The turnout in Catalonia's regional elections was over 69 percent at 6pm, compared to 63.12 percent at the same time at the previous elections in 2015. The vote is seen as crucial for Catalonia and the whole of Spain, following the October independence referendum and unilateral declaration of independence, followed by the suspension of the region's autonomy by the central government in Madrid.
British leader Theresa May has lent unexpected support to Poland's view that the EU had no right to punish it over its controversial judicial reforms. "These constitutional issues are normally, and should be primarily, a matter for the individual country concerned," she said while visiting Warsaw on Thursday to curry its favour in Brexit talks. She added that "across Europe we have collective belief in the rule of law", however.
The EU said its new anti-dumping rules do not target China, but states in a report that Beijing distorts the market significantly to export cheaper goods.
The European Commission granted Swiss stock exchanges access to EU markets for just one year, calling for progress in talks on a institutional agreement.
US president Donald Trump's unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital helps the government of Benjamin Netanyahu with its 'Greater Jerusalem Bill' - it is time for the EU to step up and take action.
US president Donald Trump's unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital helps the government of Benjamin Netanyahu with its 'Greater Jerusalem Bill' - it is time for the EU to step up and take action.
Representatives of national governments and the European Parliament reached a provisional deal on Thursday on emission reduction targets for several sectors, including transport, buildings, and waste. The details will be revealed in January, when MEPs and ministers in the Council of the EU will have to approve the deal. EU climate commissioner Miguel Canete said the "ambitious" outcome put the EU "firmly on track to achieve our 2030 climate target".
EU member states formally prolonged on Thursday sanctions against Russia for six months, until 31 July 2018. The decision was taken by EU leaders at a summit last week, after they stated Russia was still not implementing the Minsk peace agreement over the war in eastern Ukraine.
During its six months as head of the EU Council, Estonia tried to maintain EU unity and push 'digital' - despite Brexit and the lack of a government in Berlin, explained deputy minister for EU affairs Matti Maasikas.
The EU and Mexico are "very close" to concluding a new free trade agreement, EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said on Thursday after meeting with Mexican economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo. She said that negotiators needed "a little more time" to "solve everything that could be politically difficult." Issues like geographical indications for products such as cheese and tequila, as well investment protection mechanisms, remain problematic.
Hungary and the Czech Republic have backed Poland in its dispute with the EU, as the war on rule of law moved to a larger arena.
Non-personal data should be allowed to cross EU borders without restrictions, with an exemption for security reasons, diplomats meeting in the Council of the EU have agreed.
The EU court ruled on Wednesday that the bloc's divorce regulations don't cover private agreements. The case related to a divorce granted under religious Sharia law to a Syrian-German couple in 2013 in Syria. Now living in Germany, the man, Raja Mamisch, had the divorce recognised by the Munich state court but his wife, Soha Sahyouni, appealed and the EU judges found EU rules don't apply to "private" divorces.
UK prime minister Theresa sacked her closest cabinet ally, deputy prime minister Damian Green, on Wednesday night, over pornography found on his office computer. Green, like May, voted 'Remain' in the referendum and was a supporter of a 'soft' Brexit. Earlier, May admitted to MPs that the Brexit date of 29 March 2019 could be changed if necessary. Green was responsible for Brexit relations with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The European Central Bank (ECB) should begin winding down its monetary stimulus to avoid overheating the economy, the finance minister of non-euro member Denmark, Kristian Jensen has said. Speaking to Reuters he added: "Not just Denmark, but a number of euro area countries, primarily Germany, are in a situation of labour shortages and where the low interest rate leads to a risk of overheating, bottlenecks and wage pressure".
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its UK economic growth forecast for the UK on Wednesday, projecting GDP growth for 2018 at 1.5 percent, down from 1.6 percent in 2017. "Our forecast for 2018 is 1.5 percent as uncertainty about the shape of Brexit persists, most likely, and inflation remains above target," IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said in London.
The entrance of the far-right FPO into Sebastian Kurz's government could help forge a new consensus on a realistic way ahead for European integration.
Regional elections called after suspension of the separatist government are down to the wire, polls say, amid uncertainties over when the region's original autonomy could be restored.
