And that is only part of the grim news that was delivered by the European Commission - the bloc's executive arm.

VOA: standard.2009.05.04

France and Germany helped found the European Union and are still considered the main engines driving the 27-member bloc.

VOA: standard.2009.11.11

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, recommends the bloc pay more than $22 billion a year to poorer countries.

VOA: standard.2009.10.29

A Goran supporter, parliament member Sirwan Zahawi, said his bloc "could win up to 35 seats" in the 111 seat Kurdish parliament.

VOA: standard.2009.07.26

The European Union has urged Greece to implement greater austerity measures immediately to tackle a debt crisis that has shaken the entire bloc.

VOA: standard.2010.03.01

The European Union predicts the bloc may begin to slowly recover next year, but only if the banking system and international trade pick up.

VOA: standard.2009.05.04

Initial results show Mr.Maliki's State of Law bloc with a slim overall lead over former prime minister Iyad Allawi and his secular Iraqiya faction.

VOA: standard.2010.03.12

I think this is essential. Under the deal, the 27-member bloc would contribute to an overall annual aid fund of $74 billion for poorer nations.

VOA: standard.2009.10.30

Since Barroso began as EU commission chief in 2004, the bloc has grown from 25 to 27 members, after Romania and Bulgaria came on board.

VOA: standard.2009.09.16

No political bloc took enough seats to assume power and Western diplomats,among others, say it could be weeks,perhaps months before a ruling coalition could come together.

VOA: standard.2010.04.04

The G77-China bloc,which negotiates on behalf of 130 countries including some of the poorest nations want the Kyoto agreement to continue beyond 2012 with new emissions targets.

VOA: standard.2009.12.17

But the European bloc did not commit to any sums and said the amount the European Union would provide will depend on financial commitments by other countries.

VOA: standard.2009.11.04

After a meeting with Ms.Otunbayeva, the top EU representative to Central Asia,Pierre Morel, denied the bloc is involved in any mediation between the provisional leaders and the president.

VOA: standard.2010.04.12

In Asia,parts of South America, Russia and other former Soviet bloc countries, experts think a higher consumption of preserved and salted food and poorly refrigerated food could be links.

VOA: standard.2010.05.12

The secular,Shi'ite-Sunni bloc led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi took the most seats, but two more overtly Shi'ite groups are said to be close to forming a ruling coalition.

VOA: standard.2010.05.10

But the bloc has still not adopted the Lisbon treaty, aimed to reform and streamline EU institutions and many Europeans consider the European Union to be remote and unresponsive to their needs.

VOA: standard.2009.09.16

And they are slowly losing Turkey,". There have been efforts within the EU to dilute the membership talks and redirect the cooperation between Turkey and the bloc to something less than full membership.

VOA: standard.2009.10.15

The European Commission's annual progress report on Turkish membership said Ankara has made some improvements on handling of human rights but said Turkey needs to speed up reforms to boost its chances of joining the bloc.

VOA: standard.2009.10.15

Speaking in Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency, announced the bloc would step up its support, including its civilian aid, which currently totals about $1.5 billion per year.

VOA: standard.2009.10.27

The 27-member bloc agreed to double loans available to eastern European countries to $68 billion and to contribute about $100 billion to the IMF as part of an overall funding increase so the institution can help countries worldwide battle the economic downturn.

VOA: standard.2009.03.20

"The key message that we want to get across this time is for ASEAN to really address, to really engage dialogue with the regime of how they have already been breaching the charter so that as a regional bloc that we really want it on the table as official agenda,".

VOA: standard.2009.10.09