Belgium

BRUSSELS, December 15. /TASS/: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to top EU diplomat Josep Borrell’s call for Turkey to join sanctions on Russia by saying the European politician has no authority over relations between Moscow and Ankara, the TRT television channel reported on Thursday.

BRUSSELS, December 15. /TASS/: Albin Kurti, the prime minister of unrecognized Kosovo, on Thursday submitted an application in Prague to the Czech Republic, which holds EU’s rotating presidency, to join the bloc, Reuters reported.

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (NNN-XINHUA) – The European Union (EU), pledged to mobilise 10 billion euros (10.6 billion U.S. dollars) by 2027, to accelerate infrastructure investments in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

At the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit, held here yesterday, the EU and its member states offered the financial support that will focus on the green transition and sustainable connectivity in South-East Asia, underpinned by the Sustainable Connectivity Initiative and the Green Team Europe Initiative.

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Poland was on Thursday holding up the European Union's formal adoption of a minimum corporate tax for large companies which, as part of a whole package of deals, also holds up financing for Ukraine, diplomats said.

The minimum tax, along with 18 billion euros ($19 billion) of funds for Ukraine next year, the approval of Hungary's recovery plan and the suspension of some EU budget funds for Budapest were all part of a complex deal reached by EU governments on Monday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — With frost biting outside European Union headquarters, energy ministers again sought to overcome deep differences Tuesday on a natural gas price cap that many hope would make utility bills cheaper so people can stay a little warmer during harsh winter days — if not this year, then later.

EU energy ministers have been forced into five emergency meetings because they cannot come to agreement on a maximum ceiling to pay for gas because of fear that global suppliers will simply bypass Europe when others offer more money.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s parliament was reeling Tuesday, it’s credibility under threat, as a corruption and bribery scandal damaged lawmakers’ careers and fingers pointed at Qatari officials accused of seeking to play down labor rights concerns ahead of the soccer World Cup.

BRUSSELS, December 12. /TASS/: EU members failed to agree on the ninth package of sanctions against Russia in time during a meeting in Brussels among top diplomats. Disagreements do remain, therefore, the ministerial deliberations on the sanctions will be very difficult, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel said on Monday upon his arrival at the EU Council Meeting at the level of foreign ministers.

BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The European Parliament moved on Monday to strip one of its members of her role as vice president after she and others faced criminal charges over allegations Qatar lavished them with cash and gifts to influence decision-making.

Greece on Monday froze the assets of a key suspect in the case, Eva Kaili, one of 14 vice presidents of the parliament and among four people arrested and charged in Belgium at the weekend, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

BRUSSELS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that her institution is pushing for the creation of a European Union-wide (EU) ethics body after allegations that a vice president of the European Parliament (EP) was involved in a bribery scandal.

"The confidence entrusted to our institutions needs higher standards of independence and integrity," she said at a press conference. "It would be important to have an ethics body."

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top official called for the creation of an independent ethics body covering all of the bloc’s institutions and said allegations of corruption targeting a vice president of the EU legislature were of “utmost concern” as police raided more European Parliament offices Monday.