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☆ World’s first major law for artificial intelligence gets final EU green light
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European Union member states on Tuesday agreed the world's first major law for regulating artificial intelligence, as institutions around the world race to introduce curbs for the technology. The EU Council said that it reached final approval for the AI Act — a ground-breaking piece of regulation that aims to introduce the first comprehensive set of rules for artificial intelligence. "The adoption of the AI act is a significant milestone for the European Union," Mathieu Michel, Belgium's secretary of state for digitization said in a Tuesday statement. The AI Act applies a risk-based approach to artificial intelligence, meaning that different applications of the technology are treated differently, depending on the threats they pose to society. High-risk AI systems cover autonomous vehicles or medical devices, which are evaluated on the risks they pose to the health, safety, and fundamental rights of citizens.

Persons: Mathieu Michel, Michel Organizations: EU, European Union Locations: Europe

☆ Ukraine: EU agrees $50bn funding deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

#Unity All 27 leaders agreed on an additional €50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget,” the EU Council’s President Charles Michel wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Grateful to @CharlesMichel and EU leaders for establishing the €50 billion Ukraine Facility for 2024-2027,” he tweeted. Orban had held up the deal on the grounds he did not want the funds to come from the EU budget, meaning funds would be taken from EU member states and sent to Ukraine. Critics of Orban were quick to accuse him of blocking the deal because the EU is currently withholding funds for Ukraine due to it breaching rule of law requirements. The diplomat said the deal as outlined by Michel does not unlock EU funds for Hungary, though the summit will continue throughout Thursday.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Charles Michel, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, didn’t, Orban, Critics, Michel, Vladimir Putin, , Josep Borrell, ” Borrell Organizations: CNN, European Union, Hungary’s, Kyiv, EU, “ EU, Ukraine, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, Russian, United States, Washington, “, Russia, European, Hungary, Brussels, Europe

☆ Hungary accuses EU of blackmail over Ukraine aid stand-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, arrives on day one of the European Union (EU) leaders summit at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, May 30, 2022. Hungary accused the European Union of blackmail after a leaked document reportedly suggested that the bloc plans to sabotage Budapest's economy if it vetoes fresh aid for Ukraine at a summit later this week. "Hungary does not give in to blackmail," Bóka János wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "The document drafted by Brussels bureaucrats only confirms what the Hungarian Government has been saying for a long time: access to EU funds is used for political blackmailing by Brussels," he added. It added that budget talks remain ongoing and will continue to be based on reaching a compromise that is acceptable to all 27 member states.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Hungary's, Bóka János Organizations: European Union, EU, European, Ukraine, Financial Times, Hungarian Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Hungary, European Union, Kyiv, Hungarian Government, Budapest, Hungarian, Ukraine

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. In recent weeks, talks have hit stumbling blocks over the extent to which companies should be allowed to self-regulate. Alexandra van Huffelen, Dutch minister for digitalisation, told Reuters the OpenAI saga underscored the need for strict rules. "Please don't gut the EU AI Act; we need it now more than ever." Reporting by Martin Coulter and Supantha Mukherjee; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sam Altman, Carlos Barria, Altman, OpenAI’s, Brando Benifei, ”, Alexandra van Huffelen, Gary Marcus, Martin Coulter, Supantha Mukherjee, Susan Fenton Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, European Commission, EU, Reuters, Microsoft, New York University, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, European, OpenAI, France, Germany, Italy

☆ Exclusive: Germany, France and Italy reach agreement on future AI regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Andreas Rinke | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The three governments are in favour of binding voluntary commitments for both large and small AI providers in the European Union. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Council are currently negotiating how the bloc should position itself in this new field. During the discussions, the European Parliament proposed that the code of conduct should initially only be binding for major AI providers, which are primarily from the U.S. However, the three EU governments have warned against this apparent competitive advantage for smaller European providers. Issues surrounding AI will be on the agenda when the German and Italian governments hold talks in Berlin on Wednesday.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Andreas Rinke, Maria Martinez, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, European Union, The European Commission, EU Council, Ministry, Ministry of Digital Affairs, Thomson Locations: Germany, France, Italy, Europe, Jena, Thuringia, Berlin

☆ Germany, France and Italy reach agreement on future AI regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The three governments are in favor of binding voluntary commitments for both large and small AI providers in the European Union. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Council are currently negotiating how the bloc should position itself in this new field. During the discussions, the European Parliament proposed that the code of conduct should initially only be binding for major AI providers, which are primarily from the U.S. However, the three EU governments have warned against this apparent competitive advantage for smaller European providers. This could lead to less trust in the security of these smaller providers and therefore fewer customers, they said.

Organizations: Reuters, European Union, The European Commission, EU Council, Ministry, Ministry of Digital Affairs Locations: Germany, France, Italy, Europe, Jena, Thuringia, Berlin

☆ EU Drafts Rules to Cut Energy Sector Methane Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Fabiana Negrin Ochoa | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Union (EU) flags next to the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: Simon Wohlfahrt/Bloomberg NewsThe European Union has taken a step toward curbing methane emissions, agreeing on new rules aimed at cutting the amounts of the potent greenhouse gas produced in the energy sector. The EU Council and Parliament reached a provisional deal early Wednesday on regulation to track and reduce emissions of methane, thought to be responsible for a third of current global warming, the council said in a statement.

Persons: Simon Wohlfahrt Organizations: Union, European Commission, Bloomberg, European, EU Council, Parliament Locations: Brussels, Belgium

☆ EU agrees law to hit fossil fuel imports with methane emissions limit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 15 (Reuters) - The European Union reached a deal early Wednesday on a law to place methane emissions limits on Europe's oil and gas imports from 2030, pressuring international suppliers to clamp down on leaks of the potent greenhouse gas. After all-night talks, negotiators from EU member states and the European Parliament agreed to a law which from 2030 will require importers of crude oil, gas and coal into Europe to prove those fuels meet a methane intensity limit. The law will now be put to the European Parliament and EU countries for final approval. "Equivalent monitoring, reporting and verification measures should be applied by exporters to the EU by 1 January 2027, and maximum methane intensity values by 2030," the EU Council said in a statement. The regulation also introduces new requirements for the oil, gas and coal sectors to measure, report and verify methane emissions, the EU council said in a statement.

Persons: Akanksha Khushi, Gerry Doyle Organizations: European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: Europe, Bengaluru

But a Nov. 9 briefing obtained by The AP details a watered-down proposal that would drop the entire financial sector from the initial law. Spain currently holds the council’s presidency, and is trying to get all the member states to agree on their desired version of the law. A deal on finance was previously supported by all member states, he revealed. A source in the French negotiation team said on the phone, “France supports the exclusion of the financial sector from the scope of the directive. If they agree on them, they will form the basis for the final negotiation with the European Parliament.

Persons: Banks, there’s, it’s, Richard Gardiner, ”, René, France “, Alban Grosdidier, Grosdidier, Marion Lupin, Romain Hubert Organizations: Associated Press, AP, of, European Union, French, France, “, European Coalition, Corporate Justice, Climate Economics, EU, Parliament Locations: Spain, Dutch, France, “ France, Europe, Paris

A European Union flag flutters outside the congress palace ahead of the European Political Community summit in Granada, Spain, October 4, 2023. The council said all three jurisdictions either lacked tax information or failed to deliver on commitments regarding governance and transparency reforms. Barring Russia, it said in a statement, the EU list only includes "small and vulnerable countries like Belize yet fails to include any EU member state" which were given the same Global Forum rating. Oxfam's EU tax expert Chiara Putaturo also slammed the list as "toothless" for not screening the United States, the UK, or EU states such as Luxembourg and Malta, adding "countries deemed too big to be listed can no longer escape scrutiny." The EU Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Jon Nazca, Chiara Putaturo, Sarah Morland, Alvaro Murillo, Jose Sanchez, Bill Berkrot, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, OECD's, Transparency, Information, EU, Marshall, Thomson Locations: Granada, Spain, Seychelles, Caribbean, Belize, Antigua, Barbuda, Russia, Panama, EU, United States, Luxembourg, Malta, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Mexico City, San Jose, Belmopan

☆ Ukraine war live updates: U.S. condemns 'horrifying' attack that killed 52 in Ukraine village; Russia to discuss leaving major nuclear treaty
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European Union leaders are meeting in an attempt to address complex questions about the bloc's laws and what they would mean for a potential Ukrainian membership. EU Council President Charles Michel, in his invitation letter for the summit taking place in Grenada, Spain, stressed the need to address "critical questions, such as: What do we do together? How do we match our means with our ambitions?" Meanwhile, Ukrainians are reeling from a Russian missile attack on a cafe and grocery store in the Kharkiv region that killed 52 people, and one that Western leaders vocally condemned as "horrific." It was one of the worst Russian attacks of the war in terms of civilian death count.

Persons: Charles Michel Organizations: Union, EU Locations: Grenada, Spain, Russian, Kharkiv

☆ The West’s ‘see no evil’ approach to Serbia’s Vucic is destabilizing the Balkans
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

The result is that, despite Serbia’s professed hopes to join the EU, Vucic has continued to walk a tightrope between Moscow and western powers. A Pristina government official told CNN that they did not want to “surrender” official government buildings to protesters. A decade on, these municipalities have not been created, leaving disputes to fester over the degree of autonomy for Kosovo Serbs. After such episodes, Joseph told CNN that the “see no evil” approach to Vucic’s regime may be starting to crack. “The situation is clear who the bully of the Balkans still is,” Meliza Haradinaj, Kosovo’s former foreign minister, told CNN.

Persons: Moscow’s, Aleksandar Vucic, Vladimir Putin, Daniel Mihailescu, ” Jasmin Mujanovic, Vucic, “, Mujanovic, Alicia Kearns, ”, –, Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic, Albin Kurti, Serbia’s, you’ll, Kearns, wouldn’t, Putin, Viktor, Orban, ” Majda, you’re, Quint, ” Kurti, Kurti, Edward Joseph, Laura Hasani, He’s, Shqiprim Arifi, Arifi, Ben Kilb, ” Dusan, Milorad Dodik, Oliver Bunic, Boris Grdanoski, ” Joseph, Viktor Oban, Joseph, Biden, Aleksandar Vulin, ” “ He’s, ‘ we’re, ’ He’s, I’ve, ” Vucic, Meliza Organizations: CNN, European Union, Putin, Belgrade, Getty, Serbian Progressive Party, SNS, NATO, National Security, United Nations, Kosovo's, EU, Anadolu Agency, Gazprom, Serbian, European Council, Foreign Relations, ”, US, Kosovo Serbs, Kosovo’s, Johns Hopkins University, …, Kosovo Serb, Reuters, British, Kosovo, Kosovar Business Alliance, Kosovar, Serbs, “ Association of, Bloomberg, ASM, Russian, AP, Serbia ”, KFOR, NATO’s Kosovo Force, Red Star, Red Star Belgrade soccer Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Serbia, Europe, Belgrade, West, Kosovo, Kosovo’s, Kosovar, AFP, Russian, Balkan, Western Balkans, British, United, EU, Brussels, Belgium, Moscow, ” Kosovo, Serbs, France, Germany, Italy, Balkans, Pristina, … Serbia, Zvecan, Serbian, Presevo, Albanian, Leposavic, Republika Srpska, ” Republika Srpska, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Dayton, Banja Luka, Kurti, Ohrid, North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, appeasing Serbia

☆ EU tries to push Azerbaijan-Armenia peace as Russia offers more talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Armenia says the proposed peace treaty should provide special rights for them and guarantee their security. As a matter of priority, violence and harsh rhetoric should stop in order to provide the proper environment for peace and normalisation talks," Michel said. He told reporters: "The population on the ground needs reassurances, first and foremost regarding their rights and security." Besides the EU, the United States has also been pushing the sides to reach a peace deal. This could be followed up with a Moscow summit to sign a peace treaty, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Persons: Charles Michel, Ilham Aliyev, Nikol Pashinyan, Jeyhun Bayramov, normalisation, Michel, Aliyev, Pashinyan, Nailia Bagirova, Philip Blenkinsop, Mark Trevelyan, Frances Kerry Organizations: European Union, EU, Armenian, Azberbaijani, Reuters, Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Brussels, Soviet Union, Nagorno, Karabakh, United States, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ EU will go easy on Indian resale of Russian fuel
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Shritama Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Yet, the risk of an energy inflation resurgence makes a European Union ban on Russian oil reselling a tough call. The war in Ukraine has offered India an opportunity to boost purchases of discounted Russian oil. European imports of oil derivatives jumped to 200,000 barrels per day after the EU banned Russian crude products imports on Feb. 5 from 154,000 barrels previously, according to Kpler data. And New Delhi argues oil products substantially transformed in a third country cannot be subject to EU sanctions. loadingTo avoid an open clash with India, the EU could try to target European companies buying Russian-origin refined oil.

☆ EU Council adopts first legal framework to regulate crypto sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, May 16 (Reuters) - The European Council on Tuesday said it had adopted the world's first comprehensive set of rules for cryptoassets regulation (MiCa). MiCA, which was already approved by EU member states and the European parliament, requires crypto firms to be authorised by the EU to serve customers in the bloc, and to comply with safeguards against money laundering and terrorism financing. Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan to meet May 14 in Brussels -EU
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Annegret HilseMay 8 (Reuters) - The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan are to meet next week in Brussels, the European Union said on Monday, the latest attempt to secure a durable peace accord and resolve longstanding differences over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. An announcement on the EU Council's website said a three-corner meeting with Council President Charles Michel would take place at EU headquarters. Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet states, have fought two wars over 30 years focusing on Nagorno-Karabakh, recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by Armenians. In a six-week conflict in 2020, ended by a Russian-brokered truce, Azerbaijan recovered territory lost in the first war dating from the collapse of Soviet rule. "The leaders have also agreed to continue to meet trilaterally in Brussels as frequently as necessary to address ongoing developments on the ground and standing agenda items of the Brussels meetings," the EU statement said.

☆ EU leaders will discuss China relation during June summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - EU leaders will discuss the bloc's stance towards China and its future relations with the country during their next summit in June, EU Council President Charles Michel said on Monday. "EU-China policy will be on the agenda of our European council in June," Michel said in a post on Twitter. "Foreign affairs ministers will prepare this discussion under the leadership of the High representative Josep Borrell." EU foreign affairs ministers, speaking before a joint meeting on Monday, expressed their dismay over recent remarks by China's ambassador to France, who questioned the sovereignty of former Soviet states such as Ukraine. Reporting by Bart Meijer and Marine Strauss; Editing by Sudip Kar-GuptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil hopes for conclusion to EU-Mercosur trade deal this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Catarina Demony | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON (Reuters) - Brazil hopes the Mercosur trade deal with the European Union (EU) will be concluded this year, a government official said on Sunday, ending years of delay and opening the way to increased trade between the two regions. While Germany has pushed for a swift conclusion, France has said it is waiting to see progress in Brazil. “The signs are very positive,” Elias Rosa said. “Brazil already complies with the socio-environmental requirements related to labour legislation,” Elias Rosa said. Together with other government officials, Elias Rosa is in Portugal as part of a five-day visit by Lula, his first to Europe since being elected president.

☆ Czech cyber watchdog warns against using TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PRAGUE, March 8 (Reuters) - The Czech cyber security watchdog warned on Wednesday against using TikTok, joining a growing number of Western agencies alleging the Chinese-owned social media app poses a security risk. The NUKIB agency recommended that TikTok should not be installed on phones whose users access critical and other significant infrastructure. NUKIB also recommended politicians and officials to avoid using TikTok, and said the wider public should consider whether to use the app as well, especially for sharing content. ByteDance has said previously that concerns about the app are fuelled by misinformation, and has denied using it for spying. The European Parliament, the European Commission and the EU Council have banned TikTok from staff phones.

☆ TikTok unveils new European data security regime
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - TikTok has announced out a new data security regime, nicknamed “Project Clover”, amid growing pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic. The European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council recently banned TikTok from staff phones due to growing concerns about the company, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, and whether China's government could harvest users' data or advance its interests. At a news briefing on Wednesday, TikTok said it would begin storing European user data locally this year, with migration continuing into 2024. That’s been our approach in the U.S., that’s been our approach everywhere,” said Theo Bertram, VP of government relations and public policy. TikTok has engaged a similar strategy in the U.S., nicknamed “Project Texas”, in an attempt to placate hostile lawmakers.

☆ European Parliament to ban TikTok from staff phones, EU official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The European Parliament has decided to ban Chinese short video-sharing app TikTok from staff phones for security reasons, an EU official said on Tuesday, the latest EU institution to do so. The ban will also apply to private devices with Parliament email and other network access installed on them, the official said, adding that the decision is expected to be announced soon. The European Commission and the EU Council last week banned TikTok from staff phones, underlining growing concerns about the company owned by Chinese firm ByteDance and whether China's government could use its app to harvest users' data or advance its interests. TikTok is banned on U.S. Senate employees' government-owned devices, with Canada adopting a similar decision on Monday. India has banned the app too.

☆ TikTok accuses EU of keeping it in the dark over staff phone ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 24 (Reuters) - TikTok accused the European Commission on Friday of failing to consult it over a decision to ban the Chinese short video sharing app from staff phones on cybersecurity grounds, a move subsequently followed by another top EU body. The EU executive and the EU Council, which brings together representatives of the member states to set policy priorities, said on Thursday staff will also be required to remove TikTok from personal mobile devices that have access to corporate services. The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on TikTok's statement. Greer said TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who met EU industry chief Thierry Breton and other commissioners in Brussels in January, was "concerned and a little puzzled". Other EU institutions should do their own research before making decisions on the app, Greer said.

London CNN —The European Union is setting up a working group to examine whether frozen Russian assets can be used to rebuild Ukraine. The statement added that part of this work would involve obtaining a “clearer picture” of where Russian state-owned assets are located and their value. “In principle, it is clear-cut: Russia must pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said. A senior EU official estimated earlier this month that the European Union and Western allies had frozen more than $300 billion in Russian central bank assets that could potentially be used to rebuild Ukraine. The European Union is also working on a tenth package of sanctions against Russia.

"As showcased by ChatGPT, AI solutions can offer great opportunities for businesses and citizens, but can also pose risks. Under the EU draft rules, ChatGPT is considered a general purpose AI system which can be used for multiple purposes including high-risk ones such as the selection of candidates for jobs and credit scoring. Breton wants OpenAI to cooperate closely with downstream developers of high-risk AI systems to enable their compliance with the proposed AI Act. Breton said the European Commission is working closely with the EU Council and European Parliament to further clarify the rules in the AI Act for general purpose AI systems. Breton said forthcoming discussions with lawmakers about AI rules would cover these aspects.

☆ EU debt fears hinder U.S. green subsidies riposte
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That ties von der Leyen’s hands. Since September, von der Leyen has been pushing a “solidarity fund” to offset the imbalances that could arise out of freer-flowing EU subsidies. To move ahead, von der Leyen will just have to scatter some seeds and see what grows. Follow @rebeccawire on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a Jan. 17 speech at Davos on her forthcoming green technology strategy. Von der Leyen has since September been advocating for a “solidarity fund” to help smaller countries keep up with their bigger, richer peers.

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