Latest European Commission News

Massive EU-South American free trade pact would reduce tariffs, but some farmers are opposed

Nov. 26, 2024 15:53 PM EST

PARIS (AP) — After more than 20 years of negotiations, the 27-nation European Union and Mercosur — a South American trade bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia — are still trying to finalize a major trade agreement that is sparking protests by European farmers. ...

EU lawmakers seal a deal to rubber-stamp one of the bloc's most right-leaning executives

Nov. 20, 2024 19:04 PM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers on Wednesday ended a week of bickering to rubber-stamp a new team of policy commissioners that will head one of the most rightward-leaning executive branches ever chosen in the bloc for the next five years. The main centrist pro-European...

European committee takes a second look at Alzheimer's drug and now says it should be approved

Nov. 14, 2024 14:22 PM EST

A European regulatory committee now recommends approval of the Alzheimer’s treatment lecanemab a few months after rejecting the drug. Biogen said Thursday that the drug, known in the U.S. as Leqembi, received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for...

EU slaps Meta with a nearly 800 million euro fine for engaging in 'abusive' Marketplace practices

Nov. 14, 2024 10:39 AM EST

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call “abusive practices” involving its Marketplace online classified ads business. The European Commission,...

EU top jobs hearings stalled by political infighting over hard right alliances

Nov. 13, 2024 11:27 AM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — The process of vetting candidates for some of the European Union’s most important jobs bogged down in acrimony on Wednesday as the biggest political faction in the bloc’s parliament was accused of collaborating with the hard right. Since Nov. 4, senior lawmakers...

European Commission chief assures Western Balkans of the bloc's enlargement progress

Oct. 23, 2024 12:21 PM EDT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began a tour of the Western Balkan countries on Wednesday, assuring them that the enlargement of the trade bloc remained one of its priorities. The Western Balkans countrie s — Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo,...

Google loses final EU court appeal against 2.4 billion euro fine in antitrust shopping case

Oct. 09, 2024 06:25 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — Google lost its final legal challenge on Tuesday against a European Union penalty for giving its own shopping recommendations an illegal advantage over rivals in search results, ending a long-running antitrust case that came with a whopping fine. The European...

The UK and EU vow to mend their Brexit battered ties. They will set a new agenda and hold summits

Oct. 02, 2024 12:41 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The United Kingdom and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to strengthen their relationship after the damage caused by Brexit and to hold a series of meetings, including at the highest level, on issues like economic growth, energy, security and migration. In a...

EU offers to delay curbs on forest products after an outcry from trade partners

Oct. 02, 2024 10:46 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday offered to delay by a year or more the introduction of new rules that would outlaw the sale of products that degrade forests following an outcry from several governments claiming that it will damage trade and hurt small farmers. The...

9 European Union nations pledge to turn the Mediterranean into a green energy hub

Sep. 23, 2024 08:34 AM EDT

LARNACA, Cyprus (AP) — Officials from nine southern European Union member countries said Monday they're focused on harnessing offshore wind and solar energy to try to turn the Mediterranean region into a renewable energy hub and stave off the risks of climate change. The energy...