Latest European Commission News

File-This June 4, 2020, file photo shows Women and children walk in a makeshift site for displaced people in Kongoussi, Burkina Faso. The U.N. humanitarian chief, Mark Lowcock, is hoping a major ministerial meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, will not only raise a billion dollars for the three countries at the epicenter of a humanitarian crisis in Africa’s Sahel region -- Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger -- but spur leaders to address the underlying drivers including increasing conflict and insecurity, weak governance, and a lack of development (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)

Donors pledge $1.7 billion for Burkina Faso, Mail and Niger

Oct. 21, 2020 12:15 AM EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — More than 20 donors pledged nearly $1 billion for the three countries at the epicenter of a humanitarian crisis in Africa’s Sahel region for this year and over $700 million for 2021 and beyond, the United Nations announced Tuesday. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the...

A demonstrator takes a mock copy of Cyprus passport during a demonstration against corruption outside of the conference center in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. Protesters called for the resignation of Cyprus' Parliamentary Speaker Demetris Syllouris amid corruption allegations involving the country's now defunct citizenship-for-investment program. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

EU takes action against Malta, Cyprus for 'golden passports'

Oct. 20, 2020 2:32 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission launched infringements procedures Tuesday against Cyprus and Malta over their “golden passport” programs, in which wealthy people can acquire EU citizenship in exchange for an investment. The EU's executive said the lucrative schemes are in violation of...

Adam Bodnar, the outgoing Human Rights Commission for Poland, speaks to The Associated Press from his office in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Oct. 19, 2020. Bodnar has been a defender of individual rights in Poland during his five years in office. Now the populist ruling party is seeking to take control of the institution, one of the last remaining institutions it does not yet control.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Polish court ruling to determine fate of human rights office

Oct. 20, 2020 7:58 AM EDT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s constitutional court is considering a ruling that will determine the fate of one of the last state bodies that has kept its independence from the populist right-wing government. The constitutional court, which was scheduled to issue a ruling Tuesday affecting the Human...

FILE - In this Thursday, June 11, 2020 file photo, Italian Technological Innovation and Digitalization Minister, Paola Pisano shows her phone, featuring a contact tracing app that Italy launched nationwide in its efforts to contain COVID-19's spread, during an interview with The Associated Press in Rome. The European Commission on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020 launched an EU-wide system devised to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together in its latest effort to slow down the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File)

EU to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together

Oct. 19, 2020 11:20 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission on Monday launched an EU-wide system devised to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together in its latest effort to slow down the coronavirus pandemic. Following testing in different EU countries earlier this autumn, the bloc's executive arm said the system got...

The Union flag flies above a souvenir stand in front of Big Ben in London, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Britain’s foreign minister says there are only narrow differences remaining in trade talks between the U.K. and the European Union. But Dominic Raab insists the bloc must show more “flexibility” if it wants to make a deal. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

UK minister: Door 'still ajar' for post-Brexit talks with EU

Oct. 18, 2020 11:01 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — A senior British official said Sunday the door is “still ajar” for post-Brexit talks to continue with the European Union if officials in the bloc change their position on key points. Michael Gove's comments came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said Friday...

English flags and a Union flag fly above a souvenir stand opposite Britain's Parliament in London, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Britain’s foreign minister says there are only narrow differences remaining in trade talks between the U.K. and the European Union. But Dominic Raab insists the bloc must show more “flexibility” if it wants to make a deal. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

UK says EU trade talks 'over' but bloc sees room for a deal

Oct. 16, 2020 12:46 PM EDT

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that the U.K. must prepare for a no-deal break with the European Union unless there is a “fundamental” change of position from the bloc, as the two sides swapped blame for failing to strike a trade deal with just weeks until the...

Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin speaks with the media as she arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. European Union leaders meet for the second day of an EU summit, amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic, to discuss topics on foreign policy issues. (Johanna Geron, Pool via AP)

Finnish PM leaves EU summit as 'precautionary' measure

Oct. 16, 2020 6:45 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Another day at the European Union summit, another leader gone away. Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Friday that she had left the summit of heads of states and governments in Belgium on its final day “as a precautionary measure" after learning that a Finnish lawmaker she...

In this photo provided by the World Health Organization, Dr. Hans Kluge, regional director for WHO Europe, gestures during a virtual news conference at its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Thursday, Oct. 15. The head of the World Health Organization’s Europe office said the exponential surge of coronavirus cases across the continent has warranted the restrictive measures being taken, calling them “absolutely necessary” to stop the pandemic. In a meda briefing on Thursday, Dr. Hans Kluge warned that even more drastic steps might be needed in such “unprecedented times.” (David Barrett/World Health Organization via AP)

UN: Europe's pandemic restrictions are absolutely necessary

Oct. 15, 2020 4:47 PM EDT

LONDON (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization’s Europe office said the exponential surge of coronavirus cases across the continent has warranted the restrictive measures being taken, calling them “absolutely necessary” to stop the pandemic. In a meda briefing on Thursday, Dr....

Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa, left, is welcomed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prior to a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)

EU leaders divided over new climate goals for 2030

Oct. 15, 2020 4:23 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders agreed Thursday they need to raise their climate ambition above the existing target but stopped short of endorsing a proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels. Leaders discussed the proposal from the bloc's executive arm on the...

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, left, greets Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, right, with an elbow bump during a round table meeting at an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. European Union leaders are meeting in person for a two-day summit amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic to discuss topics ranging from Brexit to climate and relations with Africa. (Yves Herman, Pool via AP)

EU chief self-isolates as virus makes its mark at a summit

Oct. 15, 2020 1:46 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — As a fresh wave of the coronavirus sweeps across much of Europe, the reality of the disease struck a summit of European Union leaders on Thursday when one of the 27-nation bloc's top officials abandoned the meeting to go into self-imposed quarantine. European Commission President Ursula von...

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