Charles Michel

EU leaders express support for holding Tokyo Olympics

May. 27, 2021 06:37 AM EDT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement during the second day of a plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)

EU lawmakers approve post-Brexit trade treaty

By Samuel Petrequin Apr. 28, 2021 03:29 AM EDT

A healthcare worker administers a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to a woman at the Brussels Expo center in Brussels, Thursday, March 4, 2021. The Expo is one of the largest vaccination centers in Belgium. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)

EU figures show major vaccine exports despite home shortage

By Raf Casert Mar. 11, 2021 01:21 PM EST

European Council President Charles Michel, top of screen, takes part in an EU Summit, via videoconference link, at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. European Union leaders are gathering Thursday, via videoconference link, to try to inject new energy into the 27-nation bloc's lagging coronavirus vaccination effort as concern mounts that new variants might spread faster than authorities can adapt. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)

EU vows to speed vaccine roll out, presses drug makers

By Lorne Cook And Raf Casert Feb. 25, 2021 05:38 AM EST

A nurse administers the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a resident at DomusVi nursing home in Alcala Henares, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Health authorities in Spain are complaining that they are running short of COVID-19 vaccines due to delays in deliveries by pharmaceutical companies. Spain along with the rest of the European Union has suffered delays since Pfizer announced two weeks ago that it would reduce deliveries temporarily during a plant upgrade. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

WHO Europe: Vaccine production delays are a real issue

By Jamey Keaten Jan. 28, 2021 09:15 AM EST

European Council President Charles Michel talks to his team before an online working meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, Pool)

EU leaders agree to keep borders open, want to limit travels

By Samuel Petrequin And Raf Casert Jan. 21, 2021 06:12 AM EST

European Council President Charles Michel addresses European lawmakers during a plenary session on the inauguration of the new President of the United States and the current political situation, at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, Pool)

EU sighs with relief as Biden readies to enter White House

By Lorne Cook Jan. 20, 2021 06:56 AM EST

Britain's chief negotiator David Frost leaves after a meeting with European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom Michel Barnier in Brussels, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Facing yet another self-imposed Brexit deadline on Sunday, the chief negotiators from the European Union and United Kingdom were making last-ditch efforts to scale differences on a trade deal that have proved insurmountable for the best part of the year. (AP photo/Francisco Seco)

Going 'the extra mile': UK, EU keep up Brexit trade talks

By Raf Casert And Jill Lawless Dec. 13, 2020 10:10 AM EST

French President Emmanuel Macron, center, speaks with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, right, during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. European Union leaders meet for a year-end summit that will address anything from climate, sanctions against Turkey to budget and virus recovery plans. Brexit will be discussed on the sidelines. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, Pool)

EU strikes deal on landmark budget, virus recovery fund

By Lorne Cook And Raf Casert Dec. 10, 2020 07:24 AM EST

Sources: EU close to sealing major budget, virus fund deal

By Raf Casert And Lorne Cook Dec. 09, 2020 02:16 PM EST
BRUSSELS (AP) — EU nations were heading Wednesday for a compromise deal with recalcitrant members Hungary and Poland over the bloc's landmark 1.82 trillion...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a news conference following an EU Summit video conference at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. European Union leaders made no progress Thursday toward resolving a diplomatic dispute with EU members Poland and Hungary to unlock a 1.8 trillion-euro ($2.1 trillion) budget and recovery package aimed at putting the bloc's economy back on track after the pandemic. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, Pool)

EU leaders fail to solve political fight blocking big budget

By Samuel Petrequin And Raf Casert Nov. 19, 2020 07:10 AM EST

FILE - In this Friday, April 3, 2020 file photo, a worker in protective gear moves a casket of a Covid-19 deceased at the Pontes crematorium and funeral center in Wilrijk, Belgium. This week news struck that the European Center for Disease Control has put Belgium at the largest number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 citizens, surpassing the Czech Republic, it is revealed Tuesday Oct. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

Divided Belgium among Europe's worst virus hotspots

By Raf Casert Oct. 28, 2020 04:12 AM EDT

FILE - In this Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 file photo, Belgium's Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes, left, speaks with Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde during a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg. Former Belgian Prime minister Sophie Wilmes has been hospitalized in intensive care after getting infected with the coronavirus. The 45-year-old Wilmes, who was admitted to hospital on Wednesday evening Oct. 21, said last week she thought she got infected within her family circle. (Jean-Christophe Verhaegen, Pool via AP, File)

Former Belgian PM in intensive care with COVID-19

By Samuel Petrequin Oct. 22, 2020 06:12 AM EDT

El primer ministro portugués Antonio Costa, izquierda, es recibido por la presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen antes de una reunión de la UE en su sede de Bruselas, jueves 15 de octubre de 2020. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool via AP)

EU chief self-isolates as virus makes its mark at a summit

By Lorne Cook And Raf Casert Oct. 15, 2020 10:53 AM EDT

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier makes a phone call as he leaves the chancellery following a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Yet another Brexit deadline looms; trade talks in rut

By Raf Casert Oct. 12, 2020 12:05 PM EDT

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020 file photo, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, takes off her protective mask prior to making a statement regarding the Withdrawal Agreement at EU headquarters in Brussels. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says she has placed herself in isolation after being in contact with a person infected with the coronavirus. (Johanna Geron, Pool via AP)

EU top official self-isolating after contact with virus case

Oct. 05, 2020 03:27 AM EDT

Belgian Minister of Cooperation Development and Finance, Alexander De Croo speaks during a media conference at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020. Almost 500 days after Belgian parliamentary elections, seven parties from both sides of the linguistic border have agreed on forming a fully functioning majority government that will center on dealing with the pandemic and its devastating economic impact. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

7 parties agree on Belgian government led by Liberal De Croo

By Raf Casert Sep. 30, 2020 01:22 AM EDT

In this photo provided by the United Nations, Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, speaks in a pre-recorded message which was played during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, at the UN. headquarters. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo via AP)

At UN, nations urge overdue reckoning with colonial crimes

By Angela Charlton Sep. 28, 2020 10:54 AM EDT

from left, European Council President Charles Michel, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Belgium's Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes, Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet on the sidelines of an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Sunday, July 19, 2020. Leaders from 27 European Union nations meet face-to-face for a third day of an EU summit to assess an overall budget and recovery package spread over seven years estimated at some 1.75 trillion to 1.85 trillion euros.(Francois Walschaerts, Pool Photo via AP)

EU summit breaks up after all-night talks, to resume later

By Raf Casert And Mike Corder Jul. 19, 2020 04:17 AM EDT

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, is greeted by Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, July 17, 2020. Leaders from 27 European Union nations meet face-to-face on Friday for the first time since February, despite the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic, to assess an overall budget and recovery package spread over seven years estimated at some 1.75 trillion to 1.85 trillion euros. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool Photo via AP)

Elbows? Masks? Presents? Let this divisive EU summit begin!

By Raf Casert Jul. 17, 2020 09:08 AM EDT