Belgium

23 Sep 2020; MEMO: The European Union announced the lifting of sanctions imposed on the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk, Aguila Saleh, and outgoing President of the General National Congress (GNC), Nouri Abusahmain, while imposing sanctions on two other Libyan citizens and three companies.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union must agree a system to handle migrants over the long term, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, saying the recent fire in the migrant camp on the Greek island Lesbos was “a stark reminder” of the need to act.

“Migration is complex, the old system to deal with it in Europe no longer works,” von der Leyen said in a statement to the media as the Commission presented a new proposal.

“We need to find sustainable solutions on migration,” she said. “Moria is a stark reminder,” she said of the Lesbos fire.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Charles Michel has decided to put off a summit of the European Union (EU) leaders after he has gone into quarantine on Tuesday, his spokesman said on Twitter.

The EU chief learned on Tuesday that a security officer with whom he was in close contact early last week, tested positive for COVID-19, said spokesman Barend Leyts.

Michel himself "is tested regularly and tested negative yesterday (Monday)," but decided to go into quarantine in line with Belgian rules, Leyts tweeted.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The new chief of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should be "capable of managing profound reforms of the organization," said Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, on Monday.

The trade ministers of the European Union (EU) strongly support this principle, said Dombrovskis following the ministers' informal meeting in Berlin.

BRUSSELS, September 17. / TASS /: The European Court of Justice has rejected an appeal by Rosneft, which challenged the legality of imposing EU sanctions against the company in connection with the situation in Ukraine, according to the court ruling published on Thursday.

"The European Court of Justice rejected in full the appeal [of Rosneft to the EU Council] against the court decision of September 13, 2018," the decision reads.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union’s Brexit negotiator told the bloc’s 27 national envoys to Brussels that he still hoped a trade deal with Britain was possible, stressing that the coming days would be decisive, diplomatic sources with the bloc told Reuters.

Michel Barnier addressed the gathering on Wednesday and the three sources either participated in the discussion behind closed doors or were briefed on its content.

“Barnier still believes a deal is possible though the next days are key,” said one of the EU diplomatic sources.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- In the first seven months of 2020, China became the top trading partner of the European Union (EU), a position previously held by the United States, said Eurostat on Wednesday.

EU's imports from China increased by 4.9 percent in the January-July period, compared to the same period last year, whereas its imports from the U.S. dropped by 11.7 percent.

The bloc's exports to China recorded a slight drop of 1.8 percent, while those to the U.S. fell by 9.9 percent, according to the EU's statistical office.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The EU’s chief executive chided European Union governments on Wednesday for an ineffective foreign policy and proposed U.S.-style sanctions on human rights abusers around the world.

Once able to boast of a soft power that helped transform communist neighbours into market economies, the EU increasingly finds itself unable to agree common positions to influence international diplomacy on issues ranging from Venezuela to Mali.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU) high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, warned on Tuesday that EU's relations with Turkey were at a watershed moment in history.

At a European Parliament plenary, Borrell called for urgent and collective engagement to deal with the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The dispute over Turkish natural gas explorations off Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean has escalated in recent weeks.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Top European Union (EU) officials commented positively on their video meeting with Chinese leadership on Monday, which reaffirmed the commitment to maintain common interests and address differences.

The China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting was co-hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link.