The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) led by Bart de Wever won the general elections in Belgium on 13th June. The N-VA won 18.65% of the vote and 28 seats in the Chamber of Representatives; it won 20.64% of the vote and 9 seats in the Senate. The N-VA's excellent result is to the detriment of the other Flemish parties: Flemish Democratic Christian Party (CD&V) led by outgoing Prime Minister Yves Leterme, Open VLD, SP.A, Groen. If the votes of the N-VA, Vlaams Belang and the DeDecker List are added together the parties promoting the independence of Flanders represent 44.1% of the Flemish electorate. Elio di Rupo's Socialist Party (PS) is the winner in Wallonia where it won 11.43 % of the vote and 25 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 12.24% of the vote and 7 seats in the Senate. It has become the leading French-speaking force once more ahead of MR led by Didier Reynders, the CDH and Ecolo. Bart de Wever (NV-A) is due to assume federal responsibilities and stand for the post of Prime Minister but he has said that he is ready to leave the position to Elio di Rupo (PS).

In a document delivered on 7th June to the Finance Ministers of the euro area the IMF heavily criticises the dysfunctions in the euro area. According to the report the policies undertaken by the governments were not viable; the IMF is recommending the creation of a common authority enabling the definition of the admissible budgetary deficit for each member of the euro area as well as an effective means of sanction. The IMF recalls that the centralisation of budgetary goals is only possible if the treaties are modified. The IMF approves the Commission's proposal for euro area Member States to submit their draft budgets to it prior to any consultation with national parliaments. Finally the IMF suggests that for a recovery of growth in terms of reform there should be greater flexibility in the labour market, the deregulation of services as well as greater European competition.

On 9th June the Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Dukanovic travelled to Brussels where he met most European leaders. The President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy renewed the Union's commitment to the country and said he was pleased with the role played by Montenegro in terms of regional cooperation. He invited him however to step up the pace of reform. The Commission is studying Montenegro's candidature at present. Mr Barroso, President of the Commission recalled that political criteria were vital and with regard to this Montenegro still has to make progress. Mr Dukanovic met the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton and Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle.

On 9th June the Commissioner for Enlargement and the Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle spoke to the European Parliament on EU-Moldova relations. He welcomed the progres made in negotiations in view of deepening cooperation via a future association agreement. He also recalled the Union's commitment in support of the establishment of a free trade zone, the abolition of visas and structural reforms in Moldova. On the same day the Commission submitted a proposal to European Parliament for financial aid to the country to a total of 90 million euros.

On 9th June the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek met Romanian President Traian Basescu, Prime Minister Emil Boc and the Romanian Parliament. They addressed the difficult issue of reforms and the responsibility of MPs in this test to repair the economy. Mr Buzek invited the Romanian political classes to pay the price of these austerity reforms that will help Romania to emerge from the crisis and consolidate its European integration. The President of the Parliament recalled the important regional role that Romania plays with its neighbours on the Black Sea and encouraged the country to continue cooperation work, notably in the area of energy.

On 9th June there was an interministerial meeting between the EU and Ukraine on freedom, security and justice. The Ukrainian government committed before European representatives to step up the fight against corruption, the trafficking of people and drugs and to step up work to control borders. This latter point is particularly important for the EU in the fight against illegal immigration and this is still a condition for the continuation of the process to relax the visa system.

In a decision dated 8th June (case C-58/08) the European Court of Justice said it believed that the regulation (CE nº717/2007) with regard to roaming was valid ie when calls are received and made by a user outside of the network of their mobile phone provider. When challenged about the infringement of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality it declared that the Community had the right to impose caps on the prices charged by mobile telephone operators for roaming calls in the interest of the internal market. It said it believed that the cost/price ratio in operation did not match the one that would be practised on a fully competitive market - thereby disturbing the running of the community's roaming market. As soon as the regulation was implemented on reserve that it would be limited in time it was in proportion with the goals to protect consumers. It is justified on a community level wtih regard to the goal of a harmonious internal market.

German Economy Minister Rainer Brüderle announced on 9th June that he was rejecting the request for guarantees for the car manufacturer Opel, leaving it up to its American mother company General Motors to restructure it alone. "As Economy Minister, I have decided to reject the request. I am convinced that Opel has a bright future even without 'public guarantees'", declared Rainer Brüderle. The car manufacturer was asking for 1.1 billion euros from Germany where it employs half of its 46,000 European workers to help it restructure.

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger met his Macedonian counterpart Antonio Milososki on 9th June in Vienna. He highlighted the progress achieved by the country in view of joining the EU. According to Mr Spindelegger the integration of Macedonia would be good for the Balkans as well as for the EU and Austria.

On 8th June Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme met his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk to discuss their priorities for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union which Belgium will take over on 1st July 2010. Yves Leterme supported the importance of reciprocal consultations during the Belgian and Polish Presidencies and stressed the importance of the role Poland is called to play within the Union "thanks to its surface area and geographical situation." He indicated that economic issues, the enhancement of stability and growth were amongst the priorities of the Belgian presidency.

The Spanish government delivered its project for the reform of the labour law to its social partners after the failure of negotiations between unions and management. The reform of the labour market is believed vital by the government, international organisations and analysts whilst unemployment nears 20% and the economy is struggling to emerge from recession.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakachvili was the guest of French President Nicolas Sarkozy on 8th June. During their interview the French president guaranteed the Georgian president that France was "one of Georgia's main supporters" after the European Union and that "it was pushing for an association and free-trade agreement that could start as from this summer." The Georgian President said he was happy with the unconditional support and "unhesitating " attitude of France towards his country in spite of concern raised by the project to sell equipment such as the Mistral to Russia. He also met Prime Minister François Fillon.

Mari Kiviniemi was elected on 12th June as head of the Centre Party to take it to victory in the general elections in 2011 and to guarantee her by that time the role of Prime Minister, a position which she is due to inherit. Mari Kiviniemi, 41, replaces Matti Vanhanen who has resigned as the chair of the Centre Party and she is also due to succeed him as head of government after a vote in Parliament and the approval of Finnish President Tarja Halonen on 22nd June.

On 10th June the Italian Council of Ministers approved a measure that brings the retirement age of women civil servants up from 60 to 65 in 2012 and not 2018 as previously planned, to fall in with the European Commission's request of 3rd June. This modification will involve 25,000 women in all. With regard to this subject the Robert Schuman Foundation recently published a table to provide better understanding of the retirement systems in the 27 EU Member States.

After the early general elections on 9th June in the Netherlands the Liberal Party (VVD) won 31 seats out of a possible 150, Labour (PvdA) 30 seats and the Freedom Party (PVV) 24 seats. The Christian Democrats (CDA) declined from 41 to 21 seats. Its leader and outgoing Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende who had been in office for eight years immediately announced his retirement. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands asked on 12th June that politicians should "first explore the possibility of forming a government in which the biggest parties and clearest victor would take part." These parties are the Liberal VVD led by Mark Rutte and the far right PVV of Geert Wilders, declared Henk Brons, spokesperson for the "informer" Uri Rosenthal, who was asked by the Queen to sound out the political parties in view of forming a government.

During a press conference in Brussels on 9th June with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned against an "elitist" trend in the euro area saying that economic governance of Europe should not be limited to the 16 countries that share the European single currency. Echoing a speech by José Manuel Barroso who does not support the plan for economic governance within the euro area, he said "We need greater governance within the euro area but also across the entire Union." "We must avoid the division of Europe. It seems important to me to retain the EU's integrity. There are 27 of us now and it is the Commission's duty to defend the idea of unity," he insisted.

Romanian President Romanian Traian Basescu travelled to Albania where he met his Albanian counterpart, Bamir Topi and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. This meeting provided an opportunity to renew bilateral relations between the two countries. Albania is continuing its process to integrate Europe after having joined NATO in 2009 - it received the Romanian President's full support; he is encouraging it to continue work in view of enlargement. Mr Basescu recommended finalising technical reform that will help Albania achieve a positive opinion from the Commission for the liberalisation of the visa regime as of autumn 2010. The Romanian President spoke of the status of minorities. He asked Mr Berisha to grant the Romanian community of Albania the status of national minority and to respect the rights that went with this.

British Prime Minister David Cameron undertook his first visit to Afghanistan on 10th June. During joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzaï he rejected any perspective of sending more British troops to Afghanistan. The UK has the second biggest contingent (10,000 soldiers) in the country after the USA. He announced he would devote £67 million (83 million euro) to counter roadside bombs - the Talibans' favourite arms and double the number of anti-mine experts in the field.

SMER-SD of outgoing Prime Minister Robert Fico came out ahead in the Slovak general elections on 12th June with 34.79% of the vote. With the Nationalists of the SNS led by Jan Slota SMER-SD only succeeded in rallying 71 of the 150 seats available in the lower chamber of Parliament. The third element of the outgoing coalition, the LS-HZDS of former populist Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar did not rise above the 5% threshold required to enter parliament. Four opposition parties on the right and in the centre together succeeded in taking 79 seats of the 150 available: the Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU-DS) won 15.42% of the vote (28 seats), the liberals of SaS, 12.14% (22 seats), the Christian Democrats (KDH) 8.52% (15 seats) and Most-Hid 8.12% (14 seats). The Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic declared on 13th June he was going to ask outgoing Prime Minister Robert Fico to form a government but his task seems a difficult one to accomplish.

The Council of the European Union renewed the mandate of the European Justice and Police Mission in Kosovo for another two years (Eulex) initially established on 4th February 2008. The mission undertaken by French General Yves de Kermabon has also been renewed until June 2012 to accompany the creation of the rule of law in Kosovo. The goals of independent judicial and transparent police systems are struggling to become a reality. The last Eulex report published on 4th June believes that the Kosovar system is still showing signs of weakness and irregular ability for reform. Although the report highlights some progress made in Kosovo Roy Reeve the head of the Union's mission in Kosovo declared that the improvement in the rule of law is taking time and that active work still had to be done with the local authorities to counter corruption and to achieve sustainable change.

On 7th June Turkey and Azerbaijan signed an agreement in Istanbul on gas. They set quantities and prices on gas that Azerbaijan will provide to Turkey after the launch of the gas fields in Sah-Dniz II in 2017; they also reassessed the present price of Azerbaijani gas dispatched to Istanbul. The agreement also defines the amount of commission Turkey will receive for the transfer of gas from Azerbaijan towards Europe. This State which is rich in gas is the focus of great interest on the part of Europeans as part of the gas pipeline Nabucco betwen Turkey and Austria of which it may become a major supplier.

The Emirates Airline made an unprecedented order on 8th June for 32 giant A380 planes from Airbus; this is good news for a programme that had a difficult start and which has been a financial black hole for the European airplane manufacturer. With this purchase of 11.5 billion dollars (9.64 billion euros) it is the "biggest order ever recorded in civil aviation history in dollars", said the marketing director of Airbus, John Leahy.

The UN Security Council approved several sanctions against Iran on 9th June since it is refusing to halt its programme to enrich uranium. The Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton backed the UN resolution which was adopted 12 votes in favour, 2 against (Brazil and Turkey) and one abstention (Lebanon). The text repeats and extends the sanctions that were already announced three times against Teheran but doubts continue with regard to their real effect.

On 10th June the World Bank published its "World Economic Outlook 2010". According to this study the world's GDP is due to rise by between 2.9% and 3.3% in 2010 and 2011 after its 2.1% decline in 2009. The discrepancy in growth between the rich and developing countries will be great with the GDP of the former rising by 2.3% maximum in 2010 in comparison with 5.7% to 6.2% for the latter. Recovery may however suffer from reduced international capital flows, high unemployment rates and constant increases in the sovereign debts of high income countries. According to the report, while the impact of the European debt crisis has so far been contained, prolonged rising sovereign debt could make credit more expensive and curtail investment and growth in developing countries public debt may increase loans and limit investments which will damage developing countries' growth.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 11th June the European Union's current operations account registered a deficit of 23.4 billion euros in the first quarter of 2010 compared with a deficit of 50.6 billion in the first quarter of 2009 and 9.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. Over the same period of time the EU balance of services recorded a surplus of 13.2 billion euro compared with a surplus of 13.3 billion in the first quarter 2009 and 19.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009.

On 11th June Eurobarometer published two new surveys one focusing on blood donors and transfusions and the other focusing on organ donations and transplants. The first survey reveals that 37% of Europeans have already given blood. This indicates an increase of 6% since the first survey Eurobarometer undertook in 2002 in the EU. Most Europeans (57%) think that the security of transfusions has improved over the last ten years. The second survey shows that more than half of Europeans are prepared to give their organs after their death and that 40% of Europeans have already raised the issue with their families.

The Robert Schuman House in Scy-Chazelles is putting on an exhibition until August 1st: "From the Father of Europe to the Fathers of Europe: History of the Charlemagne Prix of Aachen (1950-2010)". The inauguration of the exhibition will take place on 19th June at 6:30pm.