In the review "Corée Affaires" Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation gave a long interview in which he reviews European news and relations with South Korea; economic and financial instability to the backdrop of the Greek crisis, the free trade agreement with South Korea and the G20 Summit.

The Alliance coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt came out ahead in the general elections in Sweden on 19th September winning 49.2% of the vote and 172 seats. The Alliance failed however to win the absolute majority in the Riksdag, the only Chamber in Parliament (175 seats). It came out ahead of the red/green coalition (Rödgröna) led by Mona Sahlin which won 44% of the vote (-2.1 points) and 157 seats. The Sweden Democrats (SD), a far right party led by Jimmie Akesson succeeded in making a break-through winning 5.7% of the vote (+2.8 points) and the party thereby makes its debut in Parliament. Turnout rose to 82.1% ie almost the same figure recorded in the election on 17th September 2006 (81.99%). The Alliance is due to form a minority government. The re-election of the centre-right government puts an end to the hegemony of the Social Democratic Party.

OECD indicators published on 13th September point to more moderate growth than forecast the previous month. The indicator dropped by 0.1 point in July 2010. In Canada, France, Italy, the UK, China, India the slowing in the growth rate will be greater than forecast. In Japan, the USA and Brazil growth may lose pace. Signs of a possible decline in growth are also emerging in Germany and Russia. Recovery continues in South East Asia, but in a more moderate manner.

The Helvetic Confederation has raised its growth forecasts for 2010 (2.7% in comparison with 1.8% previously). Several trends are however less optimistic than planned. These involve a slowing in growth in 2011. Swiss exports are due to slow also because of a lukewarm world economic outlook and the high rate of the Swiss Franc.

On 15th September the National Statistics Office in the UK published its unemployment figures. Employment rates in the UK of people aged 16-64 increased in July 2010 by 0.4% in comparison with the previous quarter, ie an employment rate of 70.7% of the working population. The unemployment rate dropped from 7.9% to 7.8% between July and May 2010 representing an 8,000 decrease in the number of job seekers.

On 16th September the Greek National Statistics (ELSTAT) announced that unemployment totalled 11.8% in the second quarter - its highest level in 10 years in comparison with 11.7% over the first three months of the year. In the second quarter 2009 unemployment affected 8.9% of the Greek working population.

On 16th September Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates confirmed the goal to reduce the budgetary deficit to 7.3% of the GDP in 2010 and to 4.6% in 2011. "It is our commitment and we are taking it very seriously," he declared adding that budgetary goals will be achieved this year.

The Dutch Economic Affairs Minister, Maria van der Hoeven announced that 2009's figures show that the Dutch economy experienced a deep crisis and a decline in growth of 3.9%. The Netherlands had never seen this kind of recession before even in the 1930's. The main cause of the recession was the fall in exports. The Dutch economy is however doing better now, "the economy's growth can be attributed to an increase in exports and public spending," declared Ms Van der Hoeven.

Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the Committee responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship made a declaration on the development of the situation of the Roma on 14th September. In her speech the commissioner announced that she said there was no alternative but to launch an infringement procedure against France for two reasons: discriminatory application of the Directive on Free Movement and the non-transposal of procedural and matieral guarantees included in the Directive on Free Movement. The Commission is also expecting rapid explanation on the part of the French authorities.

15th September heralds the launch of the European Commission's "Youth on the Move" initiative. This aims to strengthen the quality of the education system, enhance student mobility and reduce youth unemployment - their primary preoccupation. This is one of the priorities in the Europe 2020 project and it aims to stimulate economic growth and employment.

On 16th September the Commission indicated that most electronic sales websites respected Union regulations with regard to consumer protection. In 2009 only 44% of these sites respected regulations but now on it is believed that 84% of them abide by the rules. This year the Commission is investigating on-line ticket sales sites. Of the 414 sites monitored only 40% respected European regulations. The main problem is the poor information given about prices and unfair clauses and terms.

On 17th September the European Commission presented new measures aiming to improve railway services. The directive focuses on three main areas: increased competition thanks to access conditions to a more transparent and simplified market; greater surveillance following the extension of competences of national organisms that control rail activities and finally the development of a harmonised financial framework to facilitate public and private investments.

On 17th September Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for energy announced the implementation of the world's first network to capture and store CO2. The aim of this project is to foster knowledge sharing and increase citizen interest in reducing CO2 emissions. This new project is supported by the European energy programme for recovery.

On 20th September the European Commission adopted three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU. This package comprises a Commission Recommendation on regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) networks that provides regulatory certainty to telecom operators, ensuring an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and the need to safeguard competition, a proposal for a Decision to establish a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme to ensure, inter alia, that spectrum is available for wireless broadband and a Broadband Communication outlining how best to encourage public and private investment in high and ultra-high speed networks. These measures aim to help the EU realise the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020.

On 16th September the 27 European Foreign Ministers approved a free trade agreement with South Korea. The first bilateral agreement of this kind opens the Asian markets to Europeans thanks to the abolition of 98.7% of all customs duties both in the industrial sector and agriculture over the next five years. Safeguard clauses including the car industry will enable Europeans to protect themselves in the event of excessive imports of Korean cars. This agreement will take effect after the official signature on 6th October during an EU-Korean summit and ratification by the European Parliament.

On 13th September ministers adopted a directive on cross-border healthcare as well as on the regulations governing the creation of a European rail network for the transport of merchandise. The cross-border healthcare directive should enable greater, safter, better quality access to services. In the long run the Council hopes to promote cooperation between Member States. The regulation on the creation of a European rail network requires the establishment of infrastructures that will offer improved quality of service. It will enable the Union to become more competitive on the merchandise transport market.

The decision of the Court of Justice in the Akzo Nobel Chemicals case delivered on 14th September 2010 highlights the fact that an in-house lawyer cannot enjoy on the part of his employer the same degree of independence as a lawyer working for an independent practice. In other words this means that company laywers cannot apply legal professional privilege in their communications within the company they are working for. Legal professional privilege is applicable only for independent lawyers who have no connection with their client. This conclusion rejects the request for appeal on the part of the Chemicals group that challenged the use of certain documents in an anti-trust investigation.

In the autumn the European Commission is to present its first proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). On 14th September in Berlin, the French and German Agriculture Ministers, Bruno le Maire and Ilse Aigner signed "a Franco-German position for a strong common agricultural policy beyond 2013". This joint declaration is the result of seven months of government talks. The two main beneficiaries of the CAP (9.5 billion and 6.5 billion euros respectively) maintain that the reform of the CAP must not only maintain a high level of financial resources but also the principle of the sector's regulation. France and Germany say they are "against any renationalisation of the CAP by way of the co-funding of direct payments to farmers."

According to figures published on 14th September by the German Statistics institute Destatis, German exports increased by 17.1% in the first half of the year in comparison with the same period in 2009 and rose to 458.3 billion euros. Imports into Germany increased by 15% in the first half of the year in comparison with the same period in 2009, totalling 383.6 billion euros.

During his visit to Brussels on 15th September Austrian President Heinz Fischer pleaded in favour of a positive attitude with regard to the EU. Following a meeting with the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso he said that Brussels was "a very important institution that serves the interests of Austria." The two leaders also discussed the economic situation in Europe. With regard to this Mr Barroso pleaded for additional economic reform in the EU. In addition to this they spoke of the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU's enlargement, the Balkans as well as energy issues.

Anne-Marie Idrac, Secretary of State for External Trade travelled to Poland on 16th and 17th September. Poland is France's leading client amongst the new EU member States. In this highly promising country this visit aimed to foster the know-how of French companies with the Polish government. She spoke with Waldemar Pawlak, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister. This trip was an opportunity for the signature of a convention for nuclear training between the Polish authorities and the Agence France Nucléaire International (AFNI).

Romanian MPs adopted a pension reform on 16th September that will lead to a progressive rise in the retirement age to 65 by 2015 for men and by 2030 for women. The law is part of the reforms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the EU and the World Bank which have given aid of 20 billion euros to the country. Romania committed to reducing its public deficit to 6.8% in 2010 against 7.2% last year.

On 14th September the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) asked Turkey to free imprisoned journalists and to reform its legislation governing the media. "At present more than 40 journalists are in prison and hundreds of others are under prosecution and are in danger of going to prison if they are sentenced," denounced the OSCE representative for the freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic in a letter to the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Contrary to its expectations the EU was refused the right to speak during the General Assembly at the UN. The resolution that was to due to enable this, presented by Belgium on behalf of the 27, was delayed which shows the reticence of other regional blocs to see the EU benefit from a specific status. Without planning for a seat with a right to vote being attributed to the Union the resolution plans for the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy to be able to speak on the same level as any other Head of State and that the High Representative Catherine Ashton to have a seat within the Assembly and that Union to be able to put forward proposals, submit amendments, answer questions, raise issues and circulate documents. It would put an end to the observer status which the EU has to be content with at the moment, alongside the Vatican, the Red Cross and the Arab League.

The WTO's public forum took place from 15th to 17th September in Geneva. This rendez vous with civil society focused on "The forces shaping world trade". Discussions concentrated on four themes: the new players in international trade, factors which shape it, the WTO's coherence with other areas of world governance and the definition of a new post-crisis programme. During his inaugural speech Pascal Lamy, the WTO Diretor General highlighted the role that the Doha Round might play in re-balancing trade rules in favour of developing countries - but he insisted on the importance of multi-lateralism in a context of increasing imbrication of manufacturing and trade systems.

According to the first estimate for the second quarter of 2010 on stability of employment in the euro area and in the EU published on 15th September the number of those in employment in the euro area and the EU remained stable in the second quarter of 2010 in comparison with the first quarter of 2010. Employment declined by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2010 in comparison with the same quarter the previous year in the euro area and the EU. According to Eurostat 220.7 million men and women were employed in the EU in the second quarter of 2010, including 144.3 million in the euro area.

On 14th September Eurostat published figures on industrial production in July 2010. According to figures industrial production remained stable in July 2010 in comparison with June 2010 both in the euro area and the EU. In June 2010 production decreased by 0.2% in the euro area but increased by 0.1% in the EU. In July 2010 in comparison with July 2009 industrial production has risen by 7.1% in the euro area and by 6.8% in the EU.

The Centre for European Reform has published a study by Simon Tilford on saving the euro entitled, "How to save the euro".

The 2010 Annual Report "Transatlantic Trends" published by the German Marshall Fund gauges the state of the public opinion on both sides of the Atlantic with regard to major international issues. Europeans believe more in the EU than in the euro, the Turks are drawing away from Europe, the Americans and Europeans does not perceive issues regarding China in the same way : these are some lessons to be drawn from this study.

The Studies Director from the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), Franco Algieri, has published a paper on the EU's common foreign and security policy, entitled "Die Gemeinsame Außen-und Sicherheitspolitik der EU."

The Munich Beer Festival is celebrating its bicentenary until 4th October 2010. The Oktoberfest whose origins go back to the wedding of the future king of Bavaria, Louis 1st with Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810 is being organised this year for the 177th time - since wars and epidemics have prevented 24 festivals taking place.

The Grand Palais in Paris is hosting more than 200 paintings by French painter Claude Monet (1840-1926) from 22nd September to 24th January 2011. This first retrospective devoted to impressionism presents his famous landscapes, his series on waterlilies but also his still life and portraits which are rarely shown to the public.

From 25th September to 12th December the Royal Academy of Arts is devoting an exhibition to the most famous artists from the Renaissance to the 20th century, "Treasures from Budapest: European Masterpieces from Leonardo to Schiele". This exhibitions presents over 200 pictures, drawings and sculptures by Leonard de Vinci, Raphael, Greco, Rubens, Goya, Manet, Monet, Schiele, Gauguin and Picasso. The works come from the Fine Arts Museum in Budapest and the Hungarian National Gallery.

The 14th edition of the Dance Biennale of Lyon, believed to be the world's leading dance festival is the venue for 28 shows until 3rd October 2010.