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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.

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

Civil Defence members carry a patient on a stretcher as they arrive at the Severo Ochoa hospital in Leganes, Spain, on March 26, 2020. Photo: Javier Soriano / AFP
Civil Defence members carry a patient on […]
A woman waves from the window of her flat in the Trastevere district of Rome on March 20, 2020 during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP
A woman waves from the window of her fla […]
A general view taken on March 20, 2020 in Florence shows the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte illuminated with the colours of the Italian flag during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Carlo Bressan / AFP
A general view taken on March 20, 2020 i […]
Facing new risks

Trade

Photo: dpa
Photo: dpa
Containers aboard the 'Benjamin Franklin' are unloaded at Southampton Container Port at Southampton Docks in Southampton, southern England, on March 21, 2017. Photo: Glyn Kirk / AFP
Containers aboard the 'Benjamin Franklin […]
European Council President Charles Michel (L), Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R) and Parliament President David Sassoli (C) give a press conference on Brexit at the EU Parliament in Brussels, on January 31, 2020. Photo: John Thys / AFP
European Council President Charles Miche […]
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 […]
A woman waves from the window of her flat in the Trastevere district of Rome on March 20, 2020 during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP
A woman waves from the window of her fla […]
A screen used by French President Emmanuel Macron for a video conference is pictured at the Elysee Palace in Paris during a call between EU head of states on March 10, 2020. Photo: Michel Euler / Pool / AFP
A screen used by French President Emmanu […]
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 […]
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 […]
Young people from all over Europe call out "No more hot air" in front of the Federal Chancellery during a demonstration against youth unemployment in Europe. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Young people from all over Europe call o […]
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

Ein Junge sitzt in Decken eingewickelt am Strand des Dorfes Skala Sikamias, nachdem er mit einem Beiboot die Ägäis von der Türkei aus überquert hat. Bis zu 1500 Kinder aus den Flüchtlingslagern auf den griechischen Ägäis-Inseln sollen in den kommenden Wochen in anderen europäischen Staaten aufgenommen werden. Foto: Angelos Tzortzinis/dpa
Ein Junge sitzt in Decken eingewickelt a […]
Numerous migrants gather after their arrival at the already closed Turkish-Greek border crossing.
Numerous migrants gather after their arr […]
Migrants wait on the Turkish side of the Greece-Turkey border near Kastanies on March 2, 2020. Photo: Sakis Mitrolidis / AFP
Migrants wait on the Turkish side of 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 […]
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 […]
Activists (from L): Argentina's Nicole Becker, Russia's Arshak Makichyian, Australia's Chloe McCann and Toby Thorpe, Netherlands' Erik Christiansson, Sweden's Vega Minsson and France's Lea Ilardo pose in front of the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 logo at the 'IFEMA - Feria de Madrid' exhibition centre in Madrid on December 5, 2019
Activists (from L): Argentina's Nicole B […]
Protesters use fences as a barricade during clashes near the police headquarters in Barcelona, on October 18, 2019, on the day that separatists called a general strike and a mass rally. Photo: Pau Barrena / AFP
Protesters use fences as a barricade dur […]
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 […]
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 […]
Workers set up a sign reading 'Republic of North Macedonia' at the Macedonia-Greece border near Gevgelija, Macedonia on February 13, 2019. Photo: Robert Atanasovski / AFP
Workers set up a sign reading 'Republic […]
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 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 […]
The EU guidelines leave member states with the responsibility to ensure the safe rollout of 5G. Photo: Justin Tallis / AFP
The EU guidelines leave member states wi […]
The EU SPACE logo pictured on January 21, 2020 during the 12th European Space Conference in Brussels. Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP
The EU SPACE logo pictured on January 21 […]
A continent's preparations for a world of challenges

Europe's Workforce

Photo: dpa
Photo: dpa
Civil Defence members carry a patient on a stretcher as they arrive at the Severo Ochoa hospital in Leganes, Spain, on March 26, 2020. Photo: Javier Soriano / AFP
Civil Defence members carry a patient on […]
Workers wearing protective facemasks make insoles at the Zhejiang Xuda Shoes Co. factory in Wenzhou on February 27, 2020 / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
Workers wearing protective facemasks mak […]
Commuters talk after being rejected by the Hungarian police at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing on the Austrian-Hungarian border on March 18, 2020. Photo: Alex Halada / AFP
Commuters talk after being rejected by t […]
Tensions between the poor and the rich

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