The British government will not trigger Article 50, the EU clause to start exit talks, this week. "We have been clear. The Prime Minister will trigger Article 50 by the end of March," a spokesman said on Monday. The parliament vote to allow the PM to trigger Article 50 is scheduled for Monday evening.
Nationalist Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke is facing sanctions following sexist remarks about women earlier this month. "I do not intend to tolerate such behavoir," European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said Monday. Korwin-Mikke risks a 30 day ban from plenary and committee meetings but may still vote. He'd also have to forfeit his daily allowance up to 30 days and may no longer join delegations for up to a year.
The Scottish first minister said the choice should be made between the fall of 2018 and spring 2019 as to whether Scots want to stay within the UK after a hard Brexit, or break away.
EU states have rolled over visa bans and asset freezes on 150 Russians and Ukrainians and 37 entities deemed responsible for the war in east Ukraine. "The assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime," they said Monday. The measures are to last until 15 September. Economic sanctions and a ban on doing business in Crimea were recently extended until July and June this year.
Gazprom's promises on EU fair pricing could end five-year old antitrust case despite difficult political climate.
Angela Merkel said her Dutch neighbours had her “full support and solidarity”.
Former Catalan leader Artur Mas was banned from holding public office for 2 years on Monday, for the organisation of a non-binding independence consultation in November 2014. Mas, who was the region's president from 2010 to 2015, was charged with disobedience and misuse of public funds. Mas's trial and sentencing come as current Catalonia leader, Carles Puigdemont, plans to organise a binding referendum on the issue this year.
Scotland's first minister said in a speech on Monday that Scots should have the right to choose between following the UK to a "hard Brexit" or independence. "Whatever path we take, it should be one decided by us, not for us," Nicola Sturgeon said, adding that the choice will have to be made between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 and that she would seek parliament's consent for an independence referendum.
Polish foreign minister plans to "work" with EU but to "block" some initiatives in retaliation for Tusk re-election, as Le Pen eyes new allies in eastern Europe.
Dutch voters go to the polls on Wednesday in an EU bellwether election after Brexit and Trump.
May could trigger EU exit talks the day after Monday's vote, prompting a special EU summit on Brexit on 6 April.
Over the weekend, in the context of Dutch elections and a Turkish referendum, the Netherlands denied entry to one Turkish minister and escorted another out of the country.
Britain's agency for electronic intelligence, GCHQ, has alerted the country's political parties to risks of cyber-attacks and hacking, according to the Sunday Times. The newspaper says the agency sees protecting the political system from foreign hackers as "priority work" and that the National Cyber Security Centre has proposed helping parties to strengthen their network security and avoid attacks by Russian hackers like in the US.
Iceland will lift capital controls on Tuesday, the government announced on Sunday. Controls on cross-border movement of capital were introduced in 2008 when the local banking system collapsed under the global financial crisis. "The risk of balance of payments disequilibrium that could cause monetary, exchange rate, or financial instability has diminished significantly in the past year," the government said, adding the decision represents the "completion" of Iceland’s return to markets.
