european union |

President Tusk: EU Summit a crucial moment for the unity of the Union

17/02/2016 ENstaff EU, EU Summit, European Council, European Union, migrants, refugee crisis, Tusk, UK

Tusk: EU Summit will be a crucial moment for the unity of our Union and for the future of the United Kingdom’s relations within Europe.

european union society

EU citizens want a fair distribution of refugees

17/02/2016 ENstaff Bertelsmann Stiftung, EU citizens, refugee crisis

According to a survey by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, European citizens want a fair distribution and above all demand a common response to this new challenge.

econ/biz european union

Dijsselbloem and Moscovici on Greece

11/02/201612/02/2016 ENstaff bailout programme, crisis, Dijsselbloem, economy, Eurogroup, Greece, Moscovici

“Progress has been achieved on important issues, but further work is still needed in a number of areas,” the head of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem told a news conference at the end of a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels.

Committee of the Regions_EU Newsroom_embassynews

european union

Europe’s regions call for investments – not cuts – in education

11/02/2016 ENstaff employment, entrepreneurship, EU, European Commission, European Committee of the Regions, Markkula, youth

Increasing resources and cooperation for youth employment, entrepreneurship and integration policies should not be seen as expenditure but as investment in the future.

On 26 January 2016, a young boy is carrying a large bundle of warm blankets on his shoulders. He is in the Miratovac Refugee Aid Point where, along with his family members, he can access support services and have an opportunity to rest before continuing his journey.

In 2015, more than one million refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean, arriving on Europeís shores, of which an estimated 253,700 ñ or one in four ñ were children. Latest trends show that children now make up 36 percent of the migration flow coming through the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Woman and children now make up 57 percent of the refugee and migrants with the majority from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Children arriving into a harsh winter in southeastern Europe are physically exhausted, scared, distressed and often in need of medical assistance, UNICEF warned.The recent sub-zero temperatures and sometimes snowy conditions is exacerbating the childrenís poor physical condition as many children on the move do not have adequate clothing, or access to age-appropriate nutrition. This has been worsened by the lack of shelter and inadequate heating in some reception centres as well as buses and trains. UNICEF said the issue was pressing as the proportion of children amongst refugees and migrants ñ now more than one in three ñ has continued to increase. According to national sources, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the ratio was 37 per cent in December, compared to 23 per cent in September, while in Serbia, 36 per cent were children in December compared to 27 per cent in September. In December most children transiting through UNICEF child-friendly spaces in Serbia were young children, including babies and infants and those between 5 to 9 years old.

european union society

More children and women seek safety in Europe: UNICEF

03/02/2016 ENstaff children, Europe, FYROM, migrants, refugees, UNICEF, women

For the first time since the start of the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, there are more children and women on the move than adult males, says UNICEF.

econ/biz european union

ECB Draghi: ‘Cohesion of Europe is being tested’

02/02/2016 ENstaff banks, Draghi, ECB, economy, EU, Europe, European Union

DRAGHI: The policy challenges we face are fourfold. They relate to: the global environment; the situation of the financial system; the economic and fiscal policies of Member States; and the political uncertainty surrounding the European project.

Justice and Home Affairs Council_EU Media_embassynews

european union

EU’s JHA Council: two days, ten subjects

24/01/2016 ENstaff cyber crime, EU, EU presidency, European Union, JHA Council, migration, Netherlands, terrorism

The Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA Council) takes place on 25 and 26 January 2016. Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs from the EU member states will meet at the Europa Building in Amsterdam to discuss European cooperation on security, migration and justice.

european union foreign affairs

Tsipras-Lagarde discuss debt relief in Davos

21/01/201622/01/2016 ENstaff Alexis Tsipras, Christine Lagarde, debt relief, Greece, IMF

The IMF asked for a programme of strong economic policies, not least pension reforms as well as significant debt relief from Greece’s European partners.

DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 21JAN16 - Alexis Tsipras (L), Prime Minister of Greece, Emma Marcegaglia (C), Chairman, Eni, Italy and Wolfgang Schaeuble (R), Federal Minister of Finance of Germany listen to the debate during the session 'The Future of Europe' at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2016.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/swiss-image.ch/Photo Valeriano Di Domenico

european union foreign affairs

European leaders discuss the future of the EU in Davos

21/01/201621/01/2016 ENstaff Alexis Tsipras, Davos, Emma Marcegaglia, European Union, Germany, Greece, Manuel Valls, refugeecrisis, Wolfgang Schäuble, World Economic Forum

Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France called for solidarity in solving Europe’s immediate problems, including the influx of refugees, “We look forward to working with Europe,” said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

A Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) and Greenpeace rescue team responded to a sinking rigid inflatable boat (rhib) carrying 45 Afghan refugees crossing from Turkey to the north shore of Lesvos, Greece. On arrival to the scene the poor quality inflatable was taking on water. The people on board were having problems with the outboard motor as it was poorly fitted and could not be restarted. It was soon obvious to the Greenpeace/MSF crew that the sponsons were rapidly losing air and the lives of the people were in immediate danger.

The Afghans in the vessel started screaming, please help us, we're sinking! We don't want to die! The rescue boats responded quickly and effectively to the situation as people started to panic and tried to jump from the boat. Babies and children were held in the air to alert the crew while parents cried out, take the children, we have children on board! The women and children were grabbed first and transferred into two Greenpeace/MSF boats that were flanking both sides of the sinking boat. All people were successfully rescued and transferred to Molyvos harbour where response teams were on standby.

european union society

MSF: “European policies failed to address the refugee crisis”

20/01/201619/01/2016 ENstaff Medecins Sans Frontieres, migration, MSF, refugeecrisis

Médecins Sans Frontières denounced the European Union’s catastrophic failure to respond to the humanitarian needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Europe in 2015, in a new report released on Tuesday.

interviews people

Ambassador of Norway:”The challenge for the Greek economy is its competitive edge and its business climate” [interview]

07/06/2016 ENstaff

The Ambassador of Norway in Athens, His Excellency Jørn Eugene Gjelstad, spoke to EmbassyNews.net and commented on the current developments in Greek and European politics, the economy and the refugee crisis.