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My Europe Series

Europe's week: Vaccine ups and downs, 'Sofagate' and Ukraine conflict

What are the key stories from the Brussels bubble this week?

Europe News

Senior MEP 'deeply offended' by chair gaffe in Turkey

The diplomatic gaffe caused uproar and comes with gender equality in the spotlight in Turkey after the country pulled out of a treaty aimed at stopping domestic violence.

Europe News

Michel and von der Leyen to face MEPs after 'Sofagate' gaffe in Turkey

The 'Sofagate' incident has landed European Council president Charles Michel in hot water and raised questions about the unity between EU leaders.

Italy

Italian PM slams ‘dictator’ Erdogan over von der Leyen chair incident

Mario Draghi said he was “very displeased by the humiliation” the EU Commission president suffered during her meeting with the Turkish president.

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Jordan

'Sedition has been nipped in the bud,' says Jordan's King Abdullah II

Jordan's King Abdullah II has made his first public comments after an alleged plot to destabilise his kingdom involving his half brother, former Crown Prince Hamzah.

Europe News

EU's Michel 'hasn't slept well' since chair gaffe in Turkey

Footage shows the awkward moment Michel and Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took the two top seats, leaving von der Leyen left wondering where she should sit. Eventually, she withdrew to a sofa, some distance from the two men.

Europe News

Gaffe as EU's Von der Leyen left without chair as male leaders look on

The incident comes with Turkey under the spotlight over women's rights after withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty on preventing domestic violence.

Europe News

EU slams Turkey over its withdrawal from domestic violence treaty

EU chiefs highlighted the bloc's disappointment with Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention and raised concerns about the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights in Turkey.

Europe News

EU leaders back tightening vaccine exports at Brussels summit

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said that the EU needed pharmaceutical companies to match Europe's openness to exports.

Europe News

EU to reset relations with Turkey by refinancing migration deal

European leaders will meet next week in Brussels to discuss the state of EU-Turkey relations following a fractious 2020.

World News

EU to receive 100m doses per month from April, says Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told German newspapers that the bloc will receive 300 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines between April and June.

World News

EU and US agree to suspend tariffs over Airbus-Boeing dispute

The tariffs will be suspended for four months initially as the standoff between the bloc and the US eased.

Europe News

Brussels to issue draft law on vaccine passports this month, says VDL

Brussels will put forward a draft law this month to create so-called vaccine passports, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.

Europe News

EU unveils plan to prepare for battle against COVID-19 variants

The EU plan to fight variants, called HERA Incubator, will be a public-private partnership, pooling knowledge from researchers, biotech companies, manufacturers, the health sector and public authorities and regulators.

Europe News

Von der Leyen defends EU vaccine plan but admits mistakes over Ireland

Speaking before the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission said the EU's common vaccine strategy was the right thing to do in the name of European solidarity.

My Europe Series

Europe's week: Navalny jailing slammed as vaccine fallout continues

What has dominated minds in Brussels this week?

Europe News

EU will have 400M COVID vaccine doses by June, says von der Leyen

If no other vaccines are obtained in the meantime, that's only enough doses to inoculate fewer than half of the EU's 447 million population.

Europe News

'Wholly unnecessary': Criticism mounts on Brussels over vaccine furore

It's been a tumultuous last week for EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

World News

AstraZeneca will deliver nine million additional vaccine doses to EU

Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that AstraZeneca would deliver the EU nine million additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine but it still falls short of what they originally agreed on.

World News

European leaders congratulate US President Biden after inauguration

European leaders described the 46th President's inauguration speech as "inspiring" and said it was time to bring "conviction and common sense" to help rejuvenate their relationship with the US.