European union

Judges in Luxembourg say EU law prohibits use of term ‘non-alcoholic gin’, in case brought by German lobby group The makers of spirits may be raising a toast to the European judges of Luxembourg after the EU’s court ruled that non-alcoholic drinks cannot be called gin. Only spirit drinks based on ethyl alcohol flavoured by … Read more

Restrictions for entry to Schengen zone announced last Friday because of sabotage attacks linked to Russia Russian opposition figures have reacted with anger and dismay to a decision by the European Union to introduce a ban on multi-entry visas to the Schengen zone for Russian citizens, announced in recent days. “Starting a war and expecting … Read more

Exclusive: Mohammed Baraka’s case alleges discrimination on basis of nationality after EU counterparts were transferred A Palestinian man who was dismissed from his job in Gaza after the war broke out is suing the European Union for allegedly breaching Belgian law. Mohammed Baraka, who worked at the EU border assistance mission (EUBam) at Rafah after … Read more

Move follows ‘escalating hybrid attacks’ by Russia and other foreign powers spreading fake articles across social media The EU executive plans to create a Centre for Democratic Resilience to counter disinformation from Russia and other authoritarian regimes, according to a leaked paper. The European Commission intends for the centre to bring together expertise across the … Read more

Kaja Kallas to issue update this afternoon on progress countries are making towards becoming union member We will formally get the EU’s commentary on the enlargement ratings (9:26) in just over an hour – when EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU enlargment commissioner Marta Kos are due to speak to journalists – but … Read more

Pause on move to freeze preferential trade pact comes amid scramble to shore up fragile ceasefire The EU has been criticised for pausing sanctions against Israel’s government in response to Donald Trump’s peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, as the fragile ceasefire came under threat. After meeting EU foreign ministers on Monday, the European foreign … Read more

Bloc’s first affordable housing plan to cover issues such as tenants’ rights, property speculation and tourist lets The EU executive will propose rules to tackle the “huge problem” of short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com, as it seeks to confront the “social crisis” of people struggling to afford a home, its first-ever … Read more

Most non-EU nationals entering Schengen area will have photo and fingerprints taken as part of entry-exit system The first British and other non-EU citizens will be subjected to new biometric checks when travelling to Europe from Sunday, when the long-delayed entry-exit system (EES) is finally launched. A phased implementation to avoid chaos at borders means … Read more