Think you know all there is to know about the EU? Test your knowledge with our new geography game, which asks players to identify and locate the city in Europe that corresponds to an EU-related trivia question. The player with the top score will receive a voucher for two round-trip tickets between the U.S. and Brussels. Are you an EU expert? A geography guru? A history hero? Test your skills in European geography and trivia with Metropolis: Cities of Europe, developed...

With 422 votes in favour, the European Parliament elected Jean-Claude Juncker in a secret ballot on 15 July as President of the new European Commission to take office on 1 November 2014 for a five year term. The minimum number of votes required was 376. For the first time in the history of the EU, the European Parliament elected - and not merely approved - the President of the European Commission following a proposal by the European Council, according to...

The Council today adopted a regulation establishing a single resolution mechanism for failing banks (PE-CONS 88/14). The creation of a single resolution mechanism (SRM) – with a central decision-making board and a single resolution fund – ensures that resolution decisions across participating member states will be taken in a coordinated and effective manner, minimising negative impacts on financial stability and reducing the dependence of banks on the creditworthiness of sovereigns. The aim is to ensure the orderly resolution of failing banks...

The European Union welcomes the agreement reached on 9 July 2014 on a new United Nations convention to strengthen transparency in investor-state disputes. The Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration will make it easier to apply the UN’s transparency rules to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) carried out under existing investment treaties. ‘Improving transparency in ISDS is crucial,’ said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, welcoming the development. ‘Yesterday’s agreement shows that more and more countries are committed to transparency in...

Ecofin discusses its work programme for the second half of 2014 At the meeting on 8 July the ministers discussed the Economic and Financial Affairs Council's work programme and priorities for the second semester of 2014, presented by the Italian presidency. Structural reforms and investment in growth and jobs are the key priorities under the Italian presidency of the Council of the EU, which runs from 1 July through to the end of December 2014. Pier Carlo Padoan, the Italian Minister of...

Algirdas Šemeta, EU Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, Statistics, Audit and Anti-fraud at Economic and Finance Ministers Council | Brussels, 8 July 2014 Before I comment on the Italian Presidency Work programme, I would like to first thank the Greek presidency for all it achieved in the tax field. I'm not only speaking about the new legislation they succeeded in getting adopted but also the groundwork they did on many files, which should bring future successes. So, thanks to...

Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade at CDU Wirtschaftsrat Economic Conference, Berlin, 3 July 2014 Ladies and gentlemen, Berlin in 2014 is an anchor of political and economic stability. This is due to your "Soziale Marktwirtschaft" and the great performance of German companies and workers. I praise you for your achievements and I have listened carefully to Chancellor Merkel's convincing agenda for Germany and Europe. Indeed, we have a broadening recovery under way in the European Union. But we are unfortunately...