"Jean-Dominique Giuliani writes: "Europe wants to be 'geostrategic': the time has come! "Europe must assume global responsibilities to avoid the contagion of the Russian example, which has unleashed violence all over the planet and unleashed thugs where they hope to exploit resentments hitherto contained."

From 6 to 9 June 2024, Europeans are invited to elect their MEPs for the next five years. The Foundation has set up a website to help you understand the elections and the issues at stake, and to follow the campaign with the lists of candidates and the programmes of all the parties.

The Schuman Network aims to promote debate and reflection on European issues. Numerous contributions from think tanks on the international situation, the forthcoming European elections and the issues and challenges to be faced are available, such as those from the Centre for European Reform, ELIAMEP and the Brexit Institute, which have recently been put online. More will follow.

In response to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund. On 17 January, the Commission received France's third request for payment. The Foundation offers you an interactive map of the plans, country by country, to view the funding amounts and timetables.

On 16 January, MEPs adopted new rules designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The first regulation concerns fluorinated gases, found in domestic refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps. A second regulation focuses on ozone-depleting substances, found in building materials in particular. On 17 January, MEPs adopted a directive to combat "greenwashing", the practice of promoting a product on the basis of a misleading positive environmental impact. Consumers will also have to be given precise information on the sustainability of products.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo debated with MEPs on 16 January as part of the start of the Belgian Presidency of the Council. For him, 2024 will be a year when democracy will be put to the test, and Europe will have to respond to the expectations of its citizens. Opening up European capital markets, managing migration, resolving the conflict in Israel and Palestine and supporting Ukraine are among the priorities of the Belgian Presidency.

On 17 January, MEPs adopted their position on the reform of the EU's economic governance rules. The Commission's initial proposal was based on the idea of specific trajectories for each Member State to reduce its public debt and deficit. MEPs want these trajectories to be supported by quantified targets based on the percentage of GDP represented by the debt and deficit, and to give Member States more budgetary room for manoeuvre. Parliament can now begin negotiations with the Council on this dossier.

On 17 and 18 January, MEPs adopted a report condemning the rollback of fundamental rights in certain EU Member States in 2022 and 2023, as well as resolutions on European values, fundamental rights and the rule of law in Slovakia and Hungary, calling on the Council and the Commission to reverse the decision to release European funds for these countries, which were conditional on reforms to the judicial system.

On 16 January, MEPs voted on economic and financial measures. They adopted the final versions of the reforms to the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive and Regulation (MiFID II and MiFIR). They voted in favour of trade measures to bring the countries of the Western Balkans closer together, and spoke out in favour of reducing tax distortions in favour of debt.

An open letter signed by a thousand scientists and 34 Nobel Prize winners, published on 19 January and addressed to Members of the European Parliament, calls on MEPs to vote in favour of a Commission proposal relaxing the rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The aim is to exclude new genomic techniques (NGTs) from GMO legislation, which, according to the signatories, make it possible to improve agricultural yields without posing a risk to humans or the planet. The Environment Committee will vote on this issue on 24 January.

At the meeting of the Ministers for Economic Affairs and Finance on 16 January, the Belgian Presidency of the Council presented its work programme for the first half of 2024. The ministers launched the European Semester process and took note of the financial repercussions of the war in Ukraine. The day before, the eurozone ministers reviewed competitiveness, with a particular focus on energy prices.

The European environment and climate ministers, meeting on 15 and 16 January, addressed the issue of preparing for the risks of climate change and the challenge of a just transition. They also discussed the circular economy and resource management.

On 18 January, Parliament and the Council reached agreement on new rules to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The aims are to harmonise existing rules, take account of crypto-assets, and increase the powers of the services responsible for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

On 18 January, Parliament and the Council reached agreement on a regulation to set CO2 emission standards for buses, lorries and trailers. By 2040, emissions from these vehicles will have to have been reduced by 90%, and by 2035, 100% of urban buses will have to be neutral. The co-legislators will now have to adopt the regulation definitively.

A ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Communities (CJEU) on 16 January clarifies the conditions for international protection in cases of violence against women. The directive providing for the granting of refugee status in the event of persecution of a third-country national, and subsidiary protection in the event of a risk of persecution, must now be interpreted in compliance with the Istanbul Convention, ratified by the European Union in June 2023.

On 22 January, a tribute to Wolfgang Schäuble, former President of the Bundestag and member of the Foundation's Board of Directors, was held in Berlin, in the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Foundation.

The newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus has published the results of its poll of citizens' voting intentions ahead of the presidential election on 28 January. 24% of respondents support Alexander Stubb, former Prime Minister and member of the National Coalition Party, while 21% support Pekka Haavisto, member of the Green League. The Finns Party candidate, Jussi Halla-Aho, enjoys 15% of voting intentions, compared with 12% for Olli Rehn of the Centre Party. Jutta Urpilainen of the Social Democrats and Li Andersson of the Left Alliance each received the support of 7% of respondents.

The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, visited Warsaw on 15 January to reaffirm France's support for Ukraine and to give fresh impetus to the "Weimar triangle", i.e. cooperation between France, Germany and Poland.

On 17 January, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, travelled to Forlì in Italy to discuss aid for flood victims with the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni. Since May 2023, €95 million has been mobilised under the EU Solidarity Fund, and €60 million from the agricultural emergency reserve. As part of Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), €1.2 billion will be earmarked for the Emilia-Romagna region.

On 17 January, the lower house of parliament ("Sejm") voted to create a parliamentary committee of enquiry into the use of Israeli spyware Pegasus by the government when it was led by the Law and Justice party ("PiS"). In addition, the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab cybersecurity monitoring laboratory has confirmed the use of the software by PiS against Krzystof Brejza, election campaign coordinator for the Civic Platform (PO) party, in the 2019 parliamentary elections.

Former Polish deputy foreign minister Piotr Wawrzyk was arrested by the Warsaw Anti-Corruption Authority on 17 January. Although he was dismissed from his post on 31 August 2023 for accepting bribes in exchange for visas, he is now officially charged with participating in the illegal issue of around 350,000 visas, and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Since 16 January, British nationals living abroad for more than 15 years can now vote in UK general elections. This decision marks the end of 20 years of discussions on the British political scene and involves more than 3.5 million British nationals.

On 16 January, the Polish Minister for Infrastructure, Darius Klimczak, signed an agreement to unblock several border crossings with Ukraine from November 2023. The agreement provides for a change in national legislation and the suspension of blockades until 1 March.

On 18 January, the French Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, together with his Ukrainian counterpart, Roustem Oumerov, launched the "Artillery for Ukraine" coalition, which aims to strengthen and perpetuate military support for Ukraine. 23 countries are taking part.

According to a statement issued by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex on 16 January, irregular entries into the European Union increased by 17% in 2023 compared with the previous year, reaching their highest level since 2016. The most popular routes are the Central Mediterranean (41%), the Western Balkans (26%) and the Eastern Mediterranean (16%). The top three countries of origin are Syria, Guinea and Afghanistan.

On 16 January, the Croatian, Slovenian and Italian interior ministers met in Buzet (Croatia) to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration from the Balkans. The ministers therefore decided to strengthen their police cooperation, the implementation of which will be defined at a forthcoming meeting in March.

On 18 January, Christopher Cavoli, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, announced the start of a large-scale military exercise on European soil between the end of January and May. 90,000 troops will train for a scenario in which American reinforcements will support European forces as part of an alliance defence operation. The exercise will take place over a wide area, but in particular on the soil of countries close to Russia, such as the Baltic States and Poland.

According to a report by the European Climate Advisory Board on 18 January, the European Union needs to speed up its climate policies if it is to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The independent scientists recommend putting an end to subsidies for fossil fuels and ensuring public support for the transition through redistribution measures for citizens and businesses suffering the economic impact of climate policies.

With the support of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Hippocrene Foundation, the Association of European Journalists is organising the 18th Louise Weiss Prize for European Journalism. Candidates have until 19 February to send in their journalistic production (written, audio, video or web) published in 2023 in French, on a European subject. Originality is the key.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation, the Academy for Politics and Current Affairs, and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities are organising their first International Prize for the best article covering the subject of the transformation of the energy sector, with a total prize of €1,750. Young researchers from all disciplines are invited to submit an article on political and technical approaches to energy transformation by 31 January.

Until 29 March, the National Museum in Krakow is hosting an exhibition of photographs depicting the beginnings of modern Japan. The photographs retrace the modernisation and industrialisation of the country at the turn of the 19th century.

The 51st Angoulême Comic Strip Festival is taking place from 25 to 28 January. It is one of the biggest of its kind in the world, and many prizes are awarded.

The "Premiers Plans" film festival in Angers is running until 28 January. The 36th edition is devoted to first films by European directors, with the aim of revealing new cinematic talent.

From 25 January to 5 May, the "Escultura Timida" exhibition is on show at the Museo del Traje in Madrid. In this exhibition, traditional jewellery meets the creations of contemporary Spanish jewellers.

From 26 January to 24 February, the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, Ireland, is presenting 'Beyond Brushstrokes: Between Matter and Memory'. Bringing together works by local artists, the exhibition highlights the way in which these artists have pushed back the traditional codes of artistic creation, adopting an experimental approach that captures both the physical and the emotional, the tangible and the intangible.

From 25 January to 14 April, London's Somerset House is presenting a ground-breaking exhibition on the role of the 'cute' in contemporary culture. Bringing together works of art and cultural phenomena in music, fashion, toys, video games and social networks, 'CUTE' explores the complex potential of 'cuteness' on our society.

The 12th edition of Art Genève, the contemporary art fair, will be held from 25 to 28 January at Palexpo. The fair will host some 80 modern and contemporary art galleries, as well as prestigious institutional and private collections. A new space dedicated to large-scale works is making its debut at the fair.

From 28 January to 4 February, the BRAFA fair will be held at Brussels Expo, one of the most prestigious art fairs in Europe. The event attracts rare works ranging from Antiquity to the 21st century.