4.8 million Azerbaijanis are being called to ballot on 7th November next to renew the 125 members of the Milli Majlis, the only Chamber in Parliament. MPs are elected every five years by a majority election in one round. Five political parties are represented at the moment: the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), led by President Ilham Aliev, has 61 seats; Azadliq (A), 5 seats; the Civil Solidarity Party (VHP), three seats; the Mother Country Party, 2 seats and the People's Front (AXCP), one seat. 53 independent politicians have a seat there. In November 2005 the election was marred by infringements. International observers will be there again this time and will be very vigilant to ensure that the election takes place democratically.

Giulio Tremonti, Italian Economy Minister confirmed on 5th October that the country's goals with regard to the reduction of the public deficit would be met this year. The Italian deficit declined by 3% this year to lie at 5% instead of 5.3% in 2009. The Italian budgetary austerity programme of 25 billion euros adopted at the end of July by Parliament plans for the deficit to decrease to 3.9% in 2011 and to 2.7% in 2012; thereby falling below the 3% of the GDP set by the Stability and Growth Pact.

On 6th October in Brussels the EU and South Korea signed a bilateral free trade agreement of unprecedented importance; it is the first of its type between Europe and Asia. This agreement plans for the progressive liberalisation of merchandise and services trade on both sides and includes rules with regard to trade issues such as competition and State subsidies, intellectual property and pubic markets. South Korea is the EU's 8th trade partner and the latter is Korea's second partner in terms of exports. The agreement which is due to come into force in July 2011 should lead to the abolition of customs duties. With regard to exports from the EU to South Korea this will represent 1.6 billion euros per year.

On 6th October the European Commission set out its leading initiatives in the Europe 2020 strategy that was announced in March last: "The Innovation Union". This strategic approach with regard to innovation will allow the public sector to intervene to boost the private sector and to remove several obstacles such as the lack of funding, the fragmenting of research and market systems, the under use of public innovation markets and the slowness in normalisaiton work. According to a recent study reaching the Europe 2020 goal of bringing R&D investments up to 3% of the GDP will enable the creation of 3.7 million jobs and increase the annual GDP by 795 billion euros by 2025. To do this the EU will need one million additional researchers.

On 7th October MEPs approved 568 votes for, 47 against and 21 abstentions the lifting of visa obligations with regard to Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The vote is due to be confirmed by the 27 EU Member States. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha spoke of an historic day for Albania and Albanians, "who are achieving a dream of being able to travel freely in the Schengen area." The Bosnian Foreign Minister, Sven Alkalaj welcomed the European Parliament's decision declaring that the lifting of the obligation represented the first real advantage of the European integration process for Bosnian citizens and that it would provide impetus to the idea of Europe in the country.

The 27 European Interior and Justice Ministers who met on 7th and 8th October discussed the following issues: the Common European Asylum System, the development of the Schengen Information System II (SIS II) and the Visa Information System (VIS) as well as information, interpretation and translation laws in penal procedures.

On 5th October German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Germany. The two heads of government said they wanted to enhance economic relations as well as the coordination of macro-economic policies. In addition to this they declared they rejected protectionism with regard to trade and investments. With regard to the preparation of the G20 summit in Seoul they addressed the issue of managing the international economic and financial crisis.

During an official three day visit to Turkey Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger was guest on 6th October in Istanbul to Turkish President Abdullah Gül. Although the visit focused on Turkish-Austrian trade relations they discussed the difficult negotiations underway over Turkey's accession to the EU. Mr Spindelegger said that Austria was not "impeding" the membership procedure but hopes that the two countries "had a joint future" whilst Mr Gül stressed the economic importance of his country for Austria. The latter is however sceptic about Turkey's accession to the EU. It is one of a group of countries which opposed membership as early as 2005 mentioning however the possibility of a "privileged partnership" between the Union and Turkey.

The King of the Belgians, Albert II asked outgoing Prime Minister Yves Leterme on 5th October "to do as much as possible" for the country's economy the day after the failure of negotiations to form a new government. Since the Presidents of the Chamber and the Senate had reported on their mediation mission, they asked the king to be dispensed of their mission. The King accepted this request. On 8th October the Belgian Sovereign asked Bart de Wever, chair of the N-VA, to undertake a 10 day clarification mission with seven parties who were around the table to compare points of view. Yves Leterme's government approved a circular project devoted to the preparation of the finance law 2011. The 2011 finance law includes provisional loans to a total of three twelfths for Federal State services in January, February and March 2011.

In his opening speech of the parliamentary session on 5th October Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said that his government's goal was to achieve Denmark's independence with regard to oil, gas and coal by 2050. Within the EU, Denmark also wants to "work towards the EU respecting its goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2020", whatever the "results of the present climate negotiations are" in the world. In addition to this he addressed the issue of the welfare state and he said he wanted to withdraw Danish troops from Afghanistan by 2014.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov travelled to Finland on 6th October where he discussed bilateral relations between the two countries with Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi - they also discussed the economic situation, energy policy as well as Ukraine's rapprochement with the EU.

The Grand Impertinence Prize 2011 of the Cercle des Entrepreneurs du Futur (the Future Entrepreneurs' Circle) was launched on 22nd September at the CNAM. It comprises a call for communications on action and innovative thought associated with sustainable development, entrepreneurship, the development of territories and services. Since 2010 "Entrepreneurs du Futur" has been a Prospective and Innovation Foundation programme. It mainly aims to think and act otherwise helping the knowledge society, by supporting entrepreneurs as well as local and development initiatives.

On the occasion of his visit to Greece on 2nd and 3rd October Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou signed thirteen agreements. Beijing showed that it wanted to help in a joint effort to overcome the crisis by purchasing Greek assets. Wen Jiabao qualified Greece as China's most credible partner in the EU. China is prepared to double its imports of Greek products and encourage Greece to extend its trade to China so that this can develop in a balanced, sustainable manner. "Over the next five years the volume of trade will double to 8 billion dollars," said Wen Jiabao saying that China wanted to create a Greek-Chinese Development Fund that will be provided with 5 billion dollars in view of promoting cooperation in maritime transport between the two countries.

Hungary which has been struck by a serious industrial chemical accident that has started to affect the eco-system of the main part of the Danube officially asked on 7th October for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to be launched announced the European Commission in a press release. The Hungarian authorities asked for the dispatch of "three to five experts" specialised in the area of toxic mud, decontamination and environment. The European Civil Protection Mechanism in which 31 States take part (EU27 plus Croatia, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway) facilitates cooperation in response to catastrophes.

On 7th October Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and President of the Italian Council, Silvio Berlusconi. Dialogue focused on the excellent relations that exist between the EU and China after the EU/ASEM in Brussels. During the visit Italian and Chinese companies signed several trade agreements to a total of 2.25 billion euros.

The Luxembourg Law Association "Le Cercle des Amis de Colpach" organises a competition every four years together with the ArcelorMittel group and under the high patronage of the Culture Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the attribution of the Emile and Aline Mayrisch Prize. This prize aims to promote the opening of cultural contracts and the promotion of harmony between European peoples. The work presented in the competition will focus on research in the area of history, politics, economy, social life and/or culture in the Franco-German-Belgian-Luxembourg area.

The leader of the Liberal Party, Mark Rutte was given the responsibility of forming the new Dutch government on 7th October by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. This will be the first minority government in the Netherlands since the Second World War; the Liberals (VVD) won the election together with the Christian Democrats (CDA) with a total of 52 seats of the 150 in the general elections on 12th June last. Mr Rutte indicatd that he hoped to present his government on 14th October saying that the VVD and the CDA will each hold six ministries and have four Secretaries of State. An agreement on a minority government coalition between the two parties with the support of the Freedom Party (PVV) led by Geert Wilders was concluded on 28th September. Geert Wilders promised to support the new executive in Parliament. In exchange he was given the opportunity to participate in the writing of the future government's programme.

During a meeting on 1st October in Yalta between Bronislaw Komorowski and Viktor Yanukovich, the Presidents of Poland and the Ukraine respectively, Mr Komorowski said he would support the Ukraine's efforts to join the EU. The Polish President also invited Mr Yanukovich to launch reforms as quickly as possible to prepare Ukraine for European integration. To this effect Mr Komorowski hopes to be able to "share" experiences that Poland made earlier in its own preparations to join the EU. For his part Mr Yanukovich suggested that Poland be associated to Ukrainian projects for the transfer of natural gas across Europe.

On 5th October the Portuguese Republic celebrated the centenary of its birth with thousands of commemoration ceremonies across the entire country. In his speech delivered during an official ceremony the Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva said that political commitment in support of national cohesion was necessary, "a commitment whereby the various parties realise the seriousness of the time in which we find ourselves."

British Prime Minister David Cameron defended a draconian, but fair austerity plan on 6th October in the wake of sharp criticism over the abolition of universal family allowance on the last day of the Conservative Party Congress in Birmingham. "Reducing spending will be difficult. Programmes will be cut. Jobs will be lost. But many companies have had to make equivalent savings and more over the last few years," he declared. With overtones recalling Winston Churchill who regretted in May 1940 of not having "anything other to offer but blood, sweat and tears", Mr Cameron drove it home that there was no other "responsible" option but that of austerity. "This year we shall spend £43 billion (49 billion euros) just in interest on the debt," he recalled.

Slovakian President Ivan Gasparovic travelled to Ukraine on 5th to 8th October where he was guest to his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovich. The Ukrainian President promised to step up the fight against corruption in Ukraine in order to attract Slovakian investors; he suggested the launch of reform in his country to counter corruption and to encourage trade between Slovakia and Ukraine. Mr Gasparovic attended a Ukrainian economic forum in Kiev on 6th October.

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt presented his new government on 5th October. Seven new ministers were appointed within a government that rises from 22 to 24 members, including 11 women. Mr Reinfeldt repeated that he would not negotiate with Sweden Democrats (far right) without managing however to achieve the support of either the Greens or the Social Democrats. This is a minority government.

The moderate forces gained ground amongst the Muslims of Bosnia in the elections that took place on 3rd October last but the Serbs of Bosnia confirmed their preference for their leader Milorad Dodik, who is against any kind of strengthening of the central Bosinian State. Bakir Izetbegovic who pleaded during the electoral campaign in favour of dialogue between the Serbs of Bosnia came out ahead to become the Muslim member of the country's Collegial Presidency. Son of former president Alija Izetbegovic, he will be the only new representative in the Collegial Presidency of Bosnia - since the two outgoing candidates - Croat and Serb - held the lead in their college.

The Nobel Committee attributed the Nobel Medicine Prize to British physiologist Robert G Edwards for the development of the in vitro fecundation (IVF). The Nobel Prize for Economy was given to two Americans Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen and to Briton Christopher Pissarides. Finally the Nobel Peace Prize was given to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, condemned in 2008 to 11 years in prison in his country for "subversion of State power" after having been one of those involved in the writing of the Charter O8, a text demanding a democratic China.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev was guest to his Cypriot counterpart Demestris Christofias on 7th October in Nicosia. They signed several agreements with regard to trade relations between the two countries. Mr Christofias promised his cooperation in optimising off-shore taxation of Russian companies a good number of whom escape to Cyprus to avoid taxation in Russia. Mr Medvedev said that in exchange he would support the Cypriot President's work to reunite Cyprus that has been divided since 1974.

On the occasion of the press conference on 4th October in Sofia Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Turk Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of a recovery in trade with regard to energy. The Turkish Prime Minister said he wanted his country to join the EU but deplored treatment that he deemed unfair.

During an interregional economic summit on 4th October in Gelendzhik in Russia the Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich intimated that there would be more trade and industrial cooperation between the two countries. According to Mr Medvedev this means improving Russian-Ukrainian infrastructure to facilitate the trade in goods and movement in the region with regard to energy and the environment.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Germany joining the Council of Europe German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle undertook his first visit of the organisation's HQ on 4th October. Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe he welcomed the "spirit of reconciliation" and "the confidence for a new start" which Germany had enjoyed just five years after the end of the Second World War. He also said that the "human rights system of the Council of Europe had reached a level of protection unequalled on our continent." He pleaded in support of a the EU's accession to the European Human Rights Convention.

Confirming its initial estimate Eurostat indicated on 6th October that the euro area and the EU's GDP increased by 1% in the second quarter of 2010 in comparison with the previous quarter. During the first quarter 2010 the growth rate lay at 0.3% in the euro area and at 0.4% in the EU. In the second quarter 2010 Lithuania (3.2%) recorded the highest growth rate in comparison with the previous quarter, followed by Germany (2.2%) as well as Estonia, Finland and Sweden (1.9% each).

The Heinrich Böll Foundation presents a new study entitled "Can Europe rise to the Challenge? EU Policy Responses to the Global Crisis".

On 4th October the Germany Foreign Policy Society (DGAP) published a work under the management of Claire Demesmay and Katrin Sold entitled "Frankreich-Themen 2010" that looks into France's reactions amongst other matters to the international economic and financial crisis and its relations with major international players.

The 54th London Film Festival (LFF) will take place from 13th to 28th October. It is proposing all types of novelties from the cinema world.