Politics of the European Union

Greece and its lenders enter a decisive weekend of negotiations in a bid to agree on a package of cuts and reforms that would unlock another 7.2 billion euros and allow Athens to keep meeting its debt repayments.

By Ian Wishart

Germany and France told Greece to get serious about striking a deal on rescue aid, as ministers from the world's biggest economies urged a resolution of the crisis to stop it from spilling beyond Europe's borders.

Talks on the formation of a community of Serb municipalities (ZSO) in Kosovo have begun in Brussels on the level of working groups.

This was announced on Tuesday by a spokesperson of the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker teased Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban over his strongman reputation Friday, jokingly greeting him as "dictator" as he arrived at an EU summit in Riga.
 

European Union foreign and defence ministers on Monday approved plans for a naval operation targeting people smugglers in the Mediterranean operating mainly from Libya.

AP quoted two diplomats as saying the EU ministers approved the plans at their meeting in Brussels. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had yet to be officially announced.

European Union nations approved plans Monday for a naval operation to go after the human trafficking networks that are sending thousands of migrants weekly across the Mediterranean toward Europe or to their deaths. NATO said it stood ready to help out if needed.

The EC stated that political deliberations to take place in Riga on Thursday will not replace the importance of technical negotiations.

The Latvian capital will host European leaders including EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council president Donald Tusk, European Parliament President Martin Schultz, and others.

The European Union is set to back plans on May 18 for an ambitious naval force to fight people smugglers in the Mediterranean after a series of shipwrecks that killed hundreds of migrants.

"EU expects progress in foreign policy alignment"

BELGRADE -- EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says she expects that Serbia will be able to open the first chapters in EU membership negotiations this year.

 Part II of an analysis of the German chancellor?s relationship with Athens looks at how the decision for a massive restructuring was reached

By Yannis Palaiologos