The euro zone has posted negative economic results as business activity shrank at the start of 2021, driven by lockdowns across the continent, Reuters reported. The imposed travel restrictions had a devastating effect on EU key service sector.

The French government told its citizens to wear surgical masks in public instead of fabric face coverings because they offer better protection from COVID-19 transmission, news wires reported. "The recommendation that I make to the French people is to no longer use fabric masks," Health Minister Olivier Veran told TF1 on Thursday evening.

Saying that ‘always on’ culture carries serious health risks, MEPs urged for an EU law that grants workers the right to digitally disconnect from work without facing negative after-effects.

The video conference of EU leaders dedicated to the coordination in the fight against the virus did not give the long-awaited hope that with the vaccines the life of Europeans will gradually return to normal. On the contrary, the debate was focused on additional urgent containment measures. The rapidly spreading new variants of the virus were among the major causes for concern.

On Thursday, when the video conference of the EU leaders on coordinating the pandemic response was still ongoing, Member States unanimously agreed by written procedure a recommendation setting a common framework for the use of rapid antigen tests and the mutual recognition of Covid-19 test results across the EU. 

European Union lawmakers passed a resolution on Thursday calling for the bloc to stop the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to take Russian natural gas to Europe, in response to the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned students on Thursday to expect Covid-19 restrictions to remain in place for much of the remaining academic year.

The European Central Bank left its monetary policy on hold on Thursday after sizing up the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

Parliament backed on Thursday with an overwhelming majority the agreement to adapt the FEAD (Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived) regulation that was reached with the EU states last December. It makes additional resources available in 2021 and 2022 in order to provide food and basic assistance to the most deprived.

Turkey and the European Union have started the year positively and steps to restart talks with Greece over hydrocarbons in the Mediterranean are welcome, but the EU remains concerned about human rights, the bloc’s top envoy said on Thursday.