Austria assumed the presidency of the European Union today with a pledge to make the 25-nation bloc “more tangible to our citizens”.

The European Commission today approved a bill to impose stricter emission standards for vehicles and to close a loophole that allows fuel-guzzling sports utility vehicles to escape the EU pollution limits.

The European Commission is planning to spend €250m-a-year on research to boost security on public transport following last month's London bombings.

The European Commission today said it wanted to spend €250m a year starting in 2007 on research to boost security on public transport – notably underground and rail networks – to thwart terrorist attacks.

TURKEY’S parliament voted overwhelmingly yesterday to approve penal code reforms aimed at boosting Turkey’s chances of starting membership talks with the EU.

Turkey has given human rights guarantees, setting the stage for a recommendation on beginning talks over EU membership, the bloc’s expansion commissioner said today.

The European Union will not open membership talks with Turkey unless the country passes a human-rights reform package, EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen said today, his strongest remarks on the issue so far.

The Maldives, stung by criticism of a degrading human rights record, assured the EU today that it was taking steps to lift a state of emergency and to introduce democratic reforms.

A top European Union official said today that the bloc’s upcoming decision on Turkey’s suitability for membership would take into account the series of reforms that the country has carried out.

Charlie McCreevy was put in charge of the internal market and financial markets of the EU as European Commission President-designate Jose Manuel Barroso handed out portfolios today.

THE European Commission plans to set up a mission in northern Cyprus to co-ordinate support for Turkish Cypriots after their exclusion from the EU’s imminent enlargement, a top official said yesterday.

The Greek Cypriot government today urged the EU to give Turkish Cypriots all the support it can muster to offset the collapse of a plan to have a unified island.

TURKEY proclaimed its biggest diplomatic victory in 50 years yesterday after Turkish northern Cyprus voted for a UN-backed reunification plan while Greek Cypriots rejected it.

Greek Cypriots poured scorn on the UN reunification plan for their island today while Turkish Cypriots described the blueprint – which will go to parallel referendums next month – as a success.

Just hours before Cyprus' reunification talks were scheduled to begin today, a small bomb exploded in front of the home of the prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Cypriot state.

THE UN and EU were optimistic yesterday that talks this week on Cyprus could bring about an end to the island’s 30-year division in time for the reunited nation to enter the European Union on May 1.

The UN and EU were optimistic today that talks this week on Cyprus could bring about an end to the island’s 30 year division in time for the reunited nation to enter the European Union on May 1.

The EC is expected to decide tomorrow to take finance ministers to court for letting Germany and France off the hook for violating euro budget rules.

THE Green Party yesterday insisted Eastern European states will be able to join an enlarged European Union even if the Nice Treaty is rejected.

The Cypriot reunification talks will begin next week with addressing how to share power between Greek and Turkish islanders in a new republic.

A day after reaffirming its own backing for the war against terrorism, the European Union sat down with neighbouring countries today to discuss improving co-operation.