Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme says the creation of a European Union foreign minister — the job currently held by the U.K.'s Catherine Ashton — has freed him up to conduct what he calls "economic diplomacy."

Russia's greater openness toward examining Soviet-era crimes such as the Katyn massacre could help normalise its relations with the EU's eastern flank.

The future direction of European defense is at a crossroads. On the one hand, the NATO experience in Afghanistan has cast into stark relief the limits of European military capacities, not only at the operational but also at the political levels.

Reports that the East African Community is close to signing an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union may be a mirage.

The European Union says it has saved those seeking entrance to the bloc the hassle of long lines and difficult forms to fill out at consulates, as it has streamlined the Schengen visa application process.

The plain truth is that the European Union is the second-greatest power on the world scene today, destined to soon become the dominant superpower in the very near future.

Talks are expected to focus on the German head of state's opposition to European Union membership for the predominantly Muslim country. Merkel favors a privileged partnership with the EU, while Turkey wants full membership.

If half a dozen European leaders will insist on turning up to the G20, could they divvy up the agenda ahead of time, and agree that one leader would speak (and only one) on each topic in the name of the EU?