Merkel notes difficulties of protecting the Belfast Agreement in a no-deal situation

Process was extremely political and so necessitated high-level input from the leaders

Any further application by Theresa May for Brexit delay will not be automatically granted

EU leaders agree extension if MPs approve British prime minister’s Brexit deal next week

Should Theresa May get her deal with the EU approved by House of Commons next week, the UK will get until May 22nd to leave bloc

Europe Letter: Believe it or not, the two-day summit is not just about Brexit

PM points finger in TV address after Tusk rules out extension without MPs voting for deal

Donald Tusk says UK can have short ‘technical’ extension

Justification for an extension must be linked to a new event or a new political process, says Barnier

Coveney says time should be used on 'new plan of action' or 'new approach'

Application of ancient Westminster rule a ‘surprise’ which brings further uncertainty

DUP says talks with UK government are focusing on legal assurances and not cash

Tánaiste hints May must signal she will reach out to opposition if she wants EU approval

Tusk says article 50 extension would only get unanimous support if UK revisits Brexit red lines

Antonio Tajani’s comments cause further embarrassment to European People’s Party

Europe Letter: Occasional acceptance of the obnoxious is price of satire and free speech

Foster to tell US administration that party is working towards a ‘sensible’ Brexit agreement

MPs will likely vote for an extension on Thursday – but the game has changed in Brussels

Ecofin ministers agree to freeze measure, opposed by Ireland, pending OECD-level work

Unilateral declaration reprises British theory that Article 50 only a temporary measure

Agreement reached after last-minute talks in Strasbourg before Commons vote on Tuesday

Juncker says there will be no further chances on agreement and Varadkar approves latest offer

There are different views about how long any conditional extension might be, with most countries favouring two to three months

DUP’s Nigel Dodds says new Barnier offer on Brexit ‘neither realistic nor sensible’

Chief negotiator offers reassurances to UK about backstop exit mechanisms

Commissioner Phil Hogan says rural development is leading the way in EU-Africa political co-operation

Europe Letter: Derailed merger of Alstom and Siemens sparks call for policy change

UK attorney general and Brexit secretary return to London after ‘difficult’ discussions with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier

Recent talks between UK Brexit secretary and EU chief negotiator fruitless and ‘difficult’

No sign of breakthrough as clock runs down to Theresa May’s ‘meaningful vote’ next week

Hungarian PM is seen as having finally overstepped mark with billboard campaign attacking Brussels

Arbitration provisions a major focus of British attorney general’s diplomacy with EU

Europe Letter: Support builds for Fidesz’s expulsion from the European People’s Party

Central Bank governor says ECB’s monetary strategy can cope with economic challenges

Maximum aid that can be distributed per farm over three years to rise to €25,000

A broad, unstated EU consensus sees Labour’s plans as the only pathway to a deal

Europe Letter: Fianna Fáil likely to be big winners in European poll in May

British PM and EU Commission president hold crunch meeting in Brussels on Brexit

Statement reconfirmed their commitment to avoiding a hard border in Ireland

Three MEPs among activists who broke into Kleine Brogel air base and unfurled banner

Talks included foreign ministers and others including League of Arab States’ secretary general

Ex-tánaiste’s appointment comes after Lane nominated for chief economist role with ECB

British representatives’ focus on provision may cause a no-deal Brexit, EU officials fear

Tánaiste says proposals would have to come from London rather than Brussels

‘Confidential discussion’ seen as way to engage with Palestinians ahead of new US initiative

Emma de Souza’s court battle exposes what she sees as a flaw in Withdrawal Agreement

Europe’s publishers hail compromise copyright legislation ‘fit for the digital age’

Europe Letter: Bid to ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank has bumped up against diplomatic imperatives

EU commissioner says State among handful of countries blocking initiative

European Commission preparedness planning sees safety certification extended for three months

European Commission desire to phase in qualified majority voting faces uphill battle

EU negotiator Michel Barnier and UK Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay to meet again in coming days

Governor of Central Bank to become chief economist

EU to remain resolute on the backstop as Conservatives extend olive branch to Corbyn

Europe Letter: Latest bid to break backstop deadlock amounts to a storm in a teacup

EU Council president is less inhibited than others in Brussels – and he wanted to send a message

We will not gamble on peace or put a sell-by date on reconciliation says, Tusk

PM persisting in backstop alternative quest while seeking to restore Stormont

Minister stresses Ireland and EU want to provide ‘reassurances’ to aid approval of deal

David Trimble plans to take UK government to court over backstop agreement

Spain, France, Germany and UK raise pressure on Maduro as Ireland declines to follow

Washington sparks fears with Iran trade sanctions and nuclear arms race moves

Move comes amid concerns over tax evasion and money laundering

Europe Letter: Poland and US deny calling Middle East meeting to build anti-Iran alliance

Bulk of withdrawal agreement provisions would fall by wayside

Margaritis Schinas responds to uproar over his comments and points to Ireland’s responsibilities

Commission’s chief spokesman says ‘you will have a hard border’ when asked a about the effect of a no-deal scenario on Ireland

‘Government will not support the re-emergence of border infrastructure’, says Coveney

Simon Coveney says backstop is the solution to protecting the status quo in Ireland

EU’s chief negotiator says that the backstop is not the UK’s main preoccupation

Governor of the Central Bank ‘eminently qualified’ for monetary policy oversight

Poland suggests time limit to backstop in first hint of dissension within EU

The story of the Limerick Soviet has always had a special place in the narrative of the Irish left

Europe Letter: Commissioner at loggerheads with Dublin over taxation of digital giants

Analysis: Barnier says if UK is willing to go back on its red lines the EU would be prepared to look again at its own position

EU diplomats call for clarity from UK amid ongoing efforts to minimise Brexit fallout

Analysis: Extension of article 50 negotiation process would be one off and not to be repeated

EU leaders hope nation’s politicians will put aside differences for duration of presidency

Europe Letter: Danger looms of populists and Eurosceptics inducing legislative gridlock

Sinn Féin leader pushes unity poll in case of no deal at meeting with EU Brexit negotiator

Authoritarian populism is coming to define the politics of this era – and it could have staying power

Battle for global dominance between the euro and dollar is entering a new global era

Europe Letter: Has British PM not considered asking Corbyn to cough up Brexit solution?

Commitment included in papers published by Brussels in preparation for no-deal Brexit

PM Charles Michel resigns after motion of no-confidence in his minority government

Issue is ‘not what Europe can do for Africa but ‘what Europe and Africa can do together’

PM is looking for clarifications, but she needs to guarantee that parliament will accept them

Donald Tusk says although withdrawal agreement is inviolable he is at Theresa May’s disposal

Danish prime minister says it is now up to House of Commons to do its ‘homework’

‘We don’t want the UK to think there can be any form of renegotiation whatsoever,’ says Juncker

Taoiseach understood to have said Ireland would agree to give more to EU if it is reformed

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani appeals to EU leaders to back plan

PM tells European leaders she can get exit deal through parliament with ‘right assurances’

Europe Letter: Brexit will get a look-in, but is by no means leaders’ main preoccupation

Analysis: An extension is possible with the agreement of all 28 member states

Juncker says there is ‘no room whatsoever’ for renegotiation of the withdrawal treaty

Best UK prime minister can hope for is help to ‘clarify’ aspects of her Brexit deal

Analysis: Clear explanation of role of arbitrators could answer ‘hostage’ fears of some of May’s critics

Can the EU come up with a clarification in language more palatable to May et al?

Survey finds perception of anti-Jewishness in social media, public, media and politics