In the western Balkans and the Middle East, Turkey is already an important force and an influential actor with considerable “soft power”. It is important both politically and economically in Iraq, and in working with the EU to persuade Iran to meet international concerns on its nuclear programme.

Better communication of EU affairs by public service broadcasters is key to bridging the gap between the European Union and its citizens, said the European Parliament yesterday (7 September), highlighting in particular the "huge potential" of social media to reach out to young people.

The game will take players through the hallways of European Parliament offices in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. As is the tradition in such pastimes, players can use their avatars to do everything from choosing flowers and furniture to debating the effects of climate change.

Turks have witnessed the ruling AK Party bring a powerful army to heel and humble political rivals. The spectacle now of one prosecutor arresting another, emblazoned across the internet, illustrates dramatically where the EU-candidate's Muslim democracy is facing its ultimate test.

Despite not being European Union citizens...Switzerland comes out top in the European Mindset study by the Spanish bank BBVA as the nation with the highest percentage of citizens for whom European and national identities are of equal importance.

One way or another, debate over what role the Church, and by extension churches, can play in engaging with the European Union is only likely to intensify.

Within the framework of public diplomacy over 60 students from Slovakia, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Lithuania visited the MFA on 26 July.

A new beast is lurking in the diplomatic jungle. Nobody knows if it will swallow up its rivals or meet the fate of the dinosaurs. It is called the European External Action Service, and is being trained to be the diplomatic arm of the European Union. It was formally approved by EU foreign ministers this week.