European Council

Energy security, the importance of the nuclear sector, the development of indigenous energy sources, and the energy situation of the Republic of Moldova were some of the topics approached by Romanian Minister for Energy Razvan Nicolescu in his speech at the meeting of the Council of EU Energy Ministers in Luxembourg on Friday.

BECICI - Cedomir Backovic, president of Serbia's negotiating team for Chapter 23 and assistant to the minister of justice, said on Friday that the talks with the EU on the chapter referring to the judicial system and fight against corruption could start in spring next year.

BELGRADE - The European Commission submitted on Tuesday the first report on Serbia's screening process and uploaded it on its webpage.

The report refers to Chapter 32 of the negotiating process tabling financial control, and it clearly explains Serbia's legal regulations in this area.

Legislators of Democratic Left (DIMAR), a former coalition partner which suffered a battering in last week’s European Parliament elections, met on Friday to discuss strategy and rejected an offer by party leader Fotis Kouvelis to resign from his post.

Poland has nominated its Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to become the next EU foreign policy chief.

The country's Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quoted by the BBC as saying that Sikorski would be a "natural candidate".

In Tusk's view, "Poland has gained such influence in foregn policy" that the position would be within the scope" of its interests.

The South Stream gas pipeline project must be temporarily suspended until full compliance with EU law is observed, the EU Commission believes.

In a communique to the European Parliament and the European Council, the EC says that "new investment into infrastructure being made by the dominating suppliers have to match the rules of the [EU's] internal market and competition."

By Paul Taylor & Luke Baker

European Union leaders, stunned by a big Eurosceptic protest vote in European Parliament elections, agreed on Tuesday to seek a package deal of appointments to top EU jobs with an economic agenda to win back public confidence.

European Union leaders agreed Tuesday to take a fresh look at the bloc's policy priorities, after a stinging vote setback across Europe that saw dramatic gains by radical anti-establishment parties.
      

AGERPRES special correspondent Doroteea Purcarea reports: Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta told the European Parliament President Martin Schulz on Tuesday that the Romanian Socialists have 'done their duty' in Sunday's European elections.

'We've done our duty', Ponta, who heads the Social Democrat Party (PSD), told Schulz.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday sent President Traian Basescu a letter asking him to participate in the European Council meeting to take place in Brussels, political sources told Agerpres.