European Council

Latest news from the Council of the European Union - on EUbusiness.com.

China has no plans to 'buy out Europe': state media — 13 February 2012, 06:42 CET

China has no intention to "buy out Europe", a top state-run newspaper said Monday, reiterating comments made by Premier Wen Jiabao ahead of a major summit with the European Union in Beijing.

EU's Ashton calls for 'one voice' against Syria violence — 11 February 2012, 00:32 CET

The world must stand united in demanding a halt to violence in Syria and for President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the European Union's top diplomat Catherine Ashton said Friday.

EU pressures India over Iran nuclear programme — 10 February 2012, 15:16 CET

The EU on Friday pushed India to use its influence to get Iran to resume talks over its disputed nuclear drive, a day after New Delhi said it wanted to boost trade with the Islamic republic.

Iran, free trade pact top EU-India summit agenda — 09 February 2012, 23:13 CET

The European Union looks set to push India at a summit Friday to use its commercial and diplomatic influence to try to bring Iran back to the negotiating table over its disputed nuclear programme.

Greece hopeful on eurozone bailout: minister — 09 February 2012, 09:17 CET

Greece is hopeful that eurozone finance ministers will take a "positive decision" Thursday on a key bailout package, finance minister Evangelos Venizelos said before heading for the talks.

EU has no plans to recall envoy in Syria — 07 February 2012, 13:35 CET

The European Union has no plans to withdraw its head of delegation from Syria, a spokesman said Tuesday, stressing that the EU needs a presence there to "report and observe".

Crisis could push Europe to 'early grave': Australia — 04 February 2012, 22:40 CET

Australia's foreign minister launched a fierce broadside at Europe Saturday, saying the financial crisis has caused it to turn in on itself and warning it risked an "early grave" amid Asia's rise.

Europe remains Washington's 'essential partner': Clinton — 04 February 2012, 12:40 CET

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday that Europe remains Washington's "partner of first resort," even as the United States marks a strategic pivot to Asia.

Clinton arrives for security talks in Munich — 04 February 2012, 12:39 CET

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived here Friday for international security talks where aides said she would send a "strong message of support" for ties with Europe as Washington makes a strategic pivot to Asia.

EU's Ashton to visit Brazil for Syria, Iran talks — 03 February 2012, 18:29 CET

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will begin an official visit to Brazil Sunday for wide-ranging talks, notably on the civil strife in Syria and the Iranian nuclear crisis, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Europe has 'nothing to fear' from US focus on Asia: Germany — 03 February 2012, 18:31 CET

Europe should not fear a renewed US focus on Asia and must increasingly look after its own backyard militarily without its historic ally, Germany's defence minister said on Friday.

Germany's Merkel says euro made Europe stronger — 02 February 2012, 10:42 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that the euro had "made Europe stronger", as she began a visit to China aimed in part at reassuring Beijing that the eurozone debt crisis is under control.

New EU Kosovo envoy says north main challenge — 01 February 2012, 15:01 CET

Kosovo's biggest challenge is integrating the ethnic Serb population in the north of the territory, the European Union's newly-appointed representative to Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, said Wednesday.

Czech PM's 'no' for EU fiscal pact raises heat at home — 31 January 2012, 23:05 CET

Parties in the Czech Republic's ruling coalition locked horns Tuesday after Prime Minister Petr Necas refused to join the European Union's crucial new fiscal discipline deal.

Euro crisis to top agenda of Merkel's visit to China — 31 January 2012, 16:22 CET

The eurozone debt crisis, Iran and Syria will be among the topics up for discussion when German Chancellor Angela Merkel makes a two-day trip to China this week, government sources said Tuesday.

With friends like these: British PM in Europe balancing act — 31 January 2012, 11:17 CET

A month after he became the lonely man of Europe, British Prime Minister David Cameron's efforts to win friends and influence people met with mixed results at the latest summit in Brussels.

Greece aims to wrap debt, bailout deal by end of week: PM — 31 January 2012, 10:11 CET

Greece aims to complete a debt writedown with private investors and an accord on a 130-billion euro ($171-billion) eurozone bailout by the end of the week, the Greek prime minister said on Tuesday.

Key quotes from EU summit — 31 January 2012, 10:11 CET

European Union leaders held their first summit of 2012, with 25 of 27 states joining a fiscal pact while seeking ways to counter recession as a row erupted over a German call to place Athens under EU supervision.

German plan for Greek wardenship raises hackles — 31 January 2012, 10:10 CET

A German push to place Greece under EU wardenship caused an uproar at a summit in Brussels with a warning that stripping Athens of budget sovereignty would be undemocratic.

French banks would come to Britain to avoid tax: Cameron — 31 January 2012, 10:13 CET

British Prime Minister David Cameron took a fresh dig at cross-channel rival France Monday, warning that French banks would flee to Britain if Paris introduces a financial transactions tax.

ECB chief hails EU fiscal pact — 31 January 2012, 10:08 CET

The president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, Tuesday welcomed a European accord on tighter budgetary rules, hailing it as a movement in the path towards a fiscal union.

Italy 'optimistic' bailout fund to grow in size: Monti — 31 January 2012, 10:08 CET

Italian Premier Mario Monti said Monday he was confident the EU's permanent bailout fund would grow in size with fresh funds, seeing a softening in German opposition.

EU bids to bury deficits, end Greek debt drama — 31 January 2012, 10:05 CET

EU leaders closed one chapter in the debt crisis Monday with a German-driven treaty meant to end deficits -- then launched a race to resolve Greece's bailout woes.

EU wants Greek bailout deal by end of week — 31 January 2012, 00:26 CET

European leaders Monday called for an accord "by the end of the week" on a 130-billion euro bailout for Greece as well as a debt writedown from private investors.

Placing Greece under wardenship 'not democratic': Sarkozy — 30 January 2012, 23:23 CET

French President Nicolas Sarkozy rejected on Monday a German proposal to place Greece under the supervision of a special EU budget tsar, saying it would be undemocratic.