Wednesday
18th Oct 2017
By EUOBSERVER
EU countries have reached "political agreement" to send a battalion-sized EU force to Bangui airport in the Central African Republic to protect refugees. They noted the UN Security Council must pass a new resolution before the soldiers can go, but expect to deploy the mission in the next few weeks.
The EU is "not confident, but hopeful" that the UK will achieve sufficient progress for 'stage 2' by December, as Britain's Brexit negotiator blames the slow pace of negotiations on the EU ahead of a crucial summit meeting.
The UN is sending troops to Libya to provide security for staff working with the UN refugee agency. The agency's work in Libya is broadly funded by the EU.
Two EU agencies need a new home after Brexit - but member states have spent demonstrably less effort on their public bids to host the EBA.
New figures for 2017 so far show a surprising uptick in EU-Russia trade relations, notwithstanding sanctions over Ukraine and Crimea.
Hugs and kisses but no sign of "acceleration" in Brexit talks after British leader met the EU Commission chief in Brussels.
'Supporting the defence industry has become a goal in itself,' said a Belgian peace organisation about the European Defence Action Plan.
