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What’s getting people talking across Europe? Find articles, analysis, background information, graphics and photos on the most important issues facing the EU.

Coronavirus

Eine Bundespolizistin zieht sich am Grenzübergang zur Schweiz vor einer Kontrolle eine Atemmaske auf. In der Coronavirus-Krise führt Deutschland am Montag umfassende Kontrollen und Einreiseverbote an den Grenzen auch zur Schweiz ein.
Eine Bundespolizistin zieht sich am Gren […]
People wearing face masks walk past a Euro sign in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on April, 24, 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Yann Schreiber / AFP
People wearing face masks walk past a Eu […]
People enjoy a gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) on May 29, 2020 in Venice, as the country eases its lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)
People enjoy a gondola ride under the Br […]
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pictured on a counter at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. Photo: George Frey / AFP
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pic […]
Europe put to the test by the pandemic

Transportation and mobility

Foto: Boris Roessler/dpa
Foto: Boris Roessler/dpa
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pictured on a counter at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. Photo: George Frey / AFP
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pic […]
Airplanes from different companies are parked at the Chateauroux-Deols "Marcel Dassault" Airport (CHR) on May 22, 2020 in Deols, central France. - Many planes from several airlines are parked at Chateauroux-Deols airport until the end of the crisis caused by Covid-19, the new coronavirus. (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP)
Airplanes from different companies are p […]
(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 11, 2020 Cyclists ride their bicycles on The Mall road, outside Buckingham Palace in central London on April 11, 2020, as life in Britain continues over the Easter break, during the nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. - The risk of contagion from the Covid-19 disease, which is hitting the UK hard, has seen the British abandon public transport as far as possible to get back in the saddle with bicycle retailers signalling an uptick in customers. The same trend has been seen around Europe as the coronavirus lockdown is eased and people move around more whilst still seeking to avoid close contact with others. (Photo by Niklas HALLE'N / AFP)
(FILES) In this file photo taken on Apri […]
The European Union in motion

European election

ARCHIV - ILLUSTRATION - Ein Mann steckt am 20.02.2014 in in Frankfurt (Oder,Brandenburg) eine Europafahne in den Schlitz einer Wahlurne.
ARCHIV - ILLUSTRATION - Ein Mann steckt […]
People use hand sanitiser in a polling station in Bordeaux, southwest France set up ahead of the first round of the mayoral elections on March 15, 2020. Photo: Georges Gobet / AFP
People use hand sanitiser in a polling s […]
Spanish caretaker prime minister, socialist Pedro Sanchez, applauds after winning a parliamentary vote to elect a premier at the Spanish Congress (Las Cortes) in Madrid on January 7, 2020. Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou / AFP
Spanish caretaker prime minister, social […]
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (L, OeVP) and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (R, Green) attend the first Council of Ministers of a new government coalition of conservatives and Greens in Vienna on January 8, 2020. Photo: Alex Halada / AFP
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (L, O […]
Where is the EU headed?

Health

People wearing face masks walk past a Euro sign in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on April, 24, 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Yann Schreiber / AFP
People wearing face masks walk past a Eu […]
People enjoy a gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) on May 29, 2020 in Venice, as the country eases its lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by ANDREA PATTARO / AFP)
People enjoy a gondola ride under the Br […]
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pictured on a counter at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020. Photo: George Frey / AFP
A bottle of Hydroxychloroquine pills pic […]
Facing new risks

EU budget

Foto: dpa
Foto: dpa
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels on May 27, 2020, amid the crisis linked with the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP
European Commission President Ursula von […]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels on May 27, 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP
European Commission President Ursula von […]
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives to address a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who attends via video link, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on May 18, 2020 on the effects of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Kay NIETFELD / POOL / AFP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives […]
A new framework for funding the future of Europe

Brexit

The stars of an EU flag shine through the flag of the United Kingdom. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
The stars of an EU flag shine through th […]
British members of the European Parliament from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats pose for a group picture wearing scarves depicting the EU and the Union Jack flags at the Europa Building in Brussels, on January 29, 2020. Photo: John Thys / AFP
British members of the European Parliame […]
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to members of staff and contractors as she tours the NHS Louisa Jordan field hospital, set up at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow on April 10, 2020, to potentially help with extra patients caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - The disease has struck at the heart of the British government, infected more than 60,000 people nationwide and killed over 8,000, with a daily death toll in England of 866 reported on April 10. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / POOL / AFP)
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeo […]
Britain’s divorce from the EU

Trade

Photo: dpa
Photo: dpa
British members of the European Parliament from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats pose for a group picture wearing scarves depicting the EU and the Union Jack flags at the Europa Building in Brussels, on January 29, 2020. Photo: John Thys / AFP
British members of the European Parliame […]
Employee Andrea Kuenle-Bartsch decorates a mannequin with a face mask in a fashion store in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany, on April 20, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - Parts of Europe hit hard by the deadly coronavirus pandemic took tentative steps towards resuming normal lives on Monday, April 20, 2020, with Germany allowing some shops to reopen. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP)
Employee Andrea Kuenle-Bartsch decorates […]
Internal market flourishes, but protectionism looms

Digitalization

Netzwerkkabel hängen am 14.02.2013 in Jülich (Nordrhein-Westfalen) im Forschungszentrum an der Rückseite des Supercomputers Juqueen. Europas schnellster Rechner, Juqueen, geht offiziell an den Start. Mit einer maximalen Rechenleistung von 5,9 Petaflops kann der Supercomputer sechs Billiarden Rechenoperationen pro Sekunde durchführen. Foto: Oliver Berg/dpa +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
Netzwerkkabel hängen am 14.02.2013 in J […]
This picture taken on May 28, 2020, shows a figurin on a mobile phone diplaying a screenshot of the tracking application StopCovid developed by French government in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Paris. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP)
This picture taken on May 28, 2020, show […]
A man holds a mobile phone diplaying a screenshot of the tracking application StopCovid developed by the French government in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19, on May 27, in Paris, as France eases lockdown measures taken to fight against the novel coronavirus. - French parliament is due to vote in the afternoon of May 27, 2020 on the StopCovid tracking application. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
A man holds a mobile phone diplaying a s […]
Employee Andrea Kuenle-Bartsch decorates a mannequin with a face mask in a fashion store in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany, on April 20, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - Parts of Europe hit hard by the deadly coronavirus pandemic took tentative steps towards resuming normal lives on Monday, April 20, 2020, with Germany allowing some shops to reopen. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP)
Employee Andrea Kuenle-Bartsch decorates […]
A connected continent

Eurozone

ILLUSTRATION - Griechische Euro-Münzen stehen am 07.01.2015 in Köln (Nordrhein-Westfalen) auf einer EU-Fahne. Die Bundesregierung entwickelt einem Medienbericht zufolge konkrete Strategien für einen möglichen Austritt Griechenlands aus der Eurozone. Foto: Oliver Berg/dpa +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
ILLUSTRATION - Griechische Euro-Münzen […]
People wearing face masks walk past a Euro sign in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on April, 24, 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Yann Schreiber / AFP
People wearing face masks walk past a Eu […]
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives to address a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who attends via video link, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on May 18, 2020 on the effects of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Kay NIETFELD / POOL / AFP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives […]
Ein Mann schaut bei einer Demonstration für ein «europäisches Mazedonien» vor dem anstehenden Referendum über die Namensänderung Mazedoniens durch einen Riss in einer Mazedonien-Fahne. Die Bürger müssen entscheiden, ob der offizielle Name ihres Landes von heute Mazedonien auf dann Nord-Mazedonien geändert werden soll. Ein entsprechendes Abkommen hatten Zaev und sein griechischer Kollege Tsipras erzielt. Die Namensänderung könnte den Weg zu einem Beitritt Mazedoniens zur EU und der NATO ebnen
Ein Mann schaut bei einer Demonstration […]
Many states, one currency

Elections

A pedestrian walks past a billboard in west Belfast on December 8, 2017 erected by Republican Party Sinn Fein calling for a special status for Northern Ireland with respect to Brexit and no hard borders in Ireland. Photo: Paul Faith / AFP
A pedestrian walks past a billboard in w […]
Britain's main opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn talks to students at Lancaster University on November 15, 2019 regarding the party's plans to deliver free full fibre broadband if they win the general election. Photo: Peter Byrne / Pool
Britain's main opposition Labour party l […]
The populist challenge

Migrants

Recognised refugees families and their children stage a protest outside the UNHCR offices in Athens on May 29, 2020 against planned evictions from their places of shelter. Photo: Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP
Recognised refugees families and their c […]
Two African migrants on board the Aita Mari rescue boat watch a new group of migrants from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan wait to be rescued by members of the Spanish NGO Maydayterraneo in Mediterranean international waters off the Libyan coast on February 10, 2020. Photo: Pablo Garcia / AFP
Two African migrants on board the Aita M […]
Romanian harvest workers heading to the UK queue to enter the "Henry Coanda" airport in Bucharest April 30, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Daniel Mihailescu / AFP
Romanian harvest workers heading to the […]
A new home in Europe?

Europe's youth

Schüler der Edith-Stein-Schule präsentieren am 06.09.2017 in Erfurt (Thüringen) die selbstgestalteten Wahlplakate für die U18-Bundestagswahl. Foto: Martin Schutt/dpa
Schüler der Edith-Stein-Schule präsent […]
Children prepare to enter their classroom at the Saint Germain de Charonne school in Paris on May 14, 2020 as primary schools in France re-open this week and the country eases lockdown measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus). (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Children prepare to enter their classroo […]
Primary school students arrive at school in The Hague, on May 11, 2020, as primaries, playgroups and childcare reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Sem van der Waal / ANP / AFP
Primary school students arrive at school […]
Israeli pupils attend a class at the Sadot Elementary School in the town of Pardes Hanna-Karkur in central Israel on May 3, 2020 as the country eases coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Photo: Jack Guez / AFP
Israeli pupils attend a class at the Sad […]
Endless opportunities or no future?

EU enlargement

ARCHIV - Zwei Männer feiern am 01.01.2007 vor einer EU-Fahne den EU-Beitritt Rumäniens in Bukarest. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT (zu dpa Berichterstattung vor dem EU-Gipfel) +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
ARCHIV - Zwei Männer feiern am 01.01.2 […]
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to members of staff and contractors as she tours the NHS Louisa Jordan field hospital, set up at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow on April 10, 2020, to potentially help with extra patients caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - The disease has struck at the heart of the British government, infected more than 60,000 people nationwide and killed over 8,000, with a daily death toll in England of 866 reported on April 10. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / POOL / AFP)
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeo […]
A health employee wearing a protective jumpsuit disinfects a local tram in Zagreb as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19 caused by novel coronavirus on March 13, 2020. - Since the novel coronavirus first emerged in late December 2019, more than 135,640 cases have been recorded in 122 countries and territories, killing 5,043 people, according to an AFP tally compiled on March 13, 2020 based on official sources. (Photo by Damir SENCAR / AFP)
A health employee wearing a protective j […]
European flags are waving in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. Two days before Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, the European Parliament also ratified the EU withdrawal agreement at a meeting in Brussels and finally sealed the brexit.
European flags are waving in front of th […]
The Union is growing

Defence and security

25.04.2018, Brandenburg, Schönefeld: Das zweistrahliges Mehrzweckkampfflugzeug Dassault Rafale aus Frankreich ist bei der Raumfahrtausstellung (ILA) ausgestellt. Bis Sonntag präsentierten 1100 Aussteller aus 41 Ländern ihre Neuheiten von Flugzeugen über Drohnen und Flugtaxis bis hin zu Raketentechnik. (zu dpa "Ein Kampfjet für Europa - Berlin und Paris gehen in Rüstungsoffensive" am 26.04.2018)
25.04.2018, Brandenburg, Schönefeld: Da […]
A prison guard walks in a corridor at the preventing radicalisation district (QPR) on July 12, 2019, at the Sante prison in Paris. - Since June 24, 2019, the Prison de la Sante houses the 3rd QPR of France. (Photo by Dominique FAGET / AFP)
A prison guard walks in a corridor at th […]
Doctor Jole Serra (L) and nurse Salvatore Sacco of the Carabinieri police provide phone support to COVID-19 patients from the office of ATS Bergamo in Zogno near Bergamo, northern Italy on March 27, 2020. Photo: Piero Cruciatti / AFP 
Doctor Jole Serra (L) and nurse Salvator […]
A high-speed 5G mobile network antenna pictured near Montpreveyres, western Switzerland, on September 15, 2019. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP
A high-speed 5G mobile network antenna p […]
A continent's preparations for a world of challenges

Food and agriculture

A man wearing a face mask works in a fruit and vegetable shop in Puente de Vallecas, one of the poorest districts in Madrid, on April 20, 2020 during the national lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Photo: Gabriel Bouys / AFP
A man wearing a face mask works in a fru […]
Brewer Nicolas le Gall draws a beer on February 22, 2016 in the Coreff brewery based in Carhaix-Plouguer, western France. Photo: Fred TANNEAU / AFP
Brewer Nicolas le Gall draws a beer on F […]
Feeding a continent

Europe's Workforce

Photo: dpa
Photo: dpa
People walk in front of the Colosseum illuminated in the colors of the Italian flag on May 31, 2020, in Rome. - The Colosseum reopens on June 1. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)
People walk in front of the Colosseum il […]
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY MARIETTE LE ROUX (FILES) This file photo taken on December 6, 2008 shows a prostitute, waiting for clients behind her window in the red light district of Amsterdam. Dutch prostitute Terry van der Zijden proudly points to a photo she took of the bedroom in which she plies her trade; a sexless still-life neatly mounted on the wall of an Amsterdam art gallery. "There is my bed, that is my bureau" she states matter-of-factly in front of a picture of a room with tranquil green linen, scatter cushions and potted flowers -- part of an exhibition entitled "This is my workplace" by sex workers who completed a photography course in June. AFP PHOTO/ANOEK DE GROOT (Photo by ANOEK DE GROOT / AFP)
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY MARIETTE LE ROUX […]
A closed beach remains empty in Arona, one of the most touristic municipalities in Tenerife on the Canary Islands, on April 13, 2020 amid a national lockdown to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. - The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain readying to reopen parts of its economy as governments grapple with a once-in-a-century recession. (Photo by DESIREE MARTIN / AFP)
A closed beach remains empty in Arona, o […]
Tensions between the poor and the rich

Populism

Foto: dpa
Foto: dpa
Italian Lega party leader Matteo Salvini addresses the Senate in Rome on February 12, 2020. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP
Italian Lega party leader Matteo Salvini […]
Italian PM Giuseppe Conte (C), flanked by Deputy PM and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (L) and by Deputy PM and Minister of Economic Development Luigi Di Maio (R), delivers a speech at the Italian Senate, in Rome, on August 20, 2019
Italian PM Giuseppe Conte (C), flanked b […]
Simple answers to complex questions

Terrorism and security

Anti-IS group fighters stand next to a wall bearing the Islamic State (IS) group flag in the city of al-Qaim, western Anbar province on November 3, 2017. Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye / AFP
Anti-IS group fighters stand next to a w […]
Telecom network cables pictured in Paris on June 30, 2013. Photo: Thomas Coex / AFP
Telecom network cables pictured in Paris […]
A French Gendarme stands guard at passport control at the airport in Montpellier, southern France, on November 20, 2015. Photo: Pascal Guyot / AFP
A French Gendarme stands guard at passpo […]
The EU's fight against terror