Czech Communist MEP Miloslav Ransdorf died Friday, his GUE/NGL parliamentary group announced. Ransdorf, 62, had suspended himself from his group's activities in December after being involved in a money transfer affair in Switzerland. GUE/NGL president Gabi Zimmer said he was a high calibre intellectual and hard worker.
Migration will still be top the agenda when home affairs ministers hold their first meeting this year. Manwhile the EU Court of Auditors will publish a report on the management of aid plans to countries in difficulty.
Responding to German criticism that Sweden's nuclear waste storage site was "disorderly", the company responsible, SKB, told EUobserver it "is regularly reviewed" by authorities. "We conduct daily activities while welcoming visitors, so we regret that [German official] Michael Müller considered the visit as a little messy," said a spokesperson.
Ahmet Davutoglu assured the German chancellor that Turkey would make "all possible efforts" to reduce the number of migrants entering Europe. Merkel hinted at further aid from the EU.
After meeting the king of Spain Felipe VI, Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias told reporters he wanted to form "a government of change" with the Socialist Party and the United Left, with him as deputy PM under Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez. It is unsure whether this coalition would find a majority.
"It's Europe that can die, not Schengen," French PM Manuel Valls told the BBC. "The very idea of Europe would be questioned if Europe isn't capable of protecting its own borders," he said, adding that the EU "cannot take all refugees, otherwise our societies will be totally destabilised".
Romania's parliament is considering some 180 amendments to criminal law that may undermine agencies designed to stop corruption.
Turkey wants more EU money to stem the flow of refugees, as its PM visits Berlin. But the EU can't agree how to fund an earlier pledge of €3bn, causing frustration.
The European Parliament building in Strasbourg is one of seven sites on a map of potential targets for terror attacks in France. The map, revealed by France 3 TV channel, was reportedly created by intelligence services using most-used keywords by people under surveillance.
Volkswagen chief Mathias Mueller, who met EU industry commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska Thursday, has resisted calls to compensate European owners of diesel cars which cheated on emissions tests. "EU consumers should be treated in the same way as US customers," a Bienkowska spokesperson said, refering to a $1,000 per driver arrangement.
Dissidents who fled to London feel unsafe because the UK won't hold the Kremlin to account on Litvinenko, Bill Browder, a Russia human rights campaigner, has said.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, from the center-right PSD party, is favourite for Portugal's presidential election and could be elected in the first round on Sunday. The latest polls give him 52 percent of voting intentions, ahead of independent Sampaio da Novoa (22 percent). The ruling Socialist Party has no candidate.
The Israeli army on Thursday demolished accomodations and sanitary structures built for Beduins with EU funds in the West Bank. The structures were situated in the so-called E1 area, between East Jerusalem and the Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim. They were part of a programme opposed by Israeli authorities.
"Apple has created over 1.4mn jobs across Europe," the US tech giant chief Tim Cook said in a Twitter post Thursday. Cook was in Brussels to meet EU competition commissioner Vestager, who is leading a commission probe on sweetheart tax deals between Apple and Ireland.
The US administration announced Thursday tightened visa requirement for Europeans who recently travelled to Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria, or who have dual citizenship from these countries. Some professions like business, humanitarian workers, or journalists will not be affected.
“I believe that 2016 could be the year that we end the unacceptable status quo”, said Cypriot president Anastiades. Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci said talks were at a "crucial phase".
EU Commission president Juncker and chancellor Merkel say there is a direct link between the euro and Schengen, but the single market would not necessarily falter with the reintroduction of border controls.
