Belgium

BRUSSELS/BERLIN, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic, which is sweeping the world, has left in its wake some 900,000 infected and over 45,000 dead by Thursday, according to the lastest World Health Organization (WHO) figures, triggering fears that the world economy could be driven into recession.

02 April 2020; MEMO: The European Union has agreed a $262 million package for countries hosting refugees and vulnerable persons from the Middle East, raising the total EU response to the Syrian crises to more than $2.2 billion.

This announcement comes over a week after the EU offered a similar aid package worth over $20 million to Iran to support its fight against the coronavirus outbreak. 

BRUSSELS, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU announced nearly 40 million euros to help Western Balkan countries deal with the coronavirus, after Brussels came under fire for not doing enough for its neighbours.

A further 140 million euros was announced for the European Union’s “eastern partner” countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

The moves come as the EU seeks to fight back in a publicity battle with China and Russia, who have made a great show of their gestures of support to countries struggling with the COVID-19 crisis.

PARIS, March 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A number of European governments have rejected Chinese-made equipment designed to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Thousands of testing kits and medical masks manufactured by an unathorised Shenzhen based company Bioeasy Biotechnology are below standard or defective, according to authorities in Spain, Turkey and the Netherlands.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission authorized on Monday France’s scheme to support small companies and self-employed people affected by the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the scheme, Paris has pledged a total of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in subsidies to firms with a maximum of 10 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding 1 million euros.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Air pollution has decreased in urban areas across Europe during lockdowns to combat the coronavirus, new satellite images showed on Monday, but campaigners warned city-dwellers were still more vulnerable to the epidemic.

Cities including Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Milan and Frankfurt showed a reduction in average levels of noxious nitrogen dioxide over March 5-25, compared with the same period last year, according to the Sentinel-5 satellite images.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union expects Britain to seek an extension of its post-Brexit transition period beyond the end of the year, diplomats and officials said on Monday, as negotiations on trade have ground to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Europe has gone into a deep lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of the disease, with more than 330,000 infections reported on the continent and nearly 21,000 deaths.

BRUSSELS, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union marked the 25th anniversary of its open-border Schengen agreement on Thursday with all its land borders shut or subject to heavy checks imposed in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The Schengen agreement, underpinning an increasingly integrated and united Europe, came into force on March 26, 1995.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will on Thursday back plans to defend healthcare, infrastructure and other firms seen as having strategic role from hostile foreign takeovers, draft EU summit conclusions show.

Listed companies worldwide have become easier targets as share prices have crashed during the coronavirus crisis, with vaccine makers and other firms that have emerged as crucial players in the fight against the virus attracting attention.

BRUSSELS/GENEVA, March 23 (Xinhua) -- More than 300,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 189 countries and regions, said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday, noting "The pandemic is accelerating."