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Five EU countries have been identified as not reaching the 50 per cent threshold in the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index.

The study, published by the NGO Transparency International, analysed 180 countries, and when it comes to the EU, the misuse of its funds is still a big issue.

The perceptions index was based in answers from 12 independent institutions specialised in governance and business climate, with Hungary, Poland, Romania, Croatia and Greece falling below the 50 per cent mark.

Michiel van Hulten, Director of Transparency International EU told Euronews: "There is a lot of fraud committed with EU funds; involving EU funds, but it has been very difficult to tackle this effectively and one of the reasons is that all member states take a different approach.

"By having a single European Public Prosecutor that will be addressing and tackling these issues, I think we can be confident that it will be easier to take on these cases."

An associated report confirmed that while most post-communist EU member-states are not addressing the problem effectively, western states also have problems. The UK and France were among the four countries that lost at least three points on the index since last year.

In contrast, Spain improved by four points and Greece by three on the index, although Greece is still in the bottom half of the global ratings.

Transparency International focused this year's report on the risks of private entities financing political parties.

Malta was highlighted as a country to watch closely since it dropped six points since 2015, with the murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia remaining unsolved.

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Report indicates corruption is still a major issue in the European Union - Yahoo Movies UK

PUBLISHED: 12:28 27 January 2020 | UPDATED: 12:28 27 January 2020

Heads of state and government attend a meeting at the European Council headquarter in Brussels. (JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

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Leo Varadkar, who reiterated his concerns about being able to strike a deal by December 31, said the UK would be welcomed back into the EU if it ever wanted to return.

"On Friday, the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union, we'll say goodbye to an old friend embarking on an adventure," he said.

"We hope it works out for them. But if it does not, there will always be a seat kept for them at the table."

Ahead of a meeting EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Dublin, the Taoiseach told the BBC the EU would enter talks in a stronger position than the UK.

"The European Union is a union of 27 member states. The UK is only one country. And we have a population and a market of 450 million people," he said.

"The UK, it's about 60 (million). So if these were two teams up against each other playing football, who do you think has the stronger team?"

But Varadkar also later told reporters that the Brexit talks does not have to be a competition with winners and losers.

He said both sides could work together to strike a mutually beneficial deal.

"Ireland will be friends to the United Kingdom into the future, we want to be friends with our nearest neighbour," he replied.

"But there should be no doubt that we are on 'Team EU', we are part of the 27 and maintain solidarity with all the member states and European institutions that showed solidarity with us over the past two or three years.

"I think if you see this as a contest, the European Union is in a very strong position - we're 27 countries, we have a population of 450 million people and the single market is the largest economy in the world.

"But I don't think we have to see it as a contest. There is a possibility for us to work together with the United Kingdom over the next few months and come to a future relationship and a trade agreement that's mutually beneficial, and that's the spirit in which we will be entering these talks."

Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled out requesting an extension to the transition period, during which the UK abides by EU rules, to facilitate further talks.

Michel Barnier said if no agreement was reached by the end of the year it "cannot be business as usual".

"We are to face a risk of a cliff edge, in particular for trade," he added.

"We will use this time maintaining our line, protecting our interests, our principles and always willing to build the strong and ambitious partnership.

"The UK is there as a friend and an ally for our common security and economic partners."

The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.

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There will always be a seat for the UK at the EU, says Irish PM - The New European

The European Commission on Monday distanced itself from the six draft resolutions moved at the European Parliament by its members criticising the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of India as well as the move initiated by the Modi government in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.

The resolutions introduced by the Members of European Parliament cast a shadow over Modis proposed meeting with Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, presidents of the European Commission and European Council respectively, on March 13.

The European Commission (EC) resorted to damage control measures and underlined that the views expressed by the European Parliament did not represent the official position of European Union (EU).

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla wrote to the European Parliament president, saying the legislative wing of the EU should not pass judgement on a law enacted by the Indian Parliament.

The European Parliament is the legislative wing of the EU. The European Commission, on the other hand, is the executive wing of the bloc that comprises 28 nations, including United Kingdom, which is set to exit the union on January 31 next.

The six groups in European Parliament comprising 626 of the 751 members of the EU legislature moved the draft resolutions, criticising Indias CAA.

The draft resolutions raised the hackles in New Delhi with sources pointing out that CAAs enactment was an entirely internal matter.

Every society that fashions a pathway to naturalisation contemplates both a context and criteria. This is not discrimination. In fact, European societies have followed the same approach, a source in New Delhi said.

We hope the sponsors and supporters of the draft will engage with us to get a full and accurate assessment of facts before they proceed further. As fellow democracies, the EU Parliament should not take actions that call into question the rights and authority of democratically elected legislatures in other regions of the world.

An EU spokesperson, however, said that the draft resolutions contained only the texts tabled by various political groups in European Parliament. India is a key partner for the EU to address global challenges and to jointly promote the rules-based multilateral order, Virgine Battu-Henriksson, EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said. The opinion expressed by the European Parliament or its members do not represent the official position of the European Union.

Continued here:
EU executive wing distances itself from draft resolutions moved against India's CAA in European Parliament - Deccan Herald

Tory MP Tom Hunt explained the next step in the Brexit process is securing a good trade deal with the European Union. During an interview with Express.co.uk, the Ipswich MP noted Boris Johnson has 11 months to ensure the UK has the best trade deal and this would be the Prime Ministers next challenge. Mr Hunt also explained why the post-Brexit trade deal wont take as long as previous EU deals.

He said: Now with the election result we have had we know that at the end of this month we are legally leaving the European Union.

The next challenge will be getting the trade deal.

We have got 11 months to get a trade deal which gives us the freedoms we need to make a success of Brexit.

That must mean having the power and ability to control our own international trade policy.

DON'T MISS:Tory MP demands end to protectionist system hindering UK farmers

As well as the ability to end free movement and control immigration and to make our own laws and I believe it will do.

Mr Hunt admitted the EU has a history of long negotiations when it comes to trade deals but explained how it will be different with Mr Johnson.

He said: As it stands we are in the European Union, we leave at the end of this month.

We are pretty closely aligned.

It is not like we are starting from scratch with a third country.

If we were starting a free trade deal with Mexico or Paraguay, if we started from scratch with no alignment then it would obviously take a bit longer.

I think Boris Johnson can do it.

He is a determined individual and he has got my backing, I think he will get us a good trade deal.

READ MORE:EU fury: How Salvini branded euro 'crime against humanity'[EXPLAINER]UK to launchGalileoreplacement as MoD spots 'security flaw'[INSIGHT]Keir Starmer refuses to rule out backing transition extension[ANALYSIS]

In addition to a trade deal with the EU, Boris Johnson is expected to solidify talks with the US on post-Brexit trade.

An Express.co.uk poll found that readers overwhelmingly support prioritising a post-Brexit trade deal with the US.

The poll, carried out from 3-8pm on January 24, asked: Which trade deal should Boris Johnson prioritise?

7,078 people responded, with 66 percent (4,604 people) backing an agreement with President Donald Trump.

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Boris faces tough trade talks with EU but will make 'success of Brexit' for key reason - Express

BELFAST/DUBLIN (Reuters) - The European Union will never, never, never compromise on the integrity of its single market, its chief Brexit negotiator warned Britain on Monday, saying London must now face reality after underestimating the costs of leaving.

Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar greets European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at Government Buildings in Dublin, Ireland January 27, 2020. REUTERS/Lorraine O'Sullivan

Some British politicians have suggested Brussels might be flexible on its rules in order to protect trade flows in talks due to begin in the coming weeks after Britains formal exit from the bloc on Friday.

But Michel Barnier, speaking in the British region of Northern Ireland widely seen as most at risk from Brexit, warned negative consequences were unavoidable.

There will be no compromise on the single market. Never, never, never, Barnier told an audience at Queens University Belfast, describing the single market as the foundation of EUs international influence.

Leaving the single market, leaving the customs union will have consequences. And what I saw ... in the last year, is that many of these consequences have been underestimated in the UK, he said. Now we have to face the reality.

Barnier said that while Brussels was willing to be flexible and pragmatic in trade talks, Britains choices have made frictionless trade with the EU impossible.

If no trade agreement is reached, Britain still faces the risk of a cliff-edge Brexit in 2021 when an 11-month status quote transition ends, he added.

If we have no agreement, it will not be business as usual and the status quo, we have to face the risk of a cliff edge, in particular for trade, Barnier said.

The EU has repeatedly said the level of access UK products can continue to enjoy will be proportionate to the commitments London makes on EU rules, particularly in relation to state aid.

It is not clear to me whether, when the UK leaves the EU and the Single Market, it will also choose to leave Europes societal and regulatory model. That is the key question, and we are waiting for an answer. Barnier said.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar earlier on Tuesday said there would have to be some checks on goods going from Britain into Northern Ireland, despite British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons repeated insistence that these will not be needed.

Johnsons willingness to allow some EU regulations to apply in Northern Ireland to prevent the need for a border on the island was the crucial concession he offered last year to obtain a withdrawal deal with the bloc.

Barnier was asked repeatedly by journalists in Belfast whether trade talks could avoid the need to have checks, but he would only say the text of the withdrawal agreement that governs it was binding and could not be revisited.

The Withdrawal Agreement must be applied with rigour and discipline by all sides. It cannot be re-opened under the guise of implementation, Barnier said. Implementation will be crucial in building trust for the trade talks, he added.

Varadkar earlier on Monday told Britains BBC the European Union would have the upper hand in trade talks, having the stronger team due to its larger population and market.

Johnsons aim of getting a deal by the end of 2020 will be difficult, Varadkar added.

Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Editing by Michael Holden, Peter Graff and Tom Brown

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Irish PM says EU has upper hand in Brexit trade talks with UK - Reuters