Brussels reprimands Italy’s populist government for breaking EU deficit rules in its first budget

The timeframe to complete a divorce text has shifted from ‘weeks’ to maybe ‘months’

A possible extension for the transition period could buy the Brits more time to come up with a future trade deal

The deficit is forecast to swell to 2.4 per cent of GDP on the back of tax cuts and spending programmes

The summit in Brussels will have no shortage of drama from the UK, Italy, Russia and China

Plans developed to send rescued people to centres in Africa have run into trouble

If CSU does as badly as polls suggest, he will come under enormous pressure to resign

The political parallels between the pair are striking

Auto-making nations warn that jobs could disappear if a more aggressive cut is agreed

The more bespoke the frills, the greater the risk of talks taking a bad turn

Lawyers warn against interference from the ESM that would amount to a breach of treaty law

The two-day poll is not just another battle in central Europe’s culture wars

The European Commission’s latest step is to crackdown on Malta

The formal race to replace Juncker is finally beginning to resemble a contest

Hansa’s newest crusade is on the state of the single market

Decision is key to unblocking the country’s path to joining the EU and Nato

Clarity is expected when Giovanni Tria presents Italy’s annual spending plans to parliament

EU confirms plans to create a payments tool to help European companies trade with Iran

Spy chief finds a firm ally in German interior minister Seehofer

Italy’s finance minister is the calming voice amid tensions between Rome and Brussels

The danger is that the next step she takes will leave her even more politically marooned

EU leaders discuss old arguments over how to share the migration burden

Recent visits by EU diplomats to north African countries add intrigue to migration summit

The electoral process, first tried out in 2014, is facing something like a crisis of confidence

The UK’s departure is seen by some member states as an opportunity to revamp the world’s biggest development bank