Belgium

BRUSSELS, June 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU’s top competition authority approved the massive bailout of Lufthansa by the German government, saving the airline from bankruptcy, but under conditions.

The European Commission said an injection of 6.0 billion euros by Berlin to keep the company afloat was allowed, but that Lufthansa would have to give up prized slots at the Frankfurt and Munich airports to ensure fair competition.

26 June 2020; MEMO: The Belgian parliament today passed a resolution urging the government to call on the European Union to impose sanctions against Israel if it proceeds with its plan to annex large swaths of the occupied West Bank.

BRUSSELS, June 26. /TASS/: The European Union will not be able to include Russia in the list of countries cleared to enter the area on July 1, a TASS source in one of the EU delegations informed, clarifying that the Russian coronavirus outbreak is to blame.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Most European Union countries are at risk of missing their targets for reducing health-damaging air pollution for both 2020 and 2030, the European Commission said on Friday.

In its first report on countries’ progress towards EU air pollution goals, the Commission said member states needed to step up efforts to tackle the estimated 400,000 premature deaths a year caused in the EU by exposure to polluted air.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union (EU) hopes to reopen borders for outsiders from July, but will review individual nations’ COVID-19 situation fortnightly, according to diplomats and a document laying out criteria that could keep Americans and Russians out.

The 27-nation bloc is eager to restart tourism, which has taken a massive hit during the coronavirus pandemic, but fears of second spikes have so far only allowed for partial and patchy reopening of borders with multiple health and security curbs.

BRUSSELS, June 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 1,000 parliamentarians from across Europe have signed a letter strongly opposing plans by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

The letter raises “serious concerns” about the proposals and calls for “commensurate consequences”.

More than 240 signatories are legislators in Britain.

The publication of the letter in several newspapers comes a week before the annexation process could begin.

BRUSSELS, June 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The EU warned China it would face “very negative consequences” if it presses ahead with a new security law for Hong Kong, stepping up pressure on Beijing over the controversial legislation.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel told China’s top leaders of their “grave concern” over the new law, which critics say will curb the financial hub’s autonomy and freedoms.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Top European Union officials are holding talks Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at a time of rising tensions between two major trading partners over the fallout from the coronavirus crisis and Beijing’s increasing control over Hong Kong.

BRUSSELS, June 19 (Xinhua) -- European leaders met at a video conference on Friday, discussing an ambitious fund to help the European economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. But no consensus was reached.

The heads of state and government of the European Union's member states hopefully will meet again physically in July to address their differences, President of the European Council Charles Michel told media following the video conference.

BRUSSELS, June 19. /TASS/: Heads of state and government of the European Union made a political decision at the online summit to extend economic sanctions against Russia due to expire on July 31 for six months, a source in one of the delegations told TASS on Friday.

"The leaders agreed to extend sanctions for six months more," the source said.

The European Union introduced sanctions against Russia in view of developments in Ukraine and reunification of Crimea and Russia in 2014. Restrictions were repeatedly expanded since then.