Paris - The first EU-Central Asia Forum on security issues opened Thursday in Paris.
The forum has brought together ministers from the 27 EU member nations, the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan and EU member candidate nations, such as Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia.
Representatives from Russia, China and Japan are also taking part. Afghanistan is attending as an observer country because of its geographical proximity and the problems it shares with regional neighbours.
Discussions at the one-day meeting will focus on three main issues: the threat of terrorism, the fight against human and drug trafficking, and energy and environmental security.
Brussels - Rock legend Mick Jagger has added a new job to his CV: advisor to the European Union.
On Wednesday, the Rolling Stones' lead singer joined the chief executive officers of Apple, EMI, eBay, Fiat, Louis Vuitton and other multinationals for a meeting in Brussels with the EU's competition commissioner Neelie Kroes.
Sir Mick and his partners were appointed as unpaid consultants to assist Kroes in improving the workings of Europe's online retailing market.
Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday said the European Union may resume talks on a cooperation agreement with Russia, even if Moscow maintains a military presence in Georgia's separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Brussels - The European Union's executive body on Wednesday called for a complete overhaul of the bloc's bitterly controversial fisheries policy, setting up a potential clash with member states.
"Short-term decision-making, coupled with irresponsible behaviour by certain parts of the industry, continue to penalize those fishermen who act for the common good. The result is a vicious circle which has undermined both the ecological balance of our oceans and the economic profitability of the sector," the European Commission said in a statement.
Brussels - The European Union's executive body on Wednesday called for a massive boost to the food aid the bloc gives to its poorest inhabitants, warning that soaring food prices meant that the current system is no longer sufficient.
"Stocks are at an all-time low, the number of needy people has increased and food prices have recently risen sharply ... The (European) Commission believes it is vital to increase spending on the scheme and to allow food purchases on the open market," a statement released in Brussels said.
Brussels - The European Union executive on Wednesday welcomed Cuba's decision to re-open diplomatic dialogue with the bloc following the lifting of EU sanctions, officials in Brussels said.
"We see that as a positive step and we welcome their reaction to the eventual re-establishment of a political dialogue," a spokesman for EU aid commissioner Louis Michel said.
Michel is due to visit Cuba around October 22-25, he said.
The Cuban government under new leader Raul Castro has approached the European Union about a resumption of the political dialogue halted since 2003, EU representative in Havana Javier Nino told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa late Tuesday.
Brussels - Rock legend Mick Jagger has added a new job to his CV: advisor to the European Union.
Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday said the European Union may resume talks on a cooperation agreement with Russia, even if Moscow maintains a military presence in Georgia's separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
