European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn addresses the media Feb. 23, 2012, at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. The 17-nation eurozone economy will suffer a modest recession this year despite recent signs of stabilization, particularly in financial markets, the European Union's executive branch said Thursday. (Associated Press)
**FILE** A naval officer works Feb. 20, 2012, at the operation room of the EU NAVFOR, the European Union naval force responsible with anti-piracy patrols, at their headquarters in Northwood, England. The force said pirates who target international shipping from the shores in Somalia hijacked six vessels between May and December 2011, compared to 19 between January and April. (Associated Press)
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos arrives at a meeting of European Union finance ministers at the European Council building in Brussels on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton take part in a news conference Feb. 17, 2012, at the State Department in Washington. (Associated Press)
Greek communists hang banners in Greek and English under the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, to protest European Union policies. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Greek communist party members wave party's flags after hanging banners in Greek and English denouncing EU policies under the temple of Parthenon at the Athen's Acropolis hill on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A Syrian rebel evacuates an injured fellow rebel during an exchange of fire with army troops in Idlib, Syria, on Wednesday. The European Union will impose harsher sanctions on Syria, a senior EU official said, as Russia tried to broker talks to end the violence. (Associated Press)
British Prime Minister David Cameron is against a new European Union treaty designed to stop overspending. Of the 27 EU nations, Britain and the Czech Republic were the only two that did not agree Monday to sign the accord. (Associated Press)
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton speaks at a press conference in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Ms. Ashton is on a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of her ongoing efforts to encourage the two sides to resume negotiations. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
