Euractiv.com

The European Commission's Internal Market chief Thierry Breton has defended plans to obtain mobile data from EU telecom firms during the coronavirus outbreak, saying the acquisition of certain datasets allows for a clearer reading of "the impact of the confinement measures taken by member states."

More than 680 people have died from coronavirus in Italy in the last 24 hours, the Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday (25 March), as concerns grew that the disease was spreading more towards the south of the country.

The export of US goods to the EU totalled $337 billion in 2019, an increase of 6% on the previous year, according to the Transatlantic Economy 2020 report, published on Thursday (26 March). At the same time, that figure was three times higher than the total of goods exported from the United States to China.

Kosovo's government was toppled by a no-confidence vote Wednesday (25 March) less than two months after coming to power, plunging the unstable democracy into political uncertainty as it tries to halt the spread of coronavirus.

Local farmers' markets have become the latest coronavirus casualty after France took the decision to close open-air markets as a further measure curb the spread of coronavirus. However, the move has proved controversial given that it stands to disproportionately affect small producers.

EU institutions and member states must act quickly and coherently in response to the COVID-19 crisis, writes Mats Engström. He suggests six points to consider when EU institutions work out post-crisis recovery plans.

The seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak makes hefty cuts to cohesion policy in the EU's next long-term budget all the more unjustified, writes Enrico Rossi, the governor of Italy's Tuscany Region.

The head of the European Commission warned Wednesday (25 March) that the economic aftermath of the coronavirus could leave strategic private sector firms exposed to foreign takeovers.

Germany and the Netherlands will lead opposition to issuing joint bonds to help revive the European Union economy from a deep slump caused by the coronavirus when the bloc's national leaders discuss emergency assistance on Thursday (26 March).

The German lower house on Wednesday (25 March) suspended the country's constitutionally enshrined debt brake, approving a massive stimulus package by Chancellor Angela Merkel's government to weather the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 40 members of the European Parliament have joined a coalition of NGOs calling for a ban on long-distance animal transport during the coronavirus crisis. They argue that the reintroduction of border controls has resulted in delays which risk affecting animal welfare and, by extension, human health.

Smoking can make people more susceptible to serious complications from a coronavirus infection, the European Union agency for disease control said on Wednesday (25 March), citing scientific studies, although available data is still limited.

Poland, which relies heavily on coal-fired power stations, will find it even tougher to achieve the European Union’s climate goals because of the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy and companies, the government said on Wednesday (25 March).

The European Commission is calling on member states to work together on the world stage to put an end to capital punishment and torture.

London City Airport announced on Wednesday (25 March) that it would cease operations until the end of April, in response to the UK government's latest coronavirus outbreak instructions.

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov has made public statements about the EU not providing adequate help in Bulgaria's fight with the coronavirus crisis. Former Deputy Prime Minister Ivailo Kalfin, who is the chairman of EURACTIV Bulgaria's board of directors, looked into these statements.

Just as the World Health Organisation warned that the United States will become the next COVID-19 epicentre, US President Donald Trump wants a deadline for lockdowns to end. In two weeks, Americans could be back to work, according to his tweets

Russian-backed armed formations in the breakaway Donbas region have since Saturday (21 March) denied access to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) mission monitoring the conflict, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service reported on Tuesday.

Russia’s foreign ministry published a statement on Wednesday (25 March) urging all parties to regional armed conflicts to immediately stop hostilities, secure a ceasefire, and introduce a humanitarian pause, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

The human dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic reach far beyond the critical health response, as all aspects of our future will be affected - economic, social and developmental. Our response must be urgent and coordinated on a global scale, and should immediately deliver help to those most in need, writes Guy Rider.