Euractiv.com

Bulgaria needs a plane capable not only of patrolling, but conducting combat operations and winning, and that means buying F-16s, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told journalists on Friday (14 December), adding that he didn’t want to influence an ongoing tender in the country.

How much influence does the EU actually have over the rest of the world? In one of the most volatile regions in the northern hemisphere, the answer is: quite a lot (potentially). 

Athens will oppose proposed cuts in the post-2020 agricultural and regional policy as this will be a “gift” to anti-EU populist forces, Greek premier Alexis Tsipras said on 13 December at the EU Council.    

MEPs in the European Parliament have signalled their support in clear and uncertain terms for the taxation of digital services, during a vote in Thursday's plenary session (13 December) in Strasbourg.

China has signalled it is open to following “uniform” global climate change rules, shifting from its usual push for a clear division of responsibilities for rich and poor countries. EURACTIV's media partner, Climate Home News, reports.

The just transition declaration adopted at the COP24 in Poland sounds good but it is not connected to any kind of climate ambition or specific energy projects involving local communities, Alexandru Mustata told EURACTIV Slovakia.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair will say on Friday (14 December) that Britain and the European Union should prepare for a second Brexit referendum because parliament will probably fail to agree on a divorce deal and the public will need to break the deadlock.

Outrage over Strasbourg attack, democracy in Hungary continues to crack, and Theresa May avoids the sack.

The rise of renewables will require using the grid more efficiently. However, you cannot expect this from the market that neglects the grid as its fundamental assumption, write Konrad Purchała and Piotr Koryś.

The inclusion of women in the climate debate remains in its early stages. The French women involved in the climate negotiations are trying to alert people to this issue. EURACTIV France reports.

The European Parliament yesterday (13 December) adopted a resolution, with a majority of 71%, that calls for the resignation of Martin Selmayr, the former right-hand man of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker whose rushed promotion earlier this year was criticised as "a coup-like action".

Kosovo lawmakers vote Friday (14 December) on whether to give the small Balkan country its own army, a US-backed symbolic show of independence that has inflamed tensions with former wartime foe Serbia.

British entrepreneur Richard Branson warned on Thursday (13 December)  companies would be left reeling like boxers if Britain left the European Union without a deal to smooth its exit, and cast doubt on the effectiveness of drawing up contingency plans.

The suspected gunman who killed three people at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg was shot dead on Thursday (13 December) in a brief gun battle with police after being on the run for 48 hours, police sources said.

EU leaders took turns to praise Theresa May on Thursday night (13 December) but the UK Prime Minister left Brussels empty-handed after promising her divided Conservative party that she would secure new concessions from EU leaders.

The passports-for-bribes scam may look like an embarrassment for Bulgaria, but Prime Minister Boyko Borissov turned it around on Thursday (13 December), saying he had  received compliments for the way Bulgarian law enforcement had put an end to the practice.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi presented on Thursday (13 December) the bank's downgraded economic forecast for the eurozone for this year and next, as uncertainties and risks remain prominent in the region.

Huawei’s relations with British authorities hit a low last month when a top official walked out of a meeting with the Chinese company over its perceived failure to fix security holes in its products, sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Contrary to what we may believe, European political parties are no different than the ones we have at home. They are just as prone to tactical games, diversions, manipulation and pointing the finger at someone else.

Increasing ethanol use will help countries around the world meet their Paris Agreement climate goals in a cheaper way, US producers told EURACTIV.com, staking their claim to a higher role for the fuel, alongside electricity, in decarbonising transport.