European Union

The EU has presented ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence. Businesses, research institutes and authorities will now test the guidelines in a pilot phase, after which legislation will be drawn up. Commentators discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market and our daily lives.

Nils Ušakovs of the pro-Russian Latvian opposition party Harmony has been dismissed as Mayor of Riga amidst a corruption scandal involving the city's public transport company. The Environmental and Regional Minister Juris Pūce justified the decision citing "non-fulfilment of legal obligations and violations of regulatory requirements." How are Riga's citizens reacting to the news?

Divisions on how to handle Russia's "neo-imperial appetite", among other factors, are set to block Italian Matteo Salvini's dreams of a new EU league, Jan Zahradil, a leading Czech MEP and a candidate for EU commission president has said.

In a last-minute push, EU and Chinese officials agree on a joint statement at their summit in Brussels addressing some of the EU's longstanding grievances. Trump's "America First" policy seemed to have pushed the two closer together.

We are campaigning for the next European Commission to appoint a commissioner with a clear mandate to take on the challenge of the protection of freedom, independence and diversity of journalism.

The European Union is gearing up a Brexit delay that could extend until the end of this year or even March 2020. The issue is at the heart of an emergency summit among EU heads of state and government in Brussels on Wednesday. British prime minister Theresa May is asking for a much shorter 30 June extension.

Italy is set to raise its deficit target, according to a draft document seen by Bloomberg. It says Italy's deficit forecast for 2019 is 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). The country had promised the European Commission it would remain at 2.04 percent of GDP. The document also says Italy's GDP is forecast to rise 0.1 percent, down from the projected one percent estimated last year.

Spy agencies in the UK and the Netherlands are restricting the intelligence they share with Austria given its Russia ties, opposition lawmaker Peter Pilz told Reuters news agency. Pilz said Western intelligence agencies are refusing to cooperate with Austria's main intelligence agency, the BVT. "Those are to my knowledge British agencies, in particular MI5, and the Dutch intelligence agency," he said.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears poised to win the national election following a tight race with his rival, former general Benny Gantz. With 97 percent of the seats counted, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud won 37 of Knesset seats, against 36 for Gantz' centrist Blue and White. The final tally is set for later in the day.

Donald Tusk sent the invitation letter for the special meeting of the European Council (Art. 50). EU27 leaders will meet to discuss the UK request of a further extension of the Article 50 period.

At the press conference concluding the 21st EU-China summit held in Brussels, President Tusk highlighted the main subjects of the discussions during the meeting, setting the direction for a partnership with China based on reciprocity.

During the 21st EU-China summit held in Brussels, leaders reaffirmed the strength of the EU-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and their resolve to work together for peace, prosperity, sustainable development, commitment to multilateralism and respect for international law. They agreed a joint statement.

The 26th bilateral summit between the EU and Japan is expected to take place on 25 April in the Europa building in Brussels.

The Council adopted conclusions on sustainable development, responding to the Commission's reflection paper "Towards a Sustainable Europe by 2030".

The Council adopted a decision establishing a High-level Group of Wise Persons on the European financial architecture for development, chaired by Thomas Wieser.

The Council adopted a series of legislative acts.