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FOREIGN AFFAIRS

EU sending two Middle East peace missions

02.01.2009 @ 09:30 CET

The new Czech EU presidency and France will next week send two overlapping peace missions to the Middle East, amid sensitivities on Prague's capability to lead Europe.

Gaza war goes on despite EU diplomacy

31.12.2008 @ 09:33 CET

Israel on Wednesday morning rejected an EU ceasefire proposal as fighting continued in Gaza, with international pressure building around the New Year war.

EU sends mixed message as Gaza death toll mounts

05.01.2009 @ 09:27 CET

The Czech EU presidency this weekend retracted its support for Israel amid the ground attack on Gaza, while France switched its criticism from Israel to Hamas.

EU foreign ministers to meet over Gaza violence

30.12.2008 @ 09:16 CET

EU foreign ministers are to meet in Paris on Tuesday evening to discuss the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip, the French EU presidency has said.

EU expresses 'grave concern' at Israeli attacks on Gaza

29.12.2008 @ 03:01 CET

The European Union has expressed its "grave concern" at Israel's continuing attacks on the Gaza Strip that have killed close to 300 Palestinians and injured around 900, calling the airstrikes "unacceptable" while calling on both sides to halt military actions.

Europeans fearful of recession and energy disruptions

18.12.2008 @ 18:07 CET

Citizens across Europe have a grim view on the economic outlook for 2009 and three out of five think the Georgian conflict could have an impact on EU's energy security, the latest Eurobarometer reveals.

Google, Fastest Rising EU Searches 2008

01M6 replay (French Television Station).
02Meinvz (German Social Networking).
03Kino.to (Online Music Platform).
04Ikariam (Free Browser Game).
05BBC I player (BBC's download services).

06Facebook (Global social network).
07Wkw (German Social Network).
08Tuenti (Spanish social network).
09Obama (The next U.S. President).
10Heath Ledger (Mourned Australian actor).

Fastest rising searches. Provided exclusively by to and covering the 27 EU states. For more information on Google Zeitgeist click here.

Google, Top EU Trends Of 2008

01Euro.
02Neuwagen (Cross-border car sales).
03VAT.
04Fuhrerschein (Driver's License).
05Directive.

06Import.
07Ireland.
08NATO.
09Commission.
10Romania.

Most popular searches. Provided exclusively by to and covering the 27 EU states. For more information on Google Zeitgeist click here.

EUobserver, Most Read Articles - This Week

EUobserver, Most Read Articles - This Month

France distances itself from Kouchner human rights remarks

11.12.2008 @ 08:13 CET

The French EU presidency has distanced itself from controversial remarks on human rights by French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, while defending France's foreign policy record at the EU helm.

Iraq plans EU-style Middle East union

10.12.2008 @ 09:25 CET

Iraq has unveiled plans for the creation of a regional economic and security union for the Middle East explicitly modelled on the European Union. Informal discussions on the "Regional Economic Partnership" have already been launched with Kuwait, Syria and Turkey, but not yet Iran.

Belgium finds no support for Congo deployment

09.12.2008 @ 09:39 CET

Belgian foreign minister Karel de Gucht failed to secure the support of his EU counterparts for the deployment an EU mission to Congo until UN reinforcements can arrive. Separately, the EU has expanded its travel blacklist for Zimbabwean officials and called for the resignation of Robert Mugabe.

European Parliament awards Chinese dissident human rights prize

17.12.2008 @ 17:42 CET

The jailed Chinese dissident Hu Jia has been awarded the European Parliament's top human rights award - granted since 1988 to those who stand up for fundamental freedoms - with a symbolic empty chair in the middle of the Strasbourg chamber due to his imprisonment.

MEP attacks EU consular reaction in Mumbai

08.12.2008 @ 17:19 CET

EU citizens need legally-binding rules on consular protection abroad after the Mumbai terrorist strike exposed flaws in the current set-up, a senior Spanish MEP has said, accusing a German official of "shameful" conduct in India.

French sweetener fails to clinch EU climate deal

08.12.2008 @ 09:48 CET

French President Nicholas Sarkozy has returned from a Gdansk meeting with eastern European leaders without a compromise deal on the EU's climate change package.

Beijing scolds Sarkozy over Dalai Lama meeting

08.12.2008 @ 09:27 CET

China has reacted angrily to a meeting between French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Saturday, warning of consequences for Beijing's relations not only with Paris, but with the EU as well.

07:17 CET 06.01.2009

[Comment] EU firms should stop toxic dumping off Somalia

The EU should stop European companies from dumping toxic waste in Somalian seas before sending in warships to protect oi...
[Comment] Why the China summit didn't happen and why it matters

The most curious of all recent summits was the one that did not happen, clearly demonstrating that EU-China relations ar...
[Comment] The dangers of 'business as usual' with Russia

With EU-Russia talks now resuming, it appears that the European Union's Council and the European Commission are not will...

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Economic crisis pushes down EU flower prices

05.01.2009 @ 19:23 CET

The price of flowers in the EU has dropped by 25% in recent months as a result of the global economic crisis and over-production, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reports, hitting African flower exporters hard. Cut flowers are one of Kenya's biggest exports.

EU unemployment to rise by 2 percent

05.01.2009 @ 19:22 CET

Unemployment in the EU is expected to rise by an average of 2% due to the financial crisis this year, Vladimir Spidla, EU commissioner for employment and social affairs, said on Czech TV. "We know now that the strongest impacts on the labour market are in Spain, Britain and Ireland," he added.

Germany's second stimulus package worth €50bn

05.01.2009 @ 17:26 CET

The German government is preparing a second stimulus package worth up to €50bn, Volker Kauder, parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Union, said in a radio interview on Monday. The measures are a combination of infrastructure investments, tax cuts and targeted help for German industry.

UK pound collapse increases EU bill by billions

05.01.2009 @ 09:43 CET

The UK pound's collapse to near parity with the euro has meant a boost of an additional £3bn (€3.13bn) to the bill the country pays to the EU, the Independent reports. The increase is because the UK has to pay Brussels in euros.

Icelanders want EU membership talks

05.01.2009 @ 09:10 CET

A majority of Icelanders would like their country to begin EU membership talks. According to a poll published on Saturday in the Morgunbladid daily, 65.5% of the 650 people surveyed want EU negotiations to begin, while 19.7% are opposed. Iceland has been hit hard by the global financial crisis.

Lisbon treaty 'huge issue' for Irish people

05.01.2009 @ 09:09 CET

The Lisbon Treaty is a "huge issue" for the Irish people, PM Brian Cowen told Irish radio on Sunday. He called on pro-treaty parties to campaign harder, saying the matter goes "beyond party politics." The country faces a second referendum on the EU document later this year.

Bruton suggested as next Irish EU commissioner

05.01.2009 @ 09:09 CET

John Bruton, the EU ambassador in Washington, is being touted as Ireland's next European Commissioner. Ireland's main opposition leader is to recommend to the Irish PM in the coming weeks that Bruton get the Brussels job to "keep Ireland at the centre of Europe," reports the Irish Independent.

Popeye copyright-free in EU

05.01.2009 @ 08:57 CET

Copyright on the image of cartoon character Popeye has expired in the EU this week, as it is now 70 years since the death of his creator, Elzie Segar. Popeye remains under copyright in the US until 2024, however, as copyright there continues for 95 years after an author's death.