About: EU summit
AS IT HAPPENED: EU leaders discuss budget, climate change
EU27 leaders meet in Brussels on 12-13 December to discuss the bloc's next seven-year budget and ways to financially sweeten its 'green component', in order to meet the new European Commission's top priority of making the EU climate-neutral by 2050.
EU leaders prepare for Brexit after Johnson win
European leaders will charge EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday (13 December) with negotiating a close trade deal with Britain, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's apparent election win set the stage for an orderly Brexit.
EU summit: Even without Britain, EU leaders unlikely to take big decisions
European Union leaders meet without Britain on Thursday (12 December), but their departing neighbour's absence will not make agreeing a budget any easier.
Von der Leyen criticises Finnish presidency’s EU budget proposal
The new European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, did not mince her words at her first press conference on Wednesday (4 December), criticising a recent proposal of the Finnish EU Presidency for the bloc’s 2021-2027 budget and voicing concern "about the severe cuts in the proposal".
France halts EU enlargement
France blocked the opening of accession talks with North Macedonia on Tuesday (15 October), despite the promise made by the EU to Skopje that its historic name deal with Greece, the Prespa agreement, would earn it a ticket to EU membership negotiations.
Brexit deal within reach in last-ditch talks, but doubts remain
Britain and the EU made headway on Tuesday (15 October) in last-ditch talks on a Brexit deal ahead of a leaders' summit, but with just hours left to clinch an agreement it was still unclear if London could avoid postponing its scheduled departure on 31 October.
Bulgaria PM will ask EU leaders to stop criticising Erdogan
European Council President Donald Tusk strongly opposed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday (11 October), warning him to stop blackmailing Europe. That has prompted Bulgaria’s prime minister to reveal he will ask EU chiefs to tone down their stance against Erdoğan.
Macron, Merkel call for end to Turkish invasion in Syria
The leaders of France and Germany called Sunday (13 October) for an end to Turkey's offensive against Kurds in northern Syria, warning of dire humanitarian consequences and a boost for the Islamic State group.
EU says Britain needs new plan as Brexit clock runs out
European officials warned Monday (6 October) that Britain's latest Brexit proposal cannot serve as a basis for a breakthrough before next week's Brussels summit.
Johnson the Brexit ‘Hulk’ finally meets EU’s Juncker
Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.
Johnson tells parliament: You can tie my hands, but I will not delay Brexit
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday (10 September) he would not request an extension to Brexit, hours after a law came into force demanding that he delay Britain's departure from the European Union until 2020 unless he can strike a divorce deal.
Johnson sparks fury in UK after suspension of parliament, EU stays cool
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sparked fury among pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit by forcing the suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's EU departure date.
Macron condemns EU Council summit as failure
At the end of the summit of EU28 leaders on Monday (1 July), French President Emmanuel Macron deplored the failure of the negotiations, saying that this blockade gave "a not-so-serious image of Europe". EURACTIV France reports.
EU leaders entrenched over top jobs as EPP rebels against Merkel
As morning broke on 1 July, EU leaders were still unable to reach consensus over the distribution of top European jobs as conservatives from Central and Eastern Europe rejected a plan, endorsed by Angela Merkel, that would have installed Socialist Frans Timmermans at the helm of the new Commission.
Austria’s interim chancellor will have little say on EU top jobs
Austria will be represented by interim Chancellor Bierlein at the forthcoming EU special summit on Sunday (30 June). However, because she does not belong to any political party, the interim head of government will not be able to stand out with her own, pronounced opinion. An analysis by Herbert Vytiska for EURACTIV Germany.
German environment chief seeks dialogue with Poland over climate neutrality
German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze announced that she will be holding talks with representatives of all states that have so far refused to join the EU's carbon neutrality objective for 2050. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Trump pulls back from launch of military strikes on Iran after initial approval
US President Donald Trump approved military strikes on Friday (20 June) against Iran in retaliation for the downing of an unmanned $130-million surveillance drone, but pulled back from launching the attacks, the New York Times said.
Russians, Ukrainian to face murder charges over downing of Flight MH17
Three Russians and a Ukrainian will face murder charges for the deaths of 298 people aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, the international investigative team said on Wednesday (19 June). The suspects...
Borissov: Horsetrading for the EU top jobs has started
In his usual straightforward manner, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has disclosed that French President Emmanuel Macron has consulted him this week to prepare the summit on 28 May when the future EU top jobs will be discussed for the first time.
EU leaders to agree grudging Brexit delay at summit
European leaders were expected to postpone Brexit once again on Wednesday (10 April), when Prime Minister Theresa May attends another last-ditch summit still without a ratified divorce deal.
UK will become ‘Trojan horse’ inside EU, British MP threatens
The UK will become a “trojan horse” inside the EU should the country fail to withdraw from the bloc, prominent Pro-Brexit MP Mark Francois has claimed.
May visits Paris, Berlin ahead of crucial Brexit summit
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday (8 April) started a last-minute flurry of European diplomacy that includes visits to Paris and Berlin as she prepares for a make-or-break Brexit summit.
China’s new Silk Road gets bumpy as Xi visits Italy
Chinese President Xi Jinping kicks off a whistlestop European tour in Rome on Friday (22 March) amid growing Western unease over Italy joining the ever-expanding Asian giant's new Silk Road project.