Paris - The European Union on Tuesday urged the leadership of Guinea to hold free and transparent elections as soon as possible in the wake of the death of the West African nation's President Lansana Conte.

The 27-member European bloc appealed to the relevant politicians and civil and military institutions to respect the constitution and ensure a peaceful transition of power, the French EU Presidency said in a statement released in Paris.

Berlin - The European Union followed Germany's lead Monday in voicing concern at the enforced closure of the Tehran office of Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi.

The French EU presidency called on Iranian authorities to reopen the office of the human rights lawyer immediately.

In a declaration, the EU condemned the closure of Ebadi's office in the strongest terms, saying Iran had to comply with international obligations in regard to human rights as well as accord the office the legal status it has sought after for decades.

Manila  - The European Union on Sunday announced an additional 2.5-million-euro assistance to thousands of civilians displaced by hostilities in the southern Philippines.

The new funding is on top of 7 million euros approved in October for short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term rehabilitation aid in the southern region of Mindanao.

Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, head of the Delegation of the European Commission in the Philippines, said the additional aid would ensure continued care for the displaced.

Brussels  - The European Commission approved Friday a major takeover in Germany's automotive components industry, clearing family- owned Schaeffler Group to take a main stake in stockmarket-listed Continental.

Schaeffler is mainly a maker of ball-bearings, whereas the bigger Continental has a focus on tyres and electronics.

The 10-billion-euro (14-billion-dollar) takeover bid, initially seen as hostile by Continental, has raised questions about whether the smaller company is strong enough to cope at a time when the business may have to retrench because of the recession.

Brussels  - Talks between the European Union and Latvia on providing financial aid to the Baltic country have reached the final stretch, with a decision expected in the coming hours, EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Thursday.

"We are pursuing ways in which we can contribute to financing the (aid) package with the International Monetary Fund and other partners," Almunia said in Brussels.

"We are in the last phase," he said.

Luxembourg - A British couple that built a holiday home in the Turkish side of Cyprus must obey a court order issued by the Republic of Cyprus and return the land to its rightful owner, a European Union judge said Thursday.

While acknowledging that the authorities in the south do not exert effective control over their northern neighbour, the EU's advocate general in Luxembourg argued that its courts' decisions must nevertheless be enforced.