About: Jean Asselborn
Luxembourg FM sparks Italy ire with ‘fascist’ jibe
Luxembourgish Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn drew the ire of Italy's Matteo Salvini Sunday (16 Septembre) after accusing the far-right interior minister of using "fascist" methods, in a worsening spat over immigration between the two men.
EU puts ‘North Macedonia’ and Albania on hold until the European elections
The European Union agreed a compromise on Tuesday (26 June) whereby it would open negotiations to join the bloc with Albania and Macedonia in June next year, provided a string of conditions on rule of law, crime and corruption are met.
Deal for orderly Brexit a must, says EU lead negotiator
Failure to strike a deal that ushers Britain out of the European Union in an orderly way is not an option Brussels wants to consider, its chief negotiator said yesterday (22 June) as the EU gave a final green light for him to launch talks next month.
Luxembourg foreign minister tells EU to take refugee obligations seriously
The European Union cannot ignore the images of freezing refugees and must implement its redistribution programme, according to Luxembourg's foreign minister. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Asselborn: Turkey’s treatment of dismissed officials reminiscent of Nazis
Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn said today (7 November) that the Turkish government's handling of dismissed civil servants reminded him of methods used by the Nazis, and that, sooner or later, the EU would have to respond with sanctions.
EU divided over Russia in Syria and more sanctions
Russia's role in Syria has led to calls for more sanctions against Moscow, but the deadline for deciding whether to renew the current raft of punitive measures is fast approaching. There are powerful figures on both side of the argument. EURACTIV's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Luxembourg’s PM refuses to see European values ‘erased with tipp-ex’
A lack of community spirit on the part of Europe's leaders has stalled the European project, according to Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. He called on the EU to take a hard stance against the UK. EURACTIV France reports.
Bulgaria to ask EU leaders for €160 million to police border
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has slammed the EU for lack of solidarity and said he will request leaders at tomorrow’s EU summit in Bratislava for the immediate release of €160 million of aid for strengthening the country’s borders.
Luxembourg foreign minister wants Hungary out of EU
Luxembourg's foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, has called for Hungary to be thrown out of the European Union. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Diplomats mock the ‘founding countries’ ministerial gatherings
Diplomats outside the group of the six founding members of the Union who have had meetings to discuss the future of the EU spoke ironically about the initiative.
Luxembourg warns of Brexit ‘domino effect’ in Eastern Europe
A British exit from the European Union could trigger similar moves by other member states in Eastern Europe, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said in a German newspaper interview published yesterday (19 June).
German NGO slams Turkey’s ‘illegal’ refugee proposal
As EU leaders struggle to agree on a final action plan with Turkey, Germany's largest immigration NGO has published a legal opinion today (15 March) questioning the legality of the proposals. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU mulls plan to take charge of Europe’s borders
The European Union is considering giving a new EU border force powers to intervene and guard a member state's external frontier to protect the Schengen open-borders zone, EU officials and diplomats said yesterday (4 December).
Greece told it could be kicked out of Schengen
Greece hit back yesterday (2 December) at threats from some EU states to suspend it from the Schengen zone of open border travel because of its failure to prevent large numbers of refugees from entering Europe.
‘Europe has fallen silent’ on the war in Syria
Frustration is mounting in France against the inaction of other European countries in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Paris wants the EU to suspend Schengen for three months. EURACTIV France reports.
Asselborn: ‘only months’ to save Schengen
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn believes that Europeans have "only a few months" to save the Schengen system. EURACTIV's partner Tagesspiegel reports.
Avramopoulos oversees first relocation of asylum seekers
Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos will travel to Italy today (9 October), to oversee the first-ever relocation of asylum-seekers, from Lampedusa to Sweden, where they will have their asylum applications processed.
EU backs refugee plan in teeth of east European opposition
EU ministers approved a plan on Tuesday (22 September) to share out 120,000 refugees across its 28 states, overriding vehement opposition from four ex-Communist eastern nations.
France and Germany to take front stage at ‘historic times’
Angela Merkel and François Hollande are to make a joint address in the European Parliament, underlining the gravity of crises facing the post-war union founded by Germany and France, officials said yesterday (21 September).
Visegrad countries trigger crisis ahead of EU refugee summit
Meeting in Prague on Monday (21 September) the so-called Visegrad group – Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic – have once again rejected plans to redistribute asylum-seekers under a quota system proposed by the European Commission.
Luxembourg wants Orbán isolated for ‘smashing’ EU values
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign Affairs, sharply criticised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday (3 September) for saying refugees should not come to Europe, and that Muslims are not welcome in Hungary.