Belgium

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will try to break a stalemate over Belarus on Thursday by untangling a separate standoff with Turkey that has exposed the shortcomings of the bloc’s decision-making.

Meeting in Brussels for a two-day summit, leaders are set to confront Cyprus, one the EU’s smallest members, which is accused of holding up approval of economic sanctions on Belarus. The sanctions plan follows an election in August that the West and the opposition say was rigged.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Almost 500 days after Belgian parliamentary elections, seven parties from both sides of the linguistic aisle agreed early Wednesday on forming a fully functioning majority government that will center on dealing with the pandemic and its devastating economic impact.

BRUSSELS, Sept 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union warned regional powers not to interfere in fighting in Nagorny Karabakh, and condemned a “serious escalation” that threatens regional stability.

Foreign policy spokesman Peter Stano said Brussels cannot confirm reports of outside forces joining the conflict, but added: “No external interference in this conflict is acceptable.”

Azerbaijani and Armenian forces were battling for a second day on Monday after dozens were killed in an outbreak of heavy fighting.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom's position on the withdrawal from the European Union (EU) is far apart from what the EU can accept and the bloc "will not be shy" from taking legal action for violations of the withdrawal agreement, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Monday.

Addressing the media after a third round of talks of the EU-UK Joint Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Brexit agreement, Sefcovic said time was pressing and a lot of work remained to be done with just less than 100 remaining days.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) launched on Monday a new Customs Union Action Plan, which aims at modernizing and simplifying customs procedures at the EU borders while tackling fraud linked to customs and VAT.

Presenting the plan at a press conference in Brussels, European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said it would lead to less expenditure as well as more revenues for the EU.

BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Negotiators for the EU and Britain are hoping for a breakthrough in trade talks this week, despite feuding over a controversial UK bill that threatens to scupper a post-Brexit deal.

Scores of officials will assemble in Brussels from Monday in efforts to forge a compromise on negotiating positions that have not budged on key areas since the talks on future relations began six months ago.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union chair Germany has proposed a rule of law conditionality scheme for accessing the bloc’s funds, including the new 750 billion euro coronavirus economic recovery fund, according to a document seen by Reuters.

The proposal is a basis for negotiations between the 27 EU member states - which in July agreed to such a mechanism but left it watered down to avoid a veto from Poland or Hungary - and the European Parliament.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Hungary wants to kickstart its economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic by boosting investments and reducing taxes, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Reuters on Friday, adding that extending the government’s job support scheme was a backup plan.

Nationalist Orban, who has been in power for more than a decade, faces the toughest challenge of his rule now as the economy is expected to shrink by up to 6% this year while new COVID-19 infections are surging.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides Thursday warned against the "COVID-19 fatigue" witnessed in some member states, amid the worrying trend of increase in the coronavirus infections.

Addressing a video press conference in Brussels, Kyriakides noted that some EU member states are experiencing higher numbers of COVID-19 cases than during the peak in March, and in some areas the fatigue with physical distancing and disregard of norms are witnessed.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission launched an investigation on Thursday into imports of optical fibre cable from China, which EU manufacturers believe are being sold in Europe at artificially low prices.

The case comes as the 27-member European Union wants the digital economy to be a key part of its economic recovery and demands a greater opening of Chinese markets.