Latest European Council News

European Council President Charles Michel speaks during a media conference at the European Council building in Brussels, Friday, July 10, 2020. European Council President Charles Michel presented updated proposals for the EU's long-term budget and post-coronavirus recovery plan ahead of a summit next week in Brussels where heads of state and government leaders will try to agree on a compromise. (Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool Photo via AP)

EU Council head tries to win over 'Frugal Four' on budget

Jul. 10, 2020 10:57 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — With pressure mounting to reach an agreement on a post-coronavirus economic recovery plan, the president of the European Council on Friday tried to win over the so-called group of “Frugal Four" member countries with new proposals. Charles Michel’s latest offers keep the size...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday, July 8, 2020. Germany has just taken over the European Union's rotating presidency, and must chaperone the 27-nation bloc through a period of deep crisis for the next six months and try to limit the economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus. (Yves Herman, Pool Photo via AP)

Germany's Merkel: Pandemic highlights limits of populism

Jul. 8, 2020 11:02 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic is showing the limits of “fact-denying populism,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday, as she urged European Union countries to quickly agree on a major economic recovery package and deprive nationalists of any opportunity to take advantage...

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is received by Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa, right, at the Sao Bento palace in Lisbon, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Southern European countries are mounting a show of strength as negotiations over how much money they get from the EU, and in what form, comes to a crunch. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Italy, Portugal say economic forecasts show need for EU help

Jul. 7, 2020 4:23 PM EDT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — New forecasts predicting the European Union’s economy is headed for a steep decline underscore the need for quick approval of a proposed recovery fund to help its 27 member countries, the leaders of Italy and Portugal said Tuesday. “The figures demonstrate the urgency...

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel walks, prior to a joint press conference with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via videolink, in the foyer of the Federal Chancellery, in Berlin, Thursday, July 2, 2020. Merkel joined the President of the EU Commission, the three executive Vice-Presidents, the Commissioner for External Relations and the Commissioner for Internal Affairs to discuss the work programme as Germany took over the presidency of the Council of the EU. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

Merkel says 'every day counts' in passing EU recovery fund

Jul. 3, 2020 5:12 AM EDT

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed Friday for a quick agreement on a recovery fund aimed at pulling the European Union out of the coronavirus recession, arguing that “every day counts.” Germany, which has the EU's biggest economy and most populous country, took over the...

FILE - In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 file photo, a woman walks her dog on a Paris bridge, with the Eiffel tower in background, during a nationwide confinement to counter the COVID-19. The European Union announced Tuesday, June 30, 2020 that it will reopen its borders to travelers from 14 countries, but most Americans have been refused entry for at least another two weeks due to soaring coronavirus infections in the U.S. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

EU reopens its borders to 14 nations but not to US tourists

Jun. 30, 2020 3:49 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union will reopen its borders to travelers from 14 countries, and possibly China soon, the bloc announced Tuesday, but most Americans have been refused entry for at least another two weeks due to soaring coronavirus infections in the U.S. As Europe’s economies reel from...

FILE - In this Friday, May 29, 2020 file photo, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks during a news conference in Copenhagen. Frederiksen is postponing her wedding next month because of a European Union summit on the future of the bloc’s budget. (Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File)

Danish PM postpones wedding because of EU summit

Jun. 26, 2020 5:22 AM EDT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is postponing her wedding next month because of a European Union summit on the future of the bloc’s budget. “The Council meeting in Brussels takes place on the Saturday in July, where we had planned a wedding. Darn....

European Council President Charles Michel, right, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participate in a media conference at the conclusion of an EU-China summit, in video conference format, at the European Council in Brussels, Monday, June 22, 2020. Top European Union officials held talks Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at a time of rising tensions between two major trading partners over the fallout from the coronavirus crisis and Beijing's increasing control over Hong Kong. (Yves Herman, Pool Photo via AP)

EU urges China to move on trade, back off in Hong Kong

Jun. 22, 2020 1:06 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Top European Union officials on Monday pressed China’s leaders to open the country’s markets further to European companies, show stronger leadership in reforming world trade’s governing body and step back from the brink in Hong Kong. With criticism mounting that the EU...

Prime Minister of Czech Republic Andrej Babis addresses the media during a press conference after the V4 summit at the Lednice Chateau in Lednice, Czech Republic, Thursday, June 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

EU lawmakers seek probe of fund misuse on summit day

Jun. 19, 2020 4:23 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers called Friday for an investigation into the alleged misuse of EU funds in the Czech Republic and warned of a possible conflict of interest involving Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on a day when he and the bloc's other leaders debated their next multi-billion-euro...

European Council President Charles Michel, right of screen, speaks to EU leaders during an EU summit, in video conference format, at the European Council in Brussels, Friday, June 19, 2020. As they brace for the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, leaders of the European Union's member states will discuss on Friday the bloc's future long-term budget and a multi-billion post-coronavirus recovery plan. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP)

EU leaders face challenges to move quickly on recovery deal

Jun. 19, 2020 11:04 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders found that a quick deal on the bloc’s future long-term budget and a multibillion-euro post-pandemic recovery plan remained beyond their reach Friday as the coronavirus ravages their economies. Following a four-hour video summit aimed at paving the way for a...

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, shakes hands with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic after a joint press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, June 18, 2020. Lavrov is on a two-day official visit to Serbia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

With US summit planned, Russia prefers EU-Kosovo mediation

Jun. 18, 2020 11:07 AM EDT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Russia's foreign minister said Thursday that Moscow will need to approve any solution reached in peace talks between Kosovo and Serbia that have gained momentum after U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy called for a summit between the two former wartime foes in the White...

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