Member state of the European Union

EU leaders at the start of a two day EU summit, in Brussels, 10 December 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET/POOL

The decision allows the EU to penalize individuals and companies involved in planning and carrying out gas exploration in the East Med, with sanctions of travel bans into EU countries and asset freezes.

Germany and Turkey are in talks to evaluate if Ankara could be granted an exemption from Berlin's travel warning issued for all countries outside the EU, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on June 11.

The European Commission has proposed to gradually lift travel ban from July 1 for non-EU citizens coming from countries where the epidemiological situation is the same or better than that in the EU.

The detailed list will be announced later, Ylva Johansson, EU commissioner for home affairs, told reporters on June 11.

Turkey is open to sincere and meaningful cooperation with the EU for a common future, Turkey's foreign minister said on May 9 to commemorate Europe Day.

Europe Day, also known as the Schuman Day, is observed on May 9 each year to mark the Schuman Declaration in 1950 that proposed the formation of a European Coal and Steel Community, the predecessor to the EU.

European Union leaders host a summit with six Balkan counterparts on Wednesday. Here are some facts about the six Balkan aspirants:

Albania

The European Union agreed in March that Albania, already a member of NATO, can formally start membership negotiations. Once underway, possibly later in 2020, they could still take many years.

Bosnia

In 2019, average hourly labour costs in the whole economy (excluding agriculture and public administration) were estimated to be €27.7 in the European Union of 27 Member States (EU) and €31.4 in the euro area.

European affairs ministers agreed Tuesday to allow Albania and North Macedonia to begin European Union membership talks, paving the way for the bloc's leaders to sign off on the move that could end years of setbacks and disappointment for the two Balkan nations.

See also:

Roma Face Brunt of Western Balkans Demographic Crisis

However, one fundamental failure looks set to be repeated: a blatant refusal to consider the situation facing the Roma minority in the Western Balkans and how Roma people themselves could benefit from a new approach to EU enlargement.

The foreign ministers of European Union candidate countries in the Western Balkans will meet in Greece's northern port city of Thessaloniki on Monday. The foreign ministers of EU members Croatia (which currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency), Romania and Bulgaria will also be present.

This decision should be made at the latest for the EU-Western Balkans summit scheduled for May, it is announced in Brussels.
EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell will brief the Foreign Ministers on Monday, February 17th, on his visits to Belgrade and Pristina.