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Eastern & Central Europe
Latest news about eastern and central Europe and EU enlargement. Since it was founded in 1958, the EU has regularly accepted new member countries. Each applicant country must meet certain requirements before membership is permitted. Regular enlargements have seen the EU grow from its original 6 founding members to 28 in 2013. Any country that satisfies the conditions for enlargement can apply to be a candidate. The European Commission, at the request of the European Council, assesses the applicant’s ability to meet the conditions of membership. If the opinion is positive and the Council agrees a negotiating mandate, discussions are formally opened between the applicant and the EU. At the start of 2013, five countries had been accepted as EU candidate countries: Iceland, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo (under UN Security Resolution 1244) have the status of potential candidates.
- EU supports Ukraine economy with temporary trade liberalisation — 24 May 2022, 22:10 CET
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EU ministers gave the green light to significant support to Ukraine's economy Tuesday with a one-year suspension of import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the European Union and other trade concessions.
- EU reaches deal on plans to restock gas reserves — 24 May 2022, 22:13 CET
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EU Parliament and states reached agreement Thursday on a regulation to set mandatory minimum level of gas in storage facilities to ensure security of energy supply across the EU each winter.
- EU moves to end reliance on Russian fossil fuels — 19 May 2022, 22:16 CET
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The EU presented its response to the global energy market disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine Wednesday, with plans to save energy, produce clean energy, and diversify energy supplies.
- Russia's war with Ukraine hits EU growth outlook — 18 May 2022, 22:43 CET
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The European Union downgraded its forecasts for economic growth Monday, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine leads to a surge in energy prices and drives inflation to record highs.
- EU strengthens Eurojust role on war crimes — 09 May 2022, 23:04 CET
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EU states adopted a mandate Friday on new rules which will allow the judicial cooperation agency Eurojust to preserve, analyse and store evidence relating to core international crimes, such as war crimes.
- EU stands ready to help rebuild Ukraine and its economy — 05 May 2022, 23:07 CET
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The EU stands ready to help rebuild Ukraine after the war, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said at a donor's conference Thursday, proposing the EU start working on an ambitious recovery package.
- EU moves to suspend import duties for Ukraine exports — 03 May 2022, 23:38 CET
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The Commission proposed Wednesday a one-year suspension of import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the EU, as well as anti-dumping and safeguard measures in place on Ukrainian steel exports.
- EU looks to legal migration to help meet skills needs — 27 April 2022, 22:52 CET
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The EU Commission proposed Wednesday a set of legal, operational and policy initiatives to improve migration management to the benefit of the EU economy and strengthen cooperation with non-EU countries.
- Attracting skills and talent to the EU - guide — 27 April 2022, 22:26 CET
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The European Commission set out on 27 April a sustainable legal migration policy, proposing legal, operational and policy initiatives to benefit the EU's economy, strengthen cooperation with non-EU countries and improve overall migration management in the long term. The set of proposals also includes specific actions to facilitate integration of those fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine into the EU's labour market.
- EU increases supplies of military equipment to Ukraine — 14 April 2022, 23:40 CET
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The European Union added EUR 500 million to resources under its 'European Peace Facility' to supply military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, thereby tripling the initial budget to EUR 1.5 billion.
- New EU sanctions hit Russian exports — 13 April 2022, 00:20 CET
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In light of Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, and reported atrocities committed by Russian troops, the EU imposed Friday a fifth set of economic and individual sanctions against Russia.
- Brussels proposes ban on Russian coal in new round of sanctions — 05 April 2022, 22:11 CET
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As more gruesome pictures emerge from Ukrainian regions vacated by Russian troops, the EU Commission proposed Tuesday new sanctions on Russia's economy, including a ban on imports of Russian coal.
- EU releases EUR 17 bn to help Ukrainian refugees — 04 April 2022, 17:23 CET
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The EU Council gave the go-ahead Monday for Member States to redirect 2014-2020 cohesion policy funds towards emergency support to people fleeing from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in their territory.
- EU doubles funds to support Ukrainian armed forces to EUR 1 billion — 23 March 2022, 22:54 CET
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The EU Council added another EUR 500m Wednesday to its support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend Ukraine's territorial integrity and protect its civilian population against ongoing Russian aggression.
- Commission launches one-stop-shop to support researchers of Ukraine — 22 March 2022, 22:49 CET
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The EU Commission launched a research portal for Ukraine Tuesday, a one-stop-shop for information and support services to Ukraine-based researchers and researchers fleeing Ukraine.
- ERA4Ukraine — 22 March 2022, 22:15 CET
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The European Union, its Member States and Europeans across the continent are mobilised in support of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. We are working on all fronts to support Ukraine with assistance, humanitarian aid and civil protection. This specific initiative wants to support researchers of Ukraine by providing them with an overview of all existing actions at European and national levels.
- EU releases funding for urgent help to Ukraine refugees — 16 March 2022, 23:15 CET
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The EU Council agreed Wednesday to mobilise cohesion funding to assist refugees fleeing Russia’s military aggression, as well as efforts to tackle the extended impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- EU agrees new package of sanctions against Russia — 15 March 2022, 16:24 CET
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The EU set out a new package of sanctions against Russia Tuesday, prohibiting new investments in Russia's energy sector and the provision of credit rating services to any Russian person or entity.
- EU leaders vow to bolster defence capabilities — 11 March 2022, 21:41 CET
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EU leaders at the end of a two-day summit Friday adopted a declaration outlining plans to bolster the EU's defence capabilities, reduce energy dependencies and build a more robust economic base.
- Information for people fleeing the war in Ukraine — 09 March 2022, 17:05 CET
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If you are fleeing the war in Ukraine and coming to the European Union, you will find key information about your rights with regard to crossing the border into an EU country, eligibility for temporary protection and applying for international protection, as well as the rights of travel inside the European Union.
- EU imposes more sanctions on Belarus and Russia — 10 March 2022, 23:04 CET
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The EU introduced new sanctions on Russia and Belarus Wednesday, including measures targeting the Belarusian financial sector, and more oligarchs and members of the Russian Federation Council.
- EU acts to protect Ukrainian intellectual property rights — 09 March 2022, 16:57 CET
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The EU Commission and the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) agreed Wednesday a joint definition of the first set of measures to safeguard protection of intellectual property in Ukraine.
- Europe can be independent from Russian fossil fuels by 2030, says EU — 08 March 2022, 19:18 CET
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The European Commission outlined a plan Tuesday to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030, starting with gas, in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- Joint European action for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy — 08 March 2022, 18:55 CET
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The European Commission proposed on 8 March 2022 an outline of a plan to make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels well before 2030, starting with gas, in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- EU introduces temporary protection for people fleeing war in Ukraine — 04 March 2022, 23:18 CET
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The EU Council adopted unanimously Friday an implementing decision introducing temporary protection due to the mass influx of persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of the war.