Brussels - The Belgian government held crisis talks Friday as Prime Minister Yves Leterme was said to be considering whether to step down over a judicial scandal involving the country's troubled Fortis bank.

"Leterme has brought up (the issue of) his resignations," Finance Minister Didier Reynders told the RTBF radio station.

"It's not easy," Reynders said about Leterme's position.

The premier has come under growing pressure to resign following accusations from the judiciary that his office tried to influence a court ruling on the sale of parts of Fortis to the French banking giant BNP Paribas.

Brussels - Turkey took another small step towards European Union membership Friday by opening two new negotiating chapters with the bloc's executive, the European Commission.

But after talks in Brussels with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn warned that more was needed from Ankara, particularly in the field of political and social reform.

The commission is also insisting that Turkey allow access to its ports to Cypriot vessels, as requested by EU governments in December 2007.

Babacan said his country's goal was to reach a comprehensive settlement on the Cyprus issue.

Brussels - Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme faced growing calls to quit Thursday after his office was accused of trying to influence a court ruling on the sale of the country's troubled Fortis bank.

"Leterme wobbles" read the front-page headline of leading Flemish daily De Standaard.

"Leterme torpedos himself" said the French-language daily Le Soir.

Brussels - The European Union's institutions in Brussels have been accused of squandering millions of euros of European taxpayers' money by paying for their employees' Christmas travel expenses at a time of economic crisis.

Hans-Peter Martin, an independent member of the European Parliament from Austria, wrote to the press Wednesday denouncing this "shocking privilege."

"The money would be better spent financing meaningful social projects," Martin wrote.

Brussels - The European Commission on Wednesday approved a series of temporary guidelines designed to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to access funds during the credit squeeze.

Under the new rules, applicable until the end of 2010, European Union governments will be allowed to grant eligible SMEs up to 500,000 euros (687,000 dollars) in direct aid, without first having to seek the commission's approval.

Governments are also encouraged to provide subsidized loans to companies producing green products, while risk capital aid is increased from 1.5 million to 2.5 million euros per year.

Brussels - Some 34 million counterfeit pills have been seized by European Union customs officials over the past two months alone, officials in Brussels said Tuesday.

Faked versions of the male anti-impotence drug Viagra were among the most frequently-seized items, along with painkillers, antibiotics, anti-cancer, anti-malaria and anti-cholesterol medicines.

The seizures were part of stepped-p efforts by the EU to prevent such products from entering the 27-member bloc. Most of the fake drugs were produced in India, Pakistan and China, officials said.