European anti-racism campaigners have criticised moves by Finnish authorities to colour-code the country's ID cards, with bright blue cards for native-born citizens and brown cards for all foreign nationals, calling the new scheme "legalised ethnic profiling".

To some, his capture testifies to the effectiveness of European leverage and underlines the E.U.'s soft power: by holding out the carrot of accession, the E.U. induces meaningful change in would-be members.

This shows that the EU as a guiding framework is particularly successful if it offers the chance of a better future through the possibility of membership. Europe's soft power stems... is a more attractive message than that of mass murderer Mladic after all.

...over 120 Chinese students took part in a special educational exchange with local government and community leaders and European students in the famous port city of Antwerp, Belgium to commemorate EU Youth Week and the "EU-China Year of Youth".

"We must open up our cultural products such as literature, film, music and heritage. Creators can be inspired by exchanging experiences and working together. This is why I call for the creation of a cultural visa", Marietje Schaake, a Dutch liberal MEP

The EU needs to add more culture to its diplomatic efforts to promote human rights, democracy and development in third countries, says a Parliament resolution. MEPs advocate setting up a "cultural diplomacy" directorate to take charge of cultural relations and promoting European culture.

Ahead of a vote in plenary Thursday, the Dutch Liberal draftswoman of the report on "the cultural dimensions of EU's external actions", Marietje Schaake explained what cultural diplomacy is and how European culture can help spread democratic values around the world.

Ireland and Germany have an excellent relationship within the common home of the European Union, the Minister for Education said today, while opening a conference on contemporary German-Irish cultural relations.