European Commission

BRUSSELS - The ministry will step up the cooperation with relevant EU services so as to speed up preparations for opening negotiation chapters, Serbia's Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic said on Thursday during his visit to Brussels.

"We will strengthen the cooperation and upgrade it," Selakovic said after meeting EU Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova.

More than 40 people are feared drowned off Italy in the latest sinking incident in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to media reports, 41 bodies and just four survivors were found by navy searchers on Thursday when they arrived in the Italian port of Traponi.

According to the survivors, their group of 45 people had left Tripoli on a raft, ANSA news agency reports.

BRUSSELS ? An unprecedented wave of migrants has headed for the European Union's promised shores over the past week, with 10,000 people making the trip. Hundreds ? nobody knows how many ? have disappeared into the warming waters of the Mediterranean, including 41 migrants reported dead Thursday after a shipwreck.

Serbia receives EUR 60.2mn from EU Solidarity Fund

BELGRADE -- Serbia has been granted EUR 60.2 million worth of funds from the EU Solidarity Fund "for repair of flood consequences," Tanjug has reported.

The agency quoted Serbian Minister without portfolio in charge of EU integration Jadranka Joksimovic.

BELGRADE - Serbia has been granted EUR 60.2 million worth of funds from the EU Solidarity Fund for repair of flood consequences, Serbian Minister without portfolio in charge of European integration Jadranka Joksimovic stated on Thursday.

By Rebecca Christie & Andrew Mayeda

Euro-area officials need to look beyond Greece?s repeat warnings that it may miss a payment and find a long-term solution that shores up the economy to prevent any financial fallout, according to the European commissioner in charge of euro matters.

By Ian Wishart

Talks on resolving Greece?s financial crisis must ?intensify? if euro-area finance ministers are to be able to assess the country?s reform commitments when they meet next week, the European Commission said.

Greek Finance Ministry officials suggested that a new Brussels Group meeting would take place on Friday or Saturday but European officials on Thursday appeared unaware of such an event.

The Croatian government announced the tax hikes on Thursday in a bid to halt the growing state budget deficit - a move that it said would raise an extra 79.2 million euro annually.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Wednesday announced plans to launch new legislation to make the confiscation of assets obtained through corruption easier - part of Romania's ongoing efforts to tackle high-level graft.