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LUXEMBOURG (AP) European Union nations are working to reach 1 billion euros ($1.27 billion) in aid by the end of the week to fight Ebola in West Africa and are seeking a common approach to the crisis.

EU foreign ministers began a week of talks Monday so their 28 leaders can agree by Friday on better measures to fight Ebola, anything from financial aid to common repatriation procedures, more Ebola treatment facilities and better training for health workers.

"We've got a very short window to get on top of it and prevent the uncontrollable spread of the disease," British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. "We do need this billion-euro fund."

So far, the overall anti-Ebola total for the EU, including EU national contributions, stands now at nearly 500 million euros ($640 million), with Britain contributing 160 million euros ($204 million) and Germany some 100 million euros ($127 million).

The Netherlands also promised to send a frigate to West Africa to help, matching a similar contribution from Britain.

"Money is very important, equipment is very important, staff is very important," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

The World Health Organization's representative to the EU, Roberto Bertollini, was relieved to hear EU promises of action.

"It's time to act now ... if we want to limit the amount of cases to an amount that is controllable," he said.

In Spain, officials said nursing assistant Teresa Romero now appears to have beaten Ebola but she won't be considered virus-free until she is tested Tuesday for a second time. She was among those treating a Spanish missionary who died of Ebola on Sept. 25.

"The first good news is that the evolution of Teresa Romero is positive," said Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo. "The second is that the 15 others (linked to her) did not present any symptoms."

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EU seeking to create $1.27 billion Ebola fund

LONDON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- British Energy Secretary Ed Davey said Monday the European Union can lead the fight against climate change, but only if certain reforms are enacted.

"Europe has the opportunity to show the world how we can cut emissions while creating investment, jobs and growth, but only if we reform the system and reform it fast," he said in a statement. "Otherwise we're facing increasing costs for businesses, uncertainty for investment and ultimately higher costs for consumers, which isn't acceptable."

Davey said his government was proposing a way to make an emissions trading system work better in the European economy. As it stands, with a skewed trading balance, the system is increasing the overall costs of meeting future carbon reduction obligations, he said.

His comments followed criticism from European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who took a swipe at British consideration for leaving the European Union.

Addressing think thank Chatham House, the outgoing president said he was encouraged by British government support for climate policies in the EU, which Friday examines tighter emission reduction targets.

"When the United Kingdom engages, your voice carries weight, your arguments motivate and your pragmatism convinces," he said in his Sunday address.

Leaving, he said, would hinder the British government's own ambitions.

2014 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

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London wants EU emissions reforms

Russia Warns The U.S.; "Stop Blackmailing Us"
Greetings Humanity. We are Anonymous. In Latest News. Vladimir Putin meets his Ukrainian counterpart and European Union leaders, warning, he could pull the plug on crucial Russian gas supplies...

By: Wangy Wagnols

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Russia Warns The U.S.; "Stop Blackmailing Us" - Video

Sri Lanka's EU Ambassador Rodney Perera is to travel to Strasbourg on Monday to attend the EU parliament's plenary session and to mobilise two key committees, foreign affairs and security and defence.

Sri Lanka will contest the decision by a European Union Court to delist the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and will send an envoy to Strasbourg to lobby the EU against the order.

Sri Lanka's EU Ambassador Rodney Perera is to travel to Strasbourg on Monday to attend the EU parliament's plenary session and to mobilise two key committees, foreign affairs and security and defence.

He will also lobby the European Council to challenge the Court's ruling.Last Thursday, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the LTTE would no longer be kept on the Council's designated terrorist list.

It was however based on a fundamental procedural ground.The said annulment would be maintained temporarily for a period of three months where a reassessment would be made.

Sri Lankan government would be able to appeal against the decision within two months.The EU ban of the LTTE came in 2006.

Apart from the EU, the LTTE is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the USA, India, Canada, the UK and Sri Lanka.

The LTTE was engaged in an "armed conflict" with the Sri Lankan government forces for nearly-three decades, but were defeated in 2009 following the death of its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.

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Sri Lanka to contest European Union's delisting of LTTE as terrorist organisation

ITV Report 19 October 2014 at 11:29am David Cameron has been warned about the consequences of Britain leaving the EU. Credit: Reuters

David Cameron's influence as Prime Minister would be "zero" if Britain left the European Union, the outgoing president of the European Commission has claimed.

Jose Manuel Barroso said Britain's departure from the EU would be "negative" for all parties, as he urged the UK to engage in "constructive dialogue" on the issue.

Mr Cameron, who has promised to give the British people an in-out referendum on the EU if the Conservatives win the next election, last week vowed to have "one last go" at negotiating.

"What would be the influence of the Prime Minister of Britain if he was not part of the European Union? His influence would be zero," Mr Barroso told BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

"He [David Cameron] knows well that without the EU, Britain will have less influence," he said.

The Prime Minister claimed action was needed to give the UK more "effective control of migration".

But Barroso hinted that the fundamental principle of free movement of people within the EU was non-negotiable, and disputed claims Britain had a problem with immigration.

Any caps on migration from the EU would be in breach of European laws, Barroso added.

He also criticised Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond for saying Britain was "lighting a fire under the European Union" by holding a referendum.

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Prime Minister's global influence would be 'zero' if UK left European Union, claims EU chief