal to prosecute crimes in Ukraine, saying his court was capable of effectively dealing with war crimes committed there.
EU seeks specialized court to investigate Russia war crimes
November 30, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union proposed Wednesday to set up a U.N.-backed court to investigate possible war crimes Russia committed in Ukraine, and to use frozen Russian assets to rebuild the war-torn country.
EU pledges $250M to Moldova to tackle acute energy crisis
November 10, 2022 GMTCHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid an official visit to Moldova Thursday, where she announced a 250 million-euro (-dollar) support package to help the small nation overcome an acute winter energy crisis amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Italy’s far-right leader visits EU: “We are not Martians”
November 3, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — New far-right Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni used her first visit to European Union headquarters in Brussels Thursday to declare that Italy will be a force to reckon with in EU affairs, leaving it unclear whether that was a promise or a threat from one of the bloc's powerful founding members.
EU revisits Balkans to win friends, seek more influence
October 28, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is in the midst of yet another goodwill trip through the Western Balkans to drum up support for the bloc and to make sure that Europe's historical tinderbox is not about to pick the side of hostile Russia or strategic rival China in the world of geopolitics.
EU expanding border guard presence along busy Balkan route
October 26, 2022 GMTSKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — The European Union signed an agreement Wednesday with North Macedonia to deploy officers from the bloc’s border protection agency Frontex in the small Balkan country as it expands its reach into nearby non-member states.
EU, US set up task force to resolve electric vehicle feud
October 26, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The U.S. and the European Union have set up a task force tasked with resolving a dispute over electric vehicle batteries that the EU says would discriminate against manufacturers in the 27-nation bloc and break World Trade Organization rules.
Germany, EU launch work on ‘new Marshall Plan’ for Ukraine
October 25, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — German and European Union leaders gathered experts Tuesday to start work on what Germany's chancellor described as a “new Marshall Plan” for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
EU to boost Ukraine funds amid refugee exodus concerns
October 21, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders on Friday gave the green light to a plan to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros (dollars) in financial support over the next year, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his country’s energy infrastructure.
Biden order promises EU citizens better data privacy
October 7, 2022 GMTPresident Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday designed to allay European concerns that U.S. intelligence agencies are illegally spying on them. It promises strengthened safeguards against data collection abuses and creates a forum for legal challenges.
Top EU official vows to ‘stress test’ pipelines after leaks
October 5, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The head of the European Union’s executive arm vowed Wednesday to introduce checks on key EU infrastructure, including energy, after the suspected sabotage of natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
EU chief: New Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline ‘means freedom’
October 1, 2022 GMTSOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria opened a natural gas link with Greece at a ceremony Saturday attended by the leader of the European Union's executive arm, who emphasized the bloc's determination to stop relying on Russian energy imports.
Suspicious white powder found at EU Commission building
September 30, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — Emergency workers in hazmat suits responded to the headquarters of the European Union's executive commission Friday after an envelope containing a suspicious white powder was found on the premises, a spokesperson for Brussels firefighters said.
Spain postpones summit while leader tests positive for COVID
September 29, 2022 GMTMADRID (AP) — The Spanish government said a planned meeting Friday of the nine leaders of Europe’s Mediterranean countries will be postponed because Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the event's host, continues to test positive for COVID-19.
EU plans Russia trade sanctions over ‘sham’ Ukraine votes
September 28, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries should impose “biting sanctions” on Russian trade and hit officials responsible for “sham referendums” held in parts of Ukraine as Moscow ramps up the war, senior EU officials said Wednesday.
Global Citizen Festival generates $2.4 billion in pledges
September 26, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The 10th anniversary of the Global Citizen Festival, which included performances from Metallica, Mariah Carey and Usher, generated more than $2.4 billion in commitments to fight extreme poverty and disease.
EU chief Von der Leyen to visit Ukraine to stress support
September 14, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a visit to Kyiv later Wednesday to show the bloc’s support for Ukraine as it fights back against the Russian invasion.
EU wants price cap on Russian gas, energy companies to pay
September 7, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries should set a price cap on Russian natural gas and seek a “solidarity contribution” from European oil and gas companies making extraordinary profits as the war in Ukraine drives up energy costs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.
EU’s top executive backs price cap on Russian pipeline gas
September 2, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's top executive said Friday that the bloc's electricity market “is no longer operating” amid the Ukraine war, and proposed a price cap on Russian pipeline gas.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine for the energy crisis and the dramatic rise in gas and electricity prices.
EU, German leaders pledge reform to cut electricity prices
August 29, 2022 GMTBERLIN (AP) — The head of the European Union's executive branch and Germany's chancellor on Monday pledged a reform of the continent's electricity market to help bring down power prices that have been pushed higher by skyrocketing gas prices.
EU agrees to cut natural gas use amid Russian supply fears
July 26, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union governments agreed Tuesday to reduce consumption of natural gas this winter to protect themselves against any further supply cuts by Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, although the measure contains exemptions for some countries.
EU imposes more sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine invasion
July 21, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union imposed more sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine on Thursday after the bloc’s 27 members backed measures that include a ban on gold imports, further restrictions on the country's biggest bank and tighter export controls on some high-technology goods.
Spain and Portugal reject EU plan to limit natural gas use
July 21, 2022 GMTBARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The European Union’s plan to reduce the bloc’s natural gas use by 15% to prepare for a potential cutoff by Russia this winter received sharp skepticism Thursday from the governments of Spain and Portugal, which are usually big supporters of the bloc.
EU draws up energy plan in case of Russian gas cutoff
July 20, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s head office on Wednesday proposed that member states cut their gas use by 15% over the coming months as the bloc braced for a possible full Russian cutoff of natural gas supplies that could add a big chill to the upcoming winter.
EU starts membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia
July 19, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union started membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia on Tuesday, a long-delayed step in the Balkan nations' paths toward EU membership that gained momentum amid the war in Ukraine.
Von der Leyen: EU wants North Macedonia in the bloc
July 14, 2022 GMTSKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia got a boost from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday for the country's hopes of eventually joining the European Union amid a dispute with Bulgaria.
EU and UN hold first high-level dialogue and stress ties
July 8, 2022 GMTUNITED NATiONS (AP) — The European Commission president and United Nations chief opened the first EU-U.N. high-level dialogue Thursday by saying the need to work together is critical, especially at a time when the war in Ukraine has created a global food and energy crisis.
EXPLAINER: Fears of a natural gas emergency stalk Europe
July 6, 2022 GMTIt’s not a summer heat wave that's making European leaders and businesses sweat. It's fear that Russia's manipulation of natural gas supplies will lead to an economic and political crisis next winter.
EU chief warns of danger of complete cut-off of Russian gas
July 6, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the 27-nation European Union needs to make emergency plans to prepare for a complete cut-off of Russian gas in the wake of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
EU prepares emergency plan to do without Russian energy
July 1, 2022 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm on Friday pledged to draft an emergency plan this month aimed at helping member countries do without Russian energy in the wake of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
EU, New Zealand strike free trade deal after 4 years’ talks
June 30, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and New Zealand said Thursday they have concluded a free trade deal after four years of negotiations and sealed a partnership to reinforce their cooperation against organized crime and terror groups.
European Union makes Ukraine a candidate for EU membership
June 23, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union agreed Thursday to put Ukraine on a path toward EU membership, acting with uncharacteristic speed and unity to pull the embattled country further away from Russia’s influence and bind it more closely to the West.
European Commission recommends Moldova gets candidate status
June 17, 2022 GMTBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm recommended on Friday granting Moldova — a tiny, non-NATO country that borders Ukraine — EU -candidate status, marking the beginning of its path to joining the 27-nation bloc that will be contingent on a series of key reforms.
Egypt, Israel to boost gas supply to EU amid Ukraine war
June 15, 2022 GMTCAIRO (AP) — Egypt, Israel and the European Union on Wednesday signed a deal to increase liquified natural gas sales to EU countries, who aim to reduce their dependence on supplies from Russia as the war in Ukraine drags on.
No justice reform in Poland, no money, EU chief vows
June 7, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s chief executive vowed Tuesday that Poland would get no money from the bloc’s vast pandemic relief fund until the right-wing government rolls back measures deemed to limit the independence of the country’s judiciary.
EU chief: Poland’s actions will decide when it gets funds
June 2, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Commission chief said Thursday that Poland's right-wing government is responsible for fully implementing the steps on judiciary independence that will make the disbursement of billions of euros in EU pandemic recovery grants and loans for the country possible.
EXPLAINER: Free courts at stake as EU mulls Poland funding
June 2, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister recently asserted that the vast majority of Polish judges under scrutiny by a controversial judicial chamber were drunk drivers, rapists or thieves.
That claim was quickly rejected by nearly 60 judges being investigated by the so-called Disciplinary Chamber at the Supreme Court of Poland.
Top EU official says Croatia ready to join the euro in 2023
June 1, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s chief executive said Wednesday that Croatia is ready to join the group of countries using the euro single currency at the start of next year.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet that the EU executive branch she heads believes “that Croatia is ready to adopt the euro on 1 January 2023.”
EU leaders agree to ban 90% of Russian oil by year-end
May 31, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders agreed Monday to embargo most Russian oil imports into the bloc by year-end as part of new sanctions on Moscow worked out at a summit focused on helping Ukraine with a long-delayed package of new financial support.
Polish lawmakers back removing judicial body EU criticized
May 26, 2022 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish lawmakers on Thursday approved removing a controversial disciplinary body within Poland's top court that the right-wing government has used to sanction outspoken judges and which has drawn condemnation from the European Union.
EU rushes out $300 billion roadmap to ditch Russian energy
May 18, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm moved Wednesday to jump-start plans for the 27-nation bloc to abandon Russian energy amid the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, proposing a nearly 300 billion-euro ($315 billion) package that includes more efficient use of fuels and faster rollout of renewable power.