EU Institutions

Latest business news from the Institutions of the European Union

Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union - guide — 02 February 2012, 23:36 CET

At the informal summit on 30 January a new Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union was finalised by all EU Member States with the exception of the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. The Treaty aims to strengthen fiscal discipline through the introduction of more automatic sanctions and stricter surveillance, and in particular through the "balanced budget rule".

Furore as England's anti-EU Farage drops Nazi jibe — 02 February 2012, 11:25 CET

Eurosceptic British MEP Nigel Farage stormed out of the European Parliament Wednesday after its German chairman cut him off in mid-flight for comparing Berlin's ideas for Greece to Nazi control.

European Parliament website under cyber attack — 26 January 2012, 19:59 CET

The European Parliament website came under cyber attack Thursday but hackers failed to penetrate the assembly's internal network, a spokesman said.

Pro-euro Niinistoe leads in presidential vote count — 22 January 2012, 22:53 CET

Pro-European conservative candidate Sauli Niinistoe had 40 percent of the vote in Finland's presidential election Sunday with a third of the vote counted, a ministry statement said.

European states agree outline budget pact: negotiators — 12 January 2012, 22:13 CET

European states on Thursday reached an outline agreement on a pact to reinforce fiscal discipline that calls for balanced budgets in response to the euro debt crisis, negotiators told AFP.

Euro-MPs slam revised EU budget pact as 'unacceptable' — 11 January 2012, 22:20 CET

Top European Parliament lawmakers sharply criticised a new draft of the European Union's pact to tighten fiscal discipline on Wednesday, saying it was incompatible with EU laws.

Denmark takes issue with new EU budget pact — 10 January 2012, 21:57 CET

Denmark, which took over the EU presidency on January 1, said Tuesday it opposed parts of the EU budget pact enforcing tighter budgetary discipline, including the proposal of a "golden rule".

Leading MEP wants Hungary stripped of rights — 10 January 2012, 14:11 CET

The European parliament's centrist group aims to launch proceedings to strip Hungary of its EU rights to protest its controversial constitutional reforms, the leader of the group said Tuesday.

EU budget busters may face court under new deal — 17 December 2011, 10:59 CET

A new agreement to push eurozone countries to rein in debt, due to be ready for signing in March, could allow Germany or any other country to drag violators before the European Court of Justice.

Euro-MPs block Morocco-Western Sahara fishing deal — 15 December 2011, 22:50 CET

The European Parliament on Wednesday cancelled a deal allowing trawlers from EU countries to fish in Moroccan waters in exchange for annual payments to Rabat, prompting the North African kingdom to immediately ban all European fishing boats.

Euro head: budget 'golden rule' in law, not constitution — 14 December 2011, 19:21 CET

Leading eurozone official and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday he did not think his country should introduce into its constitution a "golden rule" requiring balanced budgets.

Merkel sees outlines of 'true political union' — 14 December 2011, 15:52 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday a "true political union" was emerging after European leaders backed tighter budget policing but she warned the euro crisis would take years to resolve.

EU Parliament celebrates Arab Spring with Sakharov prize — 14 December 2011, 19:23 CET

The European Parliament honoured five Arab Spring activists with its Sakharov human rights prize Wednesday, including the Tunisian who sparked region-wide uprisings by setting himself on fire.

EU's Ashton laments absence of Syrian Sakharov prize-winners — 13 December 2011, 23:31 CET

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said Tuesday that two Syrian rights defenders awarded a European Parliament campaigning award would not attend a prize ceremony.

Britain remains 'important partner' despite veto: Germany — 12 December 2011, 14:49 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Monday that Britain remains an "important partner," despite its regrettable veto of a new EU treaty to step up fiscal integration.

Commission expresses 'regret' over British treaty veto — 12 December 2011, 14:48 CET

EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn on Monday expressed regret over Britain's veto of a new EU treaty to boost integration and warned it would not protect the City of London from new financial regulation.

Britain isolated in Europe after summit — 09 December 2011, 17:43 CET

Britain stood out in the cold in Europe on Friday after Prime Minister David Cameron, facing rising euroscepticism at home, blocked EU treaty changes at a summit designed to save the eurozone.

Italy's Monti bemoans Britain's isolation at EU summit — 09 December 2011, 17:43 CET

Italy's new premier Mario Monti on Friday regretted Britain's decision to block EU treaty change designed to save the euro, saying it faced "certain isolation" in the immediate future.

Britain out in the cold after EU treaty block — 09 December 2011, 12:50 CET

Britain stood out in the cold Friday after Prime Minister David Cameron, facing a revolt among his own lawmakers back home, blocked EU treaty changes at a summit here designed to save the eurozone.

Block on EU treaty change 'tough but good' decision: Cameron — 09 December 2011, 08:07 CET

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Friday he took a "tough but good" decision to block a change to the EU treaty presented by France and Germany as the way to resolve the eurozone debt crisis.

British conditions on treaty change 'unacceptable': Sarkozy — 09 December 2011, 06:22 CET

French President Nicolas Sarkozy labelled "unacceptable" Friday a set of conditions imposed by British Prime Minister David Cameron for the latter to back full EU treaty change.

Why is EU treaty change needed to stabilise euro? — 08 December 2011, 13:42 CET

Potentially explosive EU treaty change takes centre stage at an EU summit opening Thursday as Europe's power couple Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy push to throw a fiscal strait-jacket on the eurozone.

Britain vows to exact price in return for euro support — 07 December 2011, 22:45 CET

Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to win concessions for Britain at the crunch EU summit starting Thursday but he is likely to find his European partners in no mood for British intransigence.

Why EU treaty change is key to the euro's future — 02 December 2011, 15:51 CET

A push for EU treaty change by Europe's power couple Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel will dominate a European Union summit next week, pivotal to the future of the euro and the 27-nation bloc.

Commissioner Rehn warns of EU 'disintegration' — 30 November 2011, 22:50 CET

The EU's euro commissioner Olli Rehn said Wednesday that leaders must take a leap of faith with meaningful cross-border integration at a summit next week, or see the bloc break up.