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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.

Brussels opens 'Digital Europe' funding to Turkey 01 September 2023, 21:53 CET
The EU Commission signed an association agreement with Turkey for the Digital Europe Programme Friday, allowing Turkish organisations to take part in projects that deploy digital technologies.

Russia's share in EU trade falls below 2 pct 05 September 2023, 23:25 CET
EU trade with Russia has been strongly affected by import and export restrictions imposed by the EU following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU's statistical office reported on Friday.

EU tightens Belarus sanctions over support for Russian invasion of Ukraine 03 August 2023, 23:48 CET
The EU agreed further sanctions against Belarus Thursday over its involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, helping to ensure Russian sanctions cannot be circumvented through Belarus.

EU renews mobile roaming agreement for Ukraine refugees 10 July 2023, 18:31 CET
EU telecoms operators on Sunday extended by another twelve months their agreement which allows displaced refugees from Ukraine to stay connected across borders.

Commission invites offers for second joint gas purchasing 07 July 2023, 21:58 CET
The European Commission invited 'reliable international gas suppliers' to submit offers Friday under the second EU joint gas purchasing tender, which runs from 7 July to 10 July.

EU to boost production of ammunition for Ukraine 07 July 2023, 21:55 CET
EU Parliament and Council negotiators informally agreed Thursday on plans to increase EU production of ammunition and missiles to address the current shortage, with a budget of EUR 500 million.

Ukraine at the centre of Spanish EU presidency 04 July 2023, 22:23 CET
"Ukraine will be at the centre of all our debates", Spain's president Sanchez said at a meeting with Ukraine president Zelensky in Kyiv on 1 July, when Spain took over the EU Council presidency.

EU strengthens sanctions against Russia for illegal Ukraine war 23 June 2023, 18:11 CET
The European Union continued its drive to erode Putin's war machine and revenues Friday with an 11th package of sanctions including new tools to counter circumvention and information warfare.

11th package of restrictive measures against Russia - guide 23 June 2023, 17:40 CET
The EU Council adopted on 23 June an 11th package of sanctions against Russia. This package is aimed at ensuring that EU sanctions against Russia are even better enforced and implemented, based on lessons learned from implementation over the past year.

EU pays EUR 1.5 bn macro-financial aid to Ukraine 22 June 2023, 23:14 CET
The European Union paid out another EUR 1.5 billion Thursday under its macro-financial aid package for Ukraine, which helps the country with stable, predictable and sizeable financial support in 2023.

Dedicated EU facility to support Ukraine's recovery 20 June 2023, 23:46 CET
As Russia continues its war against Ukraine's people and economy, the EU Commission proposed Tuesday a dedicated finance instrument of 'flexible' support to Ukraine for 2024-2027.

Commission proposal to reinforce long-term EU budget to face most urgent challenges - guide 20 June 2023, 22:38 CET
The European Commission proposed on 20 June to reinforce the EU's long-term budget to face current urgent challenges.

A new Ukraine Facility - guide 20 June 2023, 21:36 CET
In the light of the devastating consequences of Russia's war of aggression for Ukraine's people, economy, and infrastructure, and given the enormous scale and complexity of the recovery and reconstruction challenge, the European Commission proposed on 20 June to establish a dedicated financing instrument that will provide coherent, predictable as well as flexible support for the period 2024-2027 to Ukraine, adapted to the unprecedented challenges of supporting a country at war.

EU renews Ukraine trade concessions till June 2024 25 May 2023, 23:00 CET
The EU Council adopted Thursday a Regulation which renews the suspension of all customs duties, quotas and trade defence measures on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, until June 2024.

EU attracts over 13.4 bcm of gas in first joint gas purchasing tender 16 May 2023, 18:27 CET
The EU attracted bids from 25 supplying companies equivalent to more than 13.4 billion cubic meters of gas (bcm) Tuesday, in the first-ever international tender for joint purchasing of EU gas supplies.

Commission launches first EU tender for 11.6bcm joint gas purchases 11 May 2023, 01:44 CET
The EU Commission launched an international tender for joint purchasing of EU gas supplies Wednesday, leveraging the EU's collective economic weight through its 'AggregateEU' mechanism.

Act in Support of Ammunition Production - guide 03 May 2023, 22:12 CET
The European Commission adopted on 3 May 2023 the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) as a response to track 3 of a plan agreed by the EU Council on 20 March, to urgently deliver ammunition and missiles to Ukraine and to help Member States refill their stocks.

EU to ramp up ammunition production for Ukraine 03 May 2023, 23:00 CET
The EU continued its support for Ukraine's defence against Russia's war of aggression Wednesday, approving a plan to deliver ammunition to Ukraine and help Member States refill their stocks.

EU raises Erasmus education budget to help Ukraine 09 March 2023, 16:43 CET
The Commission adopted a revised Erasmus+ annual work programme for 2023 Thursday, with the overall budget for the year rising to a record annual total for the programme of EUR 4.43 billion.

EUR 7.5m to support integration of Ukrainian SMEs into Single Market 28 February 2023, 20:08 CET
The Commission launched two calls for proposals Tuesday under 'ReadyForEU' aimed at helping Ukrainian entrepreneurs and businesses to benefit from the Single Market.

EU imposes tenth package of sanctions on Russia 27 February 2023, 19:22 CET
On the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion and brutal military aggression against Ukraine, the EU Council on Saturday imposed its 10th package of sanctions on Russia.

Brussels to extend Ukraine trade benefits by a year 26 February 2023, 22:44 CET
The EU is set to renew the suspension of import duties, quotas and trade defence measures on Ukrainian exports to the European Union - known as the Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs) - for another year.

EU set to hit Russia, Iran with new sanctions 15 February 2023, 22:43 CET
The EU signalled a 10th package of sanctions on Russia Wednesday, with export bans worth more than EUR 11 billion and controls on electronic components used in Russian weapons systems.

Russia, British Virgin Islands added to EU tax haven blacklist 14 February 2023, 23:20 CET
The EU on Tuesday added Russia and the British Virgin Islands, as well as Costa Rica and Marshall Islands, to the EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.

Russia "a grave threat to the European way of life": Zelensky 09 February 2023, 23:27 CET
Russia is trying to annihilate not only sovereign Ukraine, but also the European "way of life", Ukraine's president Zelensky told the European Parliament at an extraordinary plenary session Thursday.