On 12th June next Slovakians are being called to renew the 150 members of the National Council of the Republic, the only Chamber in Parliament. The electoral campaign has focused for a long time on traditional issues such as employment and social issues. But voting on 26th May by the Hungarian Parliament on an amendment of the nationality law granting a Hungarian passport to Magyars living abroad has placed the national issue at the heart of the Slovakian electoral campaign. According to the latest poll by Polis, Direction-Social Democracy (SMER-D) is due to win with 34.3% of the vote ahead of the Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party (SDKU-DS), 16%, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), 11.9%, Freedom and Solidarity 9.9%, Most-Hid 5.3%, and the Hungarian Coalition Party 5.1%.

On 4th June the Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani hosted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Moldova, Iurie Leanca who was on a working visit to Paris. During his interview Iurie Leanca presented his country's situation and his determination to modernise it.

The 27 European Interior and Justice Ministers gave the green light for the launch of the Union's first enhanced cooperation agreement that aims to facilitate divorce procedures between international couples. In order to gain better understanding of how enhanced cooperation agreements work the Robert Schuman Foundation has published a study by Pierre Fauchon and François Sicard on "L'Europe des coopérations volontaires, ou comment donner une nouvelle impulsion à l'Europe" (Europe and Voluntary Cooperation or how to provide Europe with new impetus) in its "Notes" series. This paper is available on the Foundation's site.

Just as last week there was aggressive confrontation between Turkey and Israel over the blockade of the Gaza Strip the Robert Schuman Foundation recently published the proceedings of a seminar on "The Middle East goes Nuclear" together with the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Senate - the paper analyses the EU policy in the Middle East.

Just as the debate over pensions is emerging in some EU countries the Robert Schuman Foundation has published a table to understand the retirement systems in operation in the 27 Member States of the EU.

The governor of the Bank of Italy Mario Draghi pleaded in favour on 31st May for the enhancement of the Stability and Growth Pact and the introduction of sanctions including policies in the event this is not respected. The balancing of public accounts is a priority to emerge from the crisis but this implies increased coordination of national policies, since the crisis accentuates the full force of "the old problem of the economic governance of Europe". In addition to this according to data published by the National Statistics Institute between 31st May and 3rd June the GDP declined in 2009 by 5% notably in the industrial sector. In April 2010 the unemployment rate lay at 8.9% ie +0.1% points in March and +1.5% in comparison with April 2009.

On 2nd June the European Commission put forward measures to guarantee the security and stability of the financial system. It wants to guarantee effective and centralised monitoring of credit ratings agencies Europe wide by giving the European Financial Markets Authority the power to request information, to launch inquiries and to undertake on-the-spot inspections and to enhance competition between these agencies in order to guarantee the transparency of decisions and to protect investors. The Commission also launched a public consultation open until 1st September on the means to reduce risk taking in financial establishments. The Commission has published two reports on the implementation of recommendations on remuneration policies in the financial sector that several Member States still have to implement in full.

On 2nd June the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy insisted on the need for greater budgetary discipline, advising on strengthening the European stability pact. He said that it was a priority to "achieve greater budgetary discipline". With regard to the euro, "a fundamentally healthy currency", he said that "we need convergence in terms of economic and political development to enhance the credibility of our European currency."

According to the Polish National Statistics Office Poland's GDP increased in real terms by 0.5% over the first quarter of 2010 in comparison with the previous year. It even recorded a rise of 2.8% in comparison with the first quarter of 2009 (3% nominal value). This economic growth is mainly to be due to growth in domestic demand.

To counter the economic crisis the Council of the European Union adopted a regulation facilitating access to the EU's structural funds on 3rd June in the wake of the agreement made with the European Parliament. The new regulation aims to guarantee the liquidity of the worst affected Member States in the crisis to improve the absorption of the funds with regard to certain operational programmes and to simplify the structural funds' management rules. MEPs of the European Parliament's Regional Development Committee declared the same day that more flexible access to the EU's regional fund should help the regions that have been hit by the economic crisis recover more quickly. In addition MEPs added that SME aid, professional training, R&D and industrial and rural modernisation will work towards sustainable growth and employment.

According to data published on 31st May by "Statistics Denmark" Denmark's GDP made greater progress than forecast in the 1st quarter of 2010 - 0.6% in comparison with the fourth quarter 2009. In addition to this on 1st June the Danish Parliament adopted a draft law by a wide majority putting an end to the unlimited Danish State guarantee of bank client assets which was introduced when the financial crisis was at its worst in 2008. This guarantee which comes to an end on 30th September will be taken over on 1st October by some 140 banking establishments in the country. Banks will then have to fund the deposit guarantee of 750,000 crowns (100,000 euro) per client in the event of bankruptcy, in comparison with 300,000 crowns before the financial crisis in 2008.

On 31st May 2010, in an interview with the French daily, "Le Monde" the President of the European Central Bank, Jean-Claude Trichet highlighted the need for a budgetary federation in the euro area. The establishment of a European budgetary policy that mirrors the monetary federation - this would enable greater control of Member States' finances. To come out of the crisis he encourages the austerity policies undertaken at present by the EU States at present - these will lead to greater household confidence. However he did point to the poor example set by France, Germany and Italy in the management of the budgetary policy.

Luxembourg's economic growth is still due to suffer some dark moments. This is what the IMF states in its annual report on the Luxembourg economy published on 3rd June. The Luxemboug economy is suffering from the world financial crisis. Indeed uncertainty dominates just as the markets are concerned about the financial situation of the Grand Duchy neighbours and international initiatives to regulate financial transactions which are affecting the growth of Luxembourg banks and investment funds.

Portugal is due to achieve its goal of bringing the public deficit down from 9.3% of the GDP in 2009 to 7.3% in 2010 without any problem said Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates who spoke to the Assembly of the Republic, the lower chamber in Parliament on 4th June. "Between January and May budgetary performance puts us in a safe, comfortable position to guarantee the achievement of our budgetary goals this year," he declared, recalling that the increase in revenues over this period totalled 4.7% (3.5 points more than planned). This speech followed a previous one delivered on 2nd June when the Assembly was debating the adoption of additional austerity measures to restore market confidence.

On 6th June German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted the reduction of public spending and the balancing of finances in Europe's leading economy sorely affected by the world crisis. She initimated that training and research, believed to be "capital points" that had to be "developed correctly" would be exempt from budgetary cuts.

Finance Ministers and central bankers from developed and emerging countries of the G20 said on 5th June that they were pleased with economic recovery that was occuring "faster than forecast" whilst they remained divided over the implementation of a world bank tax. "The world economy continues to grow faster than forecast, but at an unequal pace depending on the country and the regions." However recent volatility on the financial markets reminds us that "significant challenges continue" stressed the G20 Ministers in a press release.

The Hungarian government is trying to calm matters down by announcing that the public deficit may finally be kept under control under certain conditions after alarmist declarations on 3rd June when Hungary and Greece were compared and markets fell. "The Hungarian economy has a healthy base and the goal of a 3.8% GDP deficit can be maintained for 2010 if we adopt certain measures", said Mihaly Varga, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a press conference on 5th June. Two days earlier he had said that the public deficit could reach between 7% and 7.5% given the situation left behind by the previous govenrment "was not as good as had been anticipated."

The second EU-Pakistan Summit provided the occasion on 4th June to re-initiate "strategic dialogue" as part of a five year commitment. This five year programme aims to achieve strategic political objectives with regard to security, counter terrorism, energy supplies and the fostering of peace and democracy. This new agreement focuses on Pakistan's economic development and the enhancement of its trade links with the Union.

On 1st June the European Commission adopted the Annual Action Programmes 2010 for Moldova and Georgia, funded by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership mechanism. For Moldova the programme, to a total of 66 million euro, aims to counter poverty, particularly in rural areas. Particular attention has also been given to reducing energy dependence. For Georgia the programme of 37 million euro is to be used to reduce regional disparity and to support the reform of public finance management.

On 3rd June the European Commission addressed a warning to twelve Member States who have not delivered their plans with regard to the management of their river basins (Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia), a vital stage in view of the completion of the goal to restore European waters to a good standard by 2015. The Commission also decided to prosecute five States at the Court of Justice (Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece and Luxembourg) for not transposing rules on the sharing of geographical data relative to the environment; Belgium will be prosecuted for not having transposed legislation on ground water.

President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso met the representatives of European workers and employers organisations on 4th June. He declared that it was necessary to commit to structural reform to re-establish confidence in the economy and to boost growth thereby enabling the creation of jobs and the protection the European social model. Participants stressed the need not to neglect the social aspect of the crisis and to pay particular attention to the most vulnerable categories.

On 1st June the 27 European Agriculture Ministers confirmed their support for a "sustainable, productive and competitive agricultural sector that will help to enable an exit from the crisis." They highlighted the need for a strong but reformed common agricultural policy (CAP) that focuses on research, innovation and competitiveness. Bugetary issues were set to one side: the UK, together with Sweden and Denmark, is demanding a reduction in agricultural subsidies but is facing resistance on the part of France and Germany, who are the two main beneficiaries of these. As for the new Member States they are requesting a rebalancing of distribution in their favour.

The 27 European Energy Ministers adopted the future energy strategy for Europe 2011-2020 based on innovation and the reduction of greenhouse gases. They looked into progress made in the establishment of new efficacy and energy saving parameters, notably in terms of reducing greenhouse gases and the promotion of renewable energies. They adopted the digital strategy for Europe, presented by the Commission - this aims to create a single, competitive digital market by developing innovation, investment in broad band networks and interoperability in order to boost growth and to improve European living standards. Ministers discussed the writing of a digital rights charter and decided that the new regulation body (BEREC) Body of European Regulators for Electronic) will be based in Riga.

On 4th June the 27 European Interior and Justice Ministers adopted the conclusions of the Commission's Action Plan which implements the Stockholm Programme on the monitoring of the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, on the liberalisation of visas in the Western Balkans, on the European Arrest Warrant and on the facilitation of travel for EU citizens beyond the Union's external borders. They gave the green light to the launch of the Union's first enhanced cooperation agreement that aims to facilitate divorce procedures between international couples as well as the postponement until 2013 of the implementation of the Schengen Area police database (SIS II) although the delay and the necessary budgetary extension was the source of irritation on the part of several delegations. Finally ministers adopted a European pact to counter the international trafficking of drugs and an EU-USA declaration on the fight against terrorism.

On 31st May German Federal President Horst Köhler announced his immediate resignation after he made some very critical remarks about the Bundeswehr's intervention in Afghanistan. In line with the fundamental law it is the chair of the Upper Chamber of Parliament (Bundesrat), Jens Böhrnsen (SPD) who will ensure the interim. On 30th June Mr Köhler's successor will be elected by the Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung). On 3rd June German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that her government coalition (CDU/CSU, FDP) will present Minister President of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff as their candidate. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Greens are putting forward Joachim Gauck.

On 5th June German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev suggested to enhance cooperation with regard to security between Moscow and the EU. In a memorandum the two leaders suggested that regular consultations between Moscow and the Political and Security Committee (PSC) of the EU be held between the heads of diplomacy of the EU and Russia in the future, with the creation of a "EU-Russia Political and Security Committee". This new cooperation mechanism may establish rules "for joint operations in crisis management," of both a civilian or military nature, indicated Ms Merkel. According to the two leaders it might be tested in the region of Transnistria in Moldova.

On 2nd June UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon announced the appointment of American Lisa Buttenheim as Special Envoy to Cyprus and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Ms Buttenheim brings vast experience in areas such as political affairs and peacekeeping to her new post. The new Special Envoy succeeds Ethiopian Tayé-Brook Zerihoun who occupied this post from May 2008 to April 2010.

Over the university year 2008-2009, 28,283 French students studied in another EU country thanks to Erasmus; this makes France the "new champion of student mobility" a position it had lost since 2003-2004 to Germany. In 2008-2009 French students primarily went to Spain (22.4%) then to the UK (18.7%), Germany (12.1%), Sweden and Italy (6.7%) each. The European university exchange programme Erasmus has enabled more than 2 million Europeans to study in another country on the continent since it was created - this also includes teachers and since 2007 training in companies is also part of the programme. At present it is believed that 4% of European students take advantage of Erasmus at some time in their studies.

French Prime Minister François Fillon spoke on 4th June with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. On this occasion he announced that the French government wanted to balance public finances and recover a public deficit of 6% of the GDP next year. These measures must not however impede growth said Mr Fillon; coordination between States within the G20 is vital. The G20's goal in Toronto will be to limit dangerous behaviour on the part of the banks. The French Prime Minister did however say that the measure France felt most important ie the taxation of danger banking behaviour did not meet with unanimous agreement within the G20.

The 22nd Biannual Maritime Exhibition Posidonian, the most important in the sector opened its doors on 7th June in Athens - it provides Greece with an opportunity to show the dynamism of its economic motor. This time the exhibition will bring together more than 1,850 companies from 87 countries until 11th June and according to the Greek Shipowners Union (EEE) will demonstrate that the Greek maritime industry is healthy contributing 7% to the GDP in spite of the international and national crisis.

Romanian President Traian Basescu hosted his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili on 2nd and 3rd June. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss Romano-Georgian relations and regional issues focusing on energy supplies and security. With regard to this Mr Basescu said that he did not support the Russian proposal of a European Security Treaty stating that this is already guaranteed by the OSCE and NATO. He renewed his support for Georgia's accession to the Atlantic Alliance. This visit also enabled the two presidents to discuss the AGRI project that aims to ensure the supply of gas from the Caspian Sea via Georgia and Romania towards the rest of Europe.

In a letter dated 31st May and addressed to all ministerial departments British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he wanted to make public various types of information held by the government such as that on criminal activities, hospital infections and government spending. This decision follows the numerous financial scandals that marked the previous government's term in office and meets a promise that Mr Cameron made during his campaign to guarantee government transparency for British citizens.

With the support of the Council of Europe the Moldovan government has found a solution to settle the constitutional crisis. On 3rd June the four leaders of the government coalition (Alliance for European Integration AIE) announced that a referendum would be organised at the beginning of September to establish the direct election of the president (modification of article 78 of the Constitution), and that new general elections would take place in the autumn after the dissolution of Parliament in October. Mediation on the part of the Council of Europe's Secretary General was decisive in the elaboration of this solution that may enable the settlement of the institutional and political crisis that is affecting the country at present.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 4th June during the first quarter of 2010 the GDP in the euro area and that of the EU increased by 0.2% in comparison with the previous quarter. Over the fourth quarter of 2009 the growth rate lay at +0.1% in the euro area and +0.2% in the EU.

A European Commission report released on June 1st shows that EU telecoms markets have become more competitive. As a result, citizens and businesses enjoy greater choice of services and cheaper prices. However, the report also indicates that a single EU telecoms market is still far from reality, which is why the Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe calls for swift and consistent enforcement of existing telecoms rules and indicates that the Commission intends to propose appropriate steps to reduce the cost of the absence of a Single Market in telecoms services. Problems include different national regulatory approaches to tackling competition issues, such as regulating access to fibre networks.

The German Foundation for Science and Politics (SWP) published a study on the debt crisis in the EU entitled "Die Schuldenkrise in der Europäischen Union-Schuldenabbau und Prävention durch neue Nachhaltigkeitsregel". (The debt crisis - Reducing and Preventing Debt via new sustainability rules). The study's author Ognian Hishow observes that Member States might not reduce their debts significantly before 2025. He suggests the establishment of a rule that assesses the development of the amount of debt in the light of economic growth. According to the author the control and sanction of debt should be managed by the European Commission.

Louise Bourgeois, a Franco-American artist died in New York on 31st May. Aged 98 this major 20th century artist leaves us with her avant-garde art ranging from surrealism to minimalism. A famous sculptor she addressed themes such as the family, maternity and sexuality in an aesthetic and innovative manner. Her work is on show until 19th September at the "Emilio e Annabianca Vedova" Foundation in Venice.

The film "Mundane History" by Thai film maker Anocha Suwichakornpong won the "Transylvania Prize" in the Transylvania International Film festival(TIFF). The jury's special prize was awarded to the Dutch road movie "Last Conversation" by Noud Heerkens. The 9th edition of the Festival rallied 240 films from 47 countries in Cluj.