On 2nd November Wolfgang Schäuble German Finance Minister, member of the board of the Robert Schuman Foundation, gave a speech at the University Paris-Sorbonne as part of a conference on the theme: "20 years of German unity. A Chance for Germany and Europe." In his speech he pleaded in favour of strong Franco-German impetus and praised the euro in the context of the crisis. He also approved the decisions taken by Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel with regard to sanctions against States whose deficit is deemed excessive.

In an editorial published on his site Jean-Dominique Giuliani examines the working method of the European Commission with regard to enlargement.

Macedonia is expecting GDP growth of 3% in 2011 and inflation is due to be maintained at a maximum of 3% said the governor of the Central Macedonian Bank, Peter Gosev on 4th November. "Next year should herald the real start to economic recovery with the growth of the GDP totalling between 2 and 3%," said Mr Gosev to journalists. The main factor in this growth is due to be investments that have been announced and already included in the budget for 2011 to a value of 23 billion denars (376 million euros) according to Mr Gosev.

On 3rd November the Portuguese Parliament adopted the draft budget 2011. The draft includes a reduction of the public deficit from 7.3% of the GDP in 2010 to 4.6% in 2011. The other austerity measures include a reduction in civil servants' salaries and a rise in VAT from 21% to 23%. Defending the draft Prime Minister José Socrates said that the adoption of these measures was the only way to protect the country against financial market turbulence. This budget was approved thanks to the abstention of the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

According to results presented on 4th November by the committee for making the six monthly forecast on fiscal revenues, those of Germany in 2010 are due to total around 15.2 billion euros more than forecasts made in May. Over three years from 2010 to 2012 the surplus in comparison with the May forecasts total around 61 billion euros. However the German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out against a reduction in taxes saying that in spite of the additional revenues this year the public budget would still be in difficulty with around 50 billion euros in new debts for the Federal State in 2010.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced on 3rd November a slight rise in inflation in September 2010. Consumer prices indeed increased by 1.7% between September 2009 and September 2010 although they had only increased by 1.6% between August 2009 and August 2010. This slight rise can be explained by the increase in energy and food prices. If we exempt these two factors, inflation was stable in September for the third consecutive month a monthly pace of 1.2%.

On 4th November the Czech Central Bank (CNB) announced that it had revised its growth forecast for 2010 up to 2.3% against a previous estimation of 1.6%. According to the CNB growth is however due to slow to 1.2% in 2011 after an austerity cure launched by the government led by Petr Necas in office since July 2010.

The EU is planning to toughen up its regulations on rating agencies. In a consultation document published on 5th November the Commission recalls the criteria issued during the debt crisis in the spring with regard to sovereign debt ratings in euro area countries. Amongst the ideas put forward in the consultation the Commission suggests for example that agencies give a three day warning, instead of the normal 12 hours, to the country's authorities whose rating they are about to modify. They might also be obliged to publish all of their report free of charge. Apart from the sovereign rating, they also speak of a "high degree of concentration in the sector, dominated by three players ((Standard&Poor's, Moody's and Fitch). It questions the need to create the possibility for appeal before the courts with regard to ratings that have been proven incorrect. The interested parties can address their comments on these ideas until 7th January.

According to seasonally adjusted figures published on 5th November by the national statistics institute, Statistics Denmark, Denmark's industrial production increased by 2.4% in September after a decline in August. In the months covering July-September industrial production increased by 1.1% in comparison with the previous quarter (April-June) stressed the Institute in a press release.

After the Governing Council meeting on 4th November the European Central Bank (ECB) maintained its rate on main refinancing operations at 1%. Jean-Claude Trichet, Chair of the ECB believed the institution's main rates were appropriate whilst the American Federal Reserve (Fed) announced on 3rd November a further injection of 600 billion dollars to support the American economy and prices. The ECB chair also insisted on the need for strong conditions in the aid mechanism put forward by the European Council with regard to budgetary discipline to avoid lax fiscal policies and diversion by European countries to the limits of debt and deficit established by the Stability and Growth Pact.

The Romanian Central Bank (BNR) revised its inflation forecast upwards for 2010 to 8.2% notably because of the 5 point increase in VAT in July said its governor Mugur Isarescu on 4th November. In August the BNR already revised its figures upwards to 7.8% - its forecast for this year was much higher than the 3.5% already quoted previously. "Inflation will drop to 3.4% in 2011," said Mr Isarescu during a press conference.

According to a joint report by the WTO, the OECD and the UNCTAD published on 14th November for the group of the 20 most developed countries before the meeting that will take place in Seoul on 11th November - the G20 governments continuedto resist protectionist pressure together. The authors warn however against the potential dangers of the months to come due to high levels of unemployment that continue and tension on the exchange markets.

Budgetary policy on a world level is progressively moving from the support of demand to the reduction of deficits. However budgetary dangers remain high in advanced countries where public debt ratios with regard to the GDP are still rising sharply notes the IMF in its latest Fiscal Monitor. According to this study the hardening of budgetary policy should spread and depend on discretionnary measures in 2011 both in advanced and emerging countries but it is necessary to make exit strategies more precise and to define the reforms to take to face up to long term budgetary costs.

Given the rise in on-line services such as Facebook Europe wants to enable consumers to have a better means to control their personal data that they put on the internet and plans to establish a right "to be forgotten" with regard to the information provided. In line with a new European Commission strategy that was published on 4th November Internet companies will have to ask for web users' permission before uploading their personal data and they will also have to allow for this private information to disappear definitively from the net. Viviane Reding, Vice-President hopes to modify the present directive that dates back to 1995 which is now obsolete as the internet has developed. As part of this new strategy European cybersecurity experts made the first simulation of a cyberattack organised across Europe on 5th November in order to test their means of defence.

A team of researchers with the financial support of the EU, to a total of 10 million euros, has discovered a new type of gene. It might decrease the risks of high blood pressure and heart disease that affects one adult in four in Europe. This major discovery is the result of one of the biggest genetic studies ever undertaken in this area,40,000 people from eight different European countries took part.

In order to improve water quality the European Commission is proposing to ban the use of phosphates and to limit phosphate content in laundry detergents. When they are rejected in excess into water phosphates like nitrates can increase the quantity of nutritive substances thereby causing an increase in algae to the detriment of other forms of aquatic life. This phenomena is often known as eutrophication or more commonly "red tide" or "green tide". This project does not concern detergents designed for automatic dishwashers or those used by professionals because alternative solutions from a technical or economic point of view are not yet available across the entire EU.

In virtue of a decision adopted on 5th November by the European Commission 19 Member States (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and the UK) will have to reimburse a total of 58.5 million euros a sum equal to the irregular spending undertaken as part of the common agriculture policy (CAP). This total will be paid to the EU budget because of the non-respect of EU rules or inadequate control procedures in terms of agricultural spending. Greece notably will have to pay back nearly 347 million euros.

On 5th November discussions with Croatia in view of its acession moved on to a new stage. Three chapters of the 11 that remain to be finalised were opened. The EU gave its green light on the finalisation of negotiations on transport, the free movement of capital and institutions. The conclusion of membership negotiations may take place in 2011.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron signed two cooperation treaties on 2nd November in London in the area of defence and security which plans for the creation of a joint military force and a joint nuclear test laboratory.

German President Christian Wulff received President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard, Austrian President Heinz Fischer and Prince Alois of Liechtenstein on 1st November in Lübeck for a meeting of German speaking heads of state. They discussed the political and economic situation and issues of integration and immigration. This annual meeting that has been taking place since 2004, aims to consolidate political, economic and cultural relations between the four countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received 120 MPs, ministers and leaders of associations on 3rd November for an integration summit - an issue that is the cause of lively debate in the country. Paricipants adopted an action plan to promote the better integration of the 15.6 million foreigners or people of foreign origin living in Germany. Amongst the measures notably feature a better mastery of the German language, one of the Chancellor's favourite themes since she sees in this the "key to integration". The government is to release 400 million euros by 2014 to support the learning of German by immigrant children.

On 4th November the Constitutional Council censured a law ratifying a Franco-Romain agreement dating back to 1st February 2007 which organised the return home of isolated Romanian children believing it presented inadequate guarantees in terms of means of appeal. The Constitutional Council noted that "when the measure to re-accompany was applied by the court there was no means of appeal to contest the decision." "This ignores the children's rights and any other interested person's right to make an effective legal appeal that is guaranteed in article 16 of the Declaration of Human Rights of 1789."

Slovakian President, Ivan Gasparovic and Hungarian President Pal Schmitt pleaded on 5th November for an improvement in bilateral relations that have been marked by a great amount of tension over the last few years. "We must concentrate more on the future rather than on the past which represents a burden for us," declared Mr Gasparovic. "These talks and our joint membership of the EU and NATO comprise a good point on which to start friendly cooperation," believed his Hungarian counterpart.

Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis met Estonian President Hendrik Ilves in Tallinn on 15th November. During their interview the two leaders insisted on the need to tighten links between their two countries in terms of cooperation in transport, energy and defence.

On 3rd November the European Court of Human Rights delivered a series of decisions against France, Russia and Ukraine reprimanding them for the poor treatment inflicted by policemen on civilians. The three States are accused in virtue of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of inhman or degrading treatment). Russia was also condemned in virtue of article 5 (right to freedom and security).

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon gave his support to the EU for the role it played as mediator in the Western Balkans. "I am pleased with the EU's determination to promote concertation between Pristina and Belgrade. This dialogue should open a new phase, help towards building confidence between the two parties and lead to a settlement of major problems for the consolidation of peace, stability and the reconciliation of Kosovo and the region," he declared in his last report on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNIMIK).

In September 2010 in comparison with August 2010 the volume of retail sales declined by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU said Eurostat, the European statistics office on 5th November. In September 2010 in comparison with September 2009 the sales index rose by 1.1% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU.

The EU's Institute for Security Studies has published a report "What do Europeans want from NATO?" written by Sven Biscop, Nicole Gnesotto, Jolyon Howorth, Daniel Keohane, Stefano Silvestri, Teija Tiilikainen written under the management of Alvaro de Vasconcelos. This report is a contribution to the debate on the future of NATO and studies the implications for the EU.

A book on the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has just been released by the publishing house Jean-Claude Gawsewitch, entitled "Angela Merkel, the most powerful woman in the world." The author of this book, Jean-Paul Picaper sets out a portrait of Ms Merkel, a symbol of the German reunification and studies her work in Europe.

45 16th century works of art from the collection of the Royal Fine Arts Museum of Anvers are on show until 16th January at the Sinebrychoff Museum in Helsinki in an exhibition devoted to the Flemish Masters.

The Royal Fine Arts Museums of Belgium are devoting an exhibition to Orientalism in Europe until 9th January. This exhibition entitled "From Delacroix to Kandinsky - Orientalism in Europe" presents 160 works (paintings, drawings and sculptures) from the end of the 18th century to the 20th century crafted amongst others by Delacroix, Ingres, Renoir, Deutsch, Lewis and Kandinsky.

The 34th edition of the Rome Jazz Festival will take place from 11th to 30th November. This year the Roma Jazz Festival is entitled "Gezz. Generation Jazz" and is presenting a panorama of the "new Italian jazz scene". It is offering a variety of shows with both Italian and international artists.

The Museum of Modern Art Louisiana in Humlebaek is devoting an exhibition to the German modern artist Anselm Kiefer and is presenting around 90 of his paintings undertaken from 1969 to now. The exhibition is open to the public until 9th January.

The ancient Egyptians left on their long journey into the underworld bearing magic formula and incantations: these "Books of the Dead" that are magnificently illustrated are on show - some for the first time as a whole book - until 6th March 2011 at the British Museum in London. These precious manuscripts are on show next to the mummies, coffins and other funerary objects in the rotunda of the 18th century which was once the Museum's reading room.

The Museum of Modern Art of Paris is devoting an exhibition to American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat who died rather early in 1988 at the age of 28. A leading figure of the underground movement revealed graffiti to the public in the USA - Basquiat was a close friend of Andy Warhol and made the fight against segregation and discrimination his favourite theme. This retrospective presenting around 100 of his works is being organised as part of the 50th anniversary of the birth of Basquiat.

The Goncourt Prize 2010 was given to Michel Houellebecq for his novel 'La Carte et le Territoire (The Map and the Territory" published by Flammarion.

The "Reims Jazz Festival" is offering 14 concerts - young innovative performers and international top of the bill stars with a final show by Eliane Elias from 11th to 20th November for its 17th edition.