European Union

Donald Trump is saying that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report has exonerated him. It came to the conclusion that there was no criminal collusion between Trump or his election campaign team and Russian agencies. But the report is less clear on the question of whether the president obstructed justice. Journalists examine the consequences for the US election campaign and politics in Moscow.

This Franco-German project, criticised by the French extreme right, was launched in Paris on Monday (25 March). The new chamber aims to facilitate exchange, not political decision-making. EURACTIV France reports.

The well-being of EU citizens should be made a priority and an intersectoral approach integrating policy areas such as housing, fighting pollution and digital transformation into health can also help bring about new economic models, MEPs and civil society representatives agree.

In the digital world, the evidence of cyberattacks is often spread across technology providers, telecom operators, and victims. Furthermore, if it is a government behind the cyberattack then the challenge of proving their responsibility becomes all the more complex.

SM (Enfant placé sous kafala algérienne)
Citizenship of the Union
A minor in the guardianship of a citizen of the EU under the Algerian kafala system cannot be regarded as a ‘direct descendant’ of that citizen

Spain v Parliament
Staff Regulations of Officials
Differences of treatment based on language are, in principle, not allowed in the procedures for selecting staff for the EU institutions.

MEPs will discuss and vote in Strasbourg on Tuesday on a highly-disputed reform of copyright to fit the digital age, and ensure that authors, composers, artists, film-makers and other creators receive payment for their works when published online. In future, digital platforms would be responsible for filtering out videos and music and other creative content that are published in breach of copyright law.

France has signed €40bn of business deals with China, despite concerns on strategic investment and human rights abuses.

MPs from France and Germany met on Monday for their first biannual joint parliamentary session in Paris, as agreed under the Aachen treaty signed in January. The new French-German mini-parliament is composed of fifty deputies from each country, selected proportional to their numbers in the national parliament. It aims to improve Franco-German cooperation in Europe.

The European Parliament's leadership, the Bureau, decided on Monday in Strasbourg to limit polling ahead of May's elections following pressure from the political groups, reported Bloomberg. Only four polls will get published instead of nine as originally planned. Surveys published in February and March showed that Christian Democratic and Socialist groups would remain the biggest parties. As of 23 April, a purdah will apply.

A majority of members of the UK parliament voted on Monday (329 votes to 302) to remove control of the Brexit process from prime minister Theresa May, and allow themselves indicative votes to find a majority for a Brexit option, which could be, for example, to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit, or hold another referendum. May responded she would not guarantee to abide by any outcome.

Adding pressure on British prime minister Theresa May, the European Commission on Monday revealed contingency plans on its website for a no-deal Brexit scenario. "While .... not desirable, the EU is prepared for it," it said. UK citizens will be subject to checks when crossing borders into the EU. The EU would also apply its rules and tariffs at borders with the UK.

The European Union on Monday urged Israel and Gaza to "re-establish calm and to protect the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians" after seven Israelis, including two children, were injured when a rocket fired from Gaza hit their home in the Israeli community of Mishmeret, north east of Tel Aviv. In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sent extra troops to the border on Monday.

The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. BRUSSELS / BERLIN / PARIS The relation between the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and far-right groups...

The leaders of China, France, Germany and the EU were set to meet in Paris on Tuesday (26 March) for "unprecedented" talks on how to improve ties, despite growing jitters over Beijing's massive investments in Europe.