The EU 27 Heads of State or Government agreed the Bratislava Declaration and Road Map, which sets out clear priorities for action over the next 12 months. European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, took part in the informal meeting of the EU 27 Heads of State or Government. The meeting agreed a Declaration and Road Map, which set out clear priorities for action over the next 12 months. Speaking alongside Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and European Council President, Donald Tusk, following...

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On 23 June, the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU). In order to do this, it must invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which will allow the UK to start the formal and legal process of leaving the EU. Article 50 places a two year time limit on the leave negotiations, unless the European Council and the member states unanimously decide to extend this period. The exact process of leaving the EU is uncertain...

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Yesterday, a coordination centre at Eurojust supported an international action day against a criminal network involved in international VAT fraud and money laundering defrauding EU citizens of approximately EUR 57 million in tax revenues via companies selling electronic items, hardware and software. Searches of homes and premises, seizures and arrests were carried out in eight countries, starting in the early hours of the morning. The international cooperation leading to today’s joint action began in June 2015, when a German prosecutor at...

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Today, United States Trade Representative Michael Froman met with European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström to take stock of the ongoing negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). After the meeting, Ambassador Froman and Commissioner Malmström released the following joint statement: "We had a good meeting where we reviewed the substantial progress being made and discussed next steps for moving forward. We have directed our teams to make as much progress as possible during the next round, scheduled...

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Well-functioning social dialogue is a key component for the successful design and implementation of reforms needed to increase the competitiveness of Europe’s economies and create more jobs. It balances workers’ and employers’ interests and contributes to both economic competitiveness and social cohesion.  The link between social dialogue and productivity and competitiveness has been the subject of much research, particularly since the advent of the economic crisis in 2008. In some countries, decentralised bargaining is part of a coordinated system, but in others key aspects of coordinated social dialogue, such...

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The 14th Dalai Lama visited the European Parliament on Thursday 15 September to meet President Martin Schulz and discuss with members of the foreign affairs committee. Upon his fifth visit to the Parliament, the Dalai Lama expressed his admiration for the spirit of the European Union because it worked for the common interest of the people. “I think this spirit of the European Union eventually should spread in Africa and further in the world,“ he added. “We are all same...

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