Franco Frattini
European Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security
From the outside, looking in: international perspectives on the Middle East

Stock markets in Europe have recorded some of their biggest losses in more than six years.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has decided to allow the delivery of some fuel and medical supplies into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip beginning Tuesday.

Serbia is heading for a showdown next month between a nationalist who leans towards Russia and a liberal favouring the West following the first round of a presidential election.

The European Union will today come closer to a universal treaty on the physical punishment of children.

Afghanistan has ordered a top European Union official and a United Nations staffer to leave the country for threatening national security while EU spokeswoman hopes for a swift resolution to the problem.

Armenia is not ruling out extending the Iran-Armenia natural gas pipeline to Europe to supply gas to European Union countries, the Armenian energy minister said on Monday.

New 'Schengen' countries to guard the EU fortress. Once again a number of internal borders are being scrapped in the European Union. As per 21 December 2007 there will no longer be any border controls between the 'old EU' and nine recently acceded member states.

The Lisbon treaty key is to have a more democratic and open and accountable Union. Commission welcomes signature of the Treaty of Lisbon and calls for its swift ratification.

European and African leaders have opened their first summit in seven years in Lisbon, with calls to forge a new relationship between the continents.

EU trade commissioner Mandelson had called for an ambitious free trade agreement" between the Parties to be rapidly executed.

China said it would veto a World Trade Organization compromise for liberalizing global commerce in manufactured goods if it failed to shield Chinese industries from foreign competition, a threat that brought a stern response from the European Union.