Europe moves to safeguard interests in Iran after US pullout

Europe's largest economies lobbied to protect their companies' investments in Iran today, seeking to keep the nuclear deal with Tehran alive after Washington pulled out and threatened to impose sanctions on European companies.

Europe Can No Longer Rely on US to Protect It

As European countries failed to prevent US President Donald Trump from pulling Washington out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the tension between Iran and the US escalates.

Turkey’s anti-terror fight ensures Europe’s security: Yıldırım

Turkey is ensuring Europe’s security by stopping the flow of foreign fighters, countering illegal migration, and fighting militants in Syria, Turkey’s premier said on Feb. 17.

Turkish FM says ‘racists’ like Wilders won’t prevent him from going to Netherlands

Turkey’s foreign minister has said he doesn’t care about “fascists and racists” like Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, and says they won’t prevent him from meeting with Turkish citizens. Wilders earlier called for a ban on Turkish officials campaigning in the Netherlands.

Terror attack on Istanbul, other European cities enter 2017 without incidents

While European cities saw in 2017 without any major incidents, New Year's celebrations in Europe were marred by a terror attack at an Istanbul nightclub that left at least 39 people dead.

Unified Europe 'good' for the US, says Obama

A strong and unified Europe is "good" for the United States and NATO is "absolutely vital" for US security and prosperity, US President Barack Obama said as he launched his final European trip.

Trump election: Juncker warns president may upset US ties with Europe

Donald Trump's election as US president risks upsetting US ties with Europe, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned.

At least 42 dead after boat carrying 600 migrants capsizes off Egypt coast

At least 42 people died Wednesday as a boat carrying 600 migrants capsized off the coast of Egypt, officials said.

Europe a safe haven for terror groups (Erdogan)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Europe on Tuesday of being a safe haven for the political wings of terrorist groups and said it was a "black comedy" for Europe to lecture Turkey on changing its anti-terrorism laws.

Syria says Brussels attacks "result of EU wrong policies"

Syria's Foreign Minister condemned the bombings that hit Brussels Tuesday, saying the attacks are a result of the wrong policies of the European Union, state news agency SANA reported.

Gas supplies may be affected, Putin warns Europe. -- Russia may begin requiring advance payment for natural gas from Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday sent a letter to EU leaders, expressing his "extreme concern" over Ukraine's debt for Russian gas and warning them that supplies to Europe may be affected, his spokesman said.

"Indeed, such a letter signed by Putin was today delivered to heads of state of Eastern and Western Europe through diplomatic channels," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state RIA Novosti news agency.

"Putin expresses extreme concern over the critical situation around Ukraine's debt and supplies of Russian gas related to it," Peskov said.

Europe’s economic and financial outlook and its social impact, growth and banking sector issues on the agenda of the Informal ECOFIN meeting

The two-day informal meeting of the ECOFIN, as well as the 13. Joint ECOFIN / FEMIP Ministerial Meeting, organized by the Geek Presidency in Athens on 1-2 April had a full agenda and Ministers were able to exchange views on a number of key issues affecting Europe’s economy and financial situation.
In particular, Europe’s social problems and their implications for economic growth were discussed, based on a research and policy paper presented by Bruegel, which confirms the link between poverty and unemployment on the one hand and economic growth on the other. There was a fruitful discussion on how fiscal sustainability is negatively affected by social problems, as well as on concrete measures to be taken to address persistent unemployment and social insecurity, which constitute a major problem for the EU.

Germany seeks bigger role on global issues

Following years of restraint in foreign policy, Germany seemed to be rethinking its role on international issues, as shown by remarks of its leaders and senior officials on Friday, the first day of the 50th Munich Security Conference.

"Are we doing what we can to stabilize our neighborhood in the east and in Africa? Are we doing what we should to counter the dangers of terrorism? What role do we want to play in crisis in distant parts of the world?" asked President Joachim Gauck at the opening of the three-day conference.

Addressing top decision-makers from around the world, the president said that despite domestic debates that more responsibilities would mean more trouble, Germany should do more to guarantee global security.

Russia Activates Aerospace Defense Radar Aimed at Europe.

MOSCOW, December 9 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has begun testing a new radar designed to detect highly maneuverable aerial targets – including cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles – at a range of up to 3,000 kilometers (over 1,800 miles), allowing it to cover most of Europe.

The new-generation over-the-horizon radar, dubbed Container, was put on trial duty near the town of Kovylkino in Russia’s republic of Mordovia on December 2.

Nabucco project fails, placed by Trans Adriatic Pipeline project

The Nabucco pipeline to be built to carry natural gas to Shah II sea field in Azerbaijan was failed for the consortium preferred Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), using another route

VIENNA / ANKARA (AA) - The Nabucco pipeline to be built to carry natural gas to Shah II sea field in Azerbaijan was failed for the consortium preferred Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), using another route.

The Nabucco project faced a removal possibility after Austria's gas and oil company OMV announced its detachment to the project and stated they approved TAP for its being "more economic".

Azerbaijani natural gas would have been carried through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria to Europe within the scope of Nabucco project, where Turkey was a member. However, consortium active in Shah II sea field in Azerbaijan showed TAP as an alternative to Nabucco, which would carry the gas in a shorter route through Turkey to Italy. It was announced that Azerbaijan, Turkey, Switzerland, Norway and Germany were partners of the project. 

Russia-EU Values Gap on Display at Summit - «Χάσμα αξιών» στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής ΕΕ-Ρωσίας

Photo: themoscowtimes.com

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Despite declarations of strategic partnership and cooperation at Tuesday's Russia-EU summit in Yekaterinburg, leaders of the two sides demonstrated an apparently growing rift on a wide array of issues, including civil liberties and ways to resolve the bloody civil war in Syria.
One of the main expected achievements of the meeting, a visa facilitation agreement, failed to materialize due to lingering disagreements, and while President Vladimir Putin emphasized the economic dimension of the Russia-EU relationship, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy focused on shared values and human rights.
"Fundamental human rights is an important, albeit difficult, dimension of our partnership," Van Rompuy said at a news conference following the talks.

EU: Schärferes Vorgehen gegen Armutseinwanderung gefordert

- Viele Kommunen klagen über einen Zustrom von Bürgern aus Rumänien und Bulgarien, die sodann Sozialleistungen beantragen. Deutschland, Großbritannien, Österreich und die Niederlande verlangen von der EU nun ein schärferes Vorgehen gegen Armutseinwanderer. 

Von Nikolas Busse, Brüssel

Deutschland und drei andere europäische Länder verlangen von der EU ein schärferes Vorgehen gegen sogenannte Armutseinwanderer. In einem Brief, den Bundesinnenminister Hans-Peter Friedrich gemeinsam mit seinen Amtskollegen aus Großbritannien, Österreich und den Niederlanden an die Ratspräsidentschaft schickte, werden unter anderem Ausweisungen und Wiedereinreiseverbote gegen EU-Bürger verlangt, die sich betrügerischen Zugang zu den Sozialsystemen eines anderen Mitgliedstaats zu verschaffen suchen. „Es müssen alle notwendigen Maßnahmen ergriffen werden, um den Folgen dieser Art von Einwanderung zu begegnen und ihre Ursachen zu bekämpfen“, heißt es in dem Schreiben, das der F.A.Z. vorliegt.

Gauck nennt Deutschland "Oberlehrer" in Europa....

Der Bundespräsident hat vorsichtige Kritik an der Europa-Politik der Bundesregierung geübt. Vor dem Europarat mahnt Joachim Gauck mehr Sensibilität für "unterschiedliche politische Verhältnisse" an.

Bundespräsident Joachim Gauck hat in Straßburg vor allem an die Länder Osteuropas appelliert, ihre Pflicht zur Einhaltung der Menschenrechte ernst zu nehmen. "Rechte und Freiheiten auf dem Papier genügen nicht, sie müssen in der Praxis gewährleistet sein", sagte Gauck am Montag vor der Parlamentarischen Versammlung des Europarats.

Dies gelte für Ost und West gleichermaßen. In der Euro-Krise dürfe Deutschland nicht den "Oberlehrer" spielen, sagte Gauck auf besorgte Fragen der Abgeordneten aus 47 Ländern. Dem Europarat gehören bis auf Weißrussland und das Kosovo alle Staaten Europas an.

Gazprom and partners begin South Stream 7/12/12

Russia’s state-owned gas major Gazprom and its partners are beginning construction of the $16bn South Stream pipeline that will run under the Black Sea to Europe and rival the Nabucco project.
­The symbolic first welding of the pipeline takes place in the city of Anapa in Southern Russia on Friday. Among those present at the ceremony are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bulgaria’s Regional Development and Public Works Minister Liliyana Pavlova as well as representatives of Italy's ENI, France's EDF and Germany's BASF.