Russia and the 15-nation EU are expected to issue a joint declaration on terrorism after their summit, at which energy and economic cooperation is also on the agenda.

CNN: Putin urges global terrorism fight

The ministers from the 15-member EU - who are trying to agree their common immigration policy - asked the European Commission to come up with concrete proposals for financing both voluntary and forced repatriation.

BBC: EU backs action on illegal migrants

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, whose country holds the presidency of the 15-nation EU, said that Sunday's strikes were not aimed at the Arab or Muslim worlds and stressed the urgency of humanitarian aid for the Afghan people and Afghan refugees.

CNN: Europe rallies behind attacks

Or the smaller number in the EU 15, thus leaving out the ex-communist states with their own special problems.

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With just its present 15 members, the EU's decision-making processes can be cumbersome.

BBC: Europe: The issues

At an Agriculture Council discussion last year, nine of the EU's 15 countries said they wanted an eight-hour travel limit.

BBC: Lumley lures MPs to animal cause

If the status quo is maintained, by 2011 around 15% of the EU's wine output--currently around 180 million hectoliters (4.8 billion gallons) a year--will be destined for distilleries, perhaps ending up in very happy Volvos, Fiats and Peugeots.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Schroeder, current president of the 15-nation European Union, convened a special EU summit Wednesday to meet with U.N.

CNN: Annan seeks to boost Kosovo diplomatic efforts

The commitment came in response to a question from a cross-party group of MEPs on 15 February 2012 on the impact of third country legislation on EU data protection laws.

BBC: Data protection question

Its expansion from 15 members to 25 should create pressure for making the EU what it always should have been--a vast free-trade area with open borders and, for most members, a common currency.

FORBES: The Wilsonian UN--R.I.P

The EU has said it is committed to completing negotiations with a leading wave of candidates for admission to the 15-member bloc by the end of next year.

CNN: French assembly approves EU treaty

An e-commerce directive which is in the process of being transposed into the national statutes of the 15 EU countries says that a Web site should be able to sell its goods and services according to one set of rules -- those of the country where the Web site is based.

CNN: European justices pass stiff e-commerce law