Belgium

24 October 2022; MEMO: Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Monday amid expectations of scarce supplies worldwide, before the implementation of the EU's ban on Russian oil imports pushed prices up.

Brent crude future contracts rose 54 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $94.04 a barrel as of 01:25 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 51 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $85.56 a barrel.

BRUSSELS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of European Union (EU) member states on Friday agreed on a 'roadmap' of measures to protect European consumers from soaring energy prices.

The agreement was reached after several hours of discussions over proposals to lower energy bills, which have skyrocketed due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The summit agreement sets out a "solid roadmap to keep on working on the topic of energy prices," European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told a press conference.

BRUSSELS, Oct 21 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the European Union had to re-think its trade dialogue with China, calling for a more even playing field between the two commercial power houses.

"We have made strategic errors in the past with the sale of infrastructures to China," Macron said at the end of two-day EU summit which had EU-China ties on its agenda.

BRUSSELS, Oct 21 (Reuters) - France will join other European countries such as Spain and the Netherlands in pulling out of the Energy Charter Treaty which protected investments in the energy sector, said President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

"We have decided to pull out of the Energy Charter Treaty," said Macron at the end of a European Union summit in Brussels.

The treaty, which has more than 50 signatories including the European Union, was designed to secure energy supplies and grants protection to companies investing in the energy industry.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders on Friday gave the green light to a plan to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros (dollars) in financial support over the next year, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his country’s energy infrastructure.

The plan, endorsed at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, would see the 27-nation bloc match U.S. financial support for war-ravaged Ukraine in monthly installments.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders struggled to find immediate practical solutions on how to deal with an energy crisis but avoided an open rift between Germany and France on Friday that would have exposed a divided bloc as it confronts Russian President Vladimir Putin over his war in Ukraine.

After daylong talks in Brussels dragged well into early Friday, the 27 EU leaders papered over divisions between some of the biggest member states and at least agreed to continue working on ways to impose a natural gas price cap in case of volatility.

BRUSSELS, October 20. /TASS/: The European Union (EU) has introduced sanctions against the Iranian drone producer Shahed Aviation Industries and three generals from the country, according to the Council Implementing Regulation posted in the Official Journal of the EU on Thursday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders opened a two-day summit Thursday divided on whether, and how, the bloc could impose a gas price cap to contain the energy crisis fueled by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his strategy to choke off gas supplies to the bloc at will.

And, for once, the traditional driving duo of the EU — Germany and France — were in opposing camps, with Germany expressing doubts and holding off plans for the price cap, while most others want to push on.

19 October 2022; MEMO: Sweden and Finland must fulfil the terms of the NATO-accession agreement concluded with Turkiye, the Swedish ministers of foreign affairs and defence said yesterday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders enter a crucial stretch this week to make sure runaway energy prices and short supplies don’t further tank their struggling economies and foment unrest. At the same time, they need to keep all 27 members united in their opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.