In The News

Virus Outbreak Tests EU: New York Times

Steven Erlanger March 19, 2020
The abrupt coronavirus outbreak poses a tough test for the EU’s solidarity and democracy as well as its US alliance. Italy, where the outbreak is most severe, asked for aid from fellow EU members without success. Germany and France restricted the export of healthcare goods while Austria and the Czech Republic banned travelers from Italy. On the other hand, China immediately sent medical experts...

EU, UK Urged to Clarify Citizens’ Rights: EURACTIV

Benjamin Fox March 14, 2020
Between 300,000 and 1 million British people live part of the year in Spain and 150,000 live in France. Two reports suggest that such citizens confront a “no man’s land” on citizens’ rights post-Brexit as governments tend to treat such residents as tourists. “The findings suggest that ex-pat Britons face a lack of clear information, unresolved questions and confusion over residency regulations,...

EU Condemns Trump Travel Ban: AP

Lorne Cook and Samuel Petrequin March 12, 2020
Nations try may approaches to combat COVID-19, including school closings and bans on public gatherings, even as the World Health Organization head points to alarming levels of inaction. “The European Union on Thursday lashed out at President Donald Trump’s ‘unilateral’ decision to restrict travel from Europe to the United States over the coronavirus, saying that the illness doesn’t respect...

COVID-19 Frontlines in Italy: Politico

Greta Privitera March 11, 2020
COVID-19 spreads quickly, and confirmed cases grow exponentially in countries that test and release results in transparent ways. An article for Politico suggests that Italy’s doctors struggle against an onslaught of cases – an assessment that neglects the greater number of nurses and other health care workers who are truly on the frontlines: “hospitals are scrambling to increase the number of...

Refugee Crisis for EU: Financial Times

Jim Brunsden and Michael Peel March 5, 2020
EU foreign ministers tried calling a meeting, at Greece’s request, to address a new wave of Syrian refugees after conflict has intensified in Syria’s province of Idlib. Turkey has indicated it would no longer restrict refugees from reaching Europe. Turkey’s president suggest the policy is due to the lack of international support for refugees. "European countries have resisted Russian...

Georgia Seeks Help Against Russia: Financial Times

Michael Peel and Henry Foy March 1, 2020
Before its 2014 takeover of Crimea in Ukraine, Russia intervened in Georgia, and that interference continues today. Russia is increasing influence around Black Sea area with a series of military actions and investments, pushing Georgia to seek urgent support from Western countries. Since Russia occupied about 20 percent of its territory in 2008, Georgia has lived in the shadows. Recently, the...

UK Chlorinated Chicken Ban? Guardian

Daniel Boffey and Jennifer Rankin February 25, 2020
European consumers and farmers express disdain for chlorinated chicken, a treatment that prevents bacterial contamination “The EU will demand that the UK maintains a ban on chlorinated chicken as the price for a trade agreement with Brussels, in a move that protects European meat exports and creates an obstacle to a deal with [the US],” reports the Guardian. A clause in the EU’s proposal would...