European Union

The priorities of Romania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union are organized on four pillars: Europe of convergence, Europe of safety, Europe - global actor and Europe of common values, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Wednesday.

She pointed out that the first pillar - Europe of convergence - is based on "growth, cohesion, competitiveness, connectivity".

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved an accord with Japan that has been dubbed the world's biggest trade deal, covering economies that represent a third of the world's GDP, reports AFP.

Emergency central bank funding to Greek banks dropped in November compared to the previous month, Bank of Greece data showed on Wednesday.

Emergency funding, which is more costly than borrowing from the European Central Bank, dropped to 2.7 billion euros ($3.06 billion) from 3.58 billion euros at the end of October, the data showed.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila declared on Wednesday that Romania's motto at the Presidency of the Council of the European Union will be "Cohesion, a common European value".

A BIRN report on the media in Serbia, presented on Wednesday, emphasises a decline in freedom of expression and media pluralism, citing an absence of social, political and economic conditions conducive to the development of a professional and sustainable media sector.

Currently, the debate on the Mobility Package in the Council of Europe is over, and things have already been decided. The ball is in the European Parliament, by 10 January there is nothing else to happen.

The EU executive has authorized Greece to extend a concession granted to operate Athens International Airport (AIA) by 20 years for 1.1 billion euros ($1.25 billion), it said on Wednesday.

"The weakening and slowing down of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans opens up space for countries like Russia, and not only for them, but in different ways for both China and Turkey, and even for the Arab Emirates - the space for certain political and economic, and I would say religious activities," Vejvoda said.

EUR 71 million from Cohesion Policy funds will finance the improvement of the equipment, efficiency and accessibility of emergency health services in Bulgaria, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will address the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg Wednesday as planned.

Late Tuesday, a lone gunman opened fire at the city's Christmas market, an incident which resulted in the deaths of at least three people and the injury of twelve.