At the same time as the EU-India Summit on 10th February and the EU-China Summit on 14th February, the Robert Schuman Foundation invites you to read an excellent study by Karine Lisbonne-de Vergeron entitled "Chinese and Indian views of Europe since the Crisis". This paper, published by the Robert Schuman Foundation together with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Global Policy Insitute reveals how the Chinese and Indian elites see the political and economic situation in Europe. How do China and India see the EU and its Member States? What do they think of the crisis? What do they think of the euro? This paper is available in paper form only in French for 10€ and in PDF format in French and English for 8€.

The French European Affairs Minister, Jean Leonetti was in Moselle on 8th and 9th for the first Franco-German meetings of Malbrouck. For three days university academics, top-ranking civil servants, and representatives of the private sector exchanged views with regard to the Franco-German partnership within the European Union and on the main political and economic developments ongoing in Germany. On 9th February Mr Leonetti went to Scy-Chazelles for the unveiling of an "Illustrious House" plaque at Robert Schuman's house, where the latter lived for over thirty years.

The French section of the Franco-Dutch Cooperation Council is meeting on 14th February at the Quai d'Orsay under the chairmanship of the French Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Alain Juppé and his Dutch counterpart Uri Rosenthal. On the occasion of this meeting a seminar is being organised during which the chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani will be speaking on: "the lessons to be learned from the European Crisis for the reform of the institutions and of the governance of Europe."

On 9th February after the Council of Governors meeting at the ECB it was decided to leave the key rates unchanged, the main one remaining at 1%. During a press conference ECB President Mario Draghi, said that inflation in 2011 rose to 2.7% on average whilst growth, notably in the fourth quarter was very low. Again he called on the States to continue their structural reforms and to improve their competitiveness.

The Austrian government announced on 10th February the introduction of a five year austerity plan to reduce public deficit and therefore the burden of the debt of 26.7 billion euros; this is to be achieved thanks to savings and more fiscal revenue. 30% of the effort required from2012 to 2016 of the Austrians comprises the creation of taxes and the increase of these, to a total of 7 billion euros, whilst the 70% remaining will be simple savings ie nearly 15 billion euros. The regional States (Länder) and the communities will have to save 5.2 billion euros. The "package" is designed to fall in line with the EU's rules which it "set itself" in the Maastricht Treaty and to "make Austria independent of the financial markets, in order to put an end to the spiral of rising interest rates," declared Chancellor Werner Faymann during a press conference.

The economy's growth is due to be almost zero in Belgium in 2012 with a GDP rise of 0.1% said the Federal Planning Bureau on 10th February - the BFP is the body responsible for advising the Belgian government, which is due to lead to further savings of between 1.5 billion and 2.5 billion euros. In September the same Bureau forecast 1.6% GDP growth in 2012. At the end of 2011 Elio di Rupo's government forecast growth of 0.8% when it established its budget, which included savings measures of over 11.3 billion euros. However according to figures communicated by the Planning Bureau to the government and made public on its internet site "economic growth is not due to rise beyond 0.1% in 2012," in Belgium against 1.9% in 2011.

The Spanish economy is due to fall back into recession in this quarter with a 0.2% contraction of the GDP, whilst over the year the decline is due to reach 1.3% said the BBVA research institute. "The information we have available leads to a forecast of negative growth over the first quarter of 2012 (-0.2%)", writes the research institute of the second biggest Spanish banking group in its economic comments. Whilst the fourth quarter of 2011 was already in the red (0.3%) a second negative quarter would mean the return of recession in Spain just two years after the country had emerged from it.

In the night of 10th February the Greek government approved the austerity plan demanded by the EU and the IMF to release further aid to Greece enabling it to avoid "catastrophic disorderly default" in March said the Prime Minister's office. On 12th February the same plan was approved by parliament. Indeed 199 MPs out of 300 approved it, 74 voted against and there were 27 abstentions. On this occasion 22 socialist MPs (PASOK) and 21 centre-right MPs (ND) were thrown out of their party for having voted against the draft law - conversely 2 far right MPs who approved the bill suffered the same fate. There was violent conflict between the police and demonstrators who came out in protest against the austerity plan which includes measures such as a 22% decrease in the minimum salary and further reductions in retirement pensions.

The European Commission published the tenth six-monthly report on progress made by Bulgaria and Romania with regard to the cooperation and verification mechanism. With regard to Bulgaria the Commission stresses that developments over the last few months reveal the need for more resolute intervention in a certain number of areas, notably in terms of the judiciary. Romania was lauded by the Commission, which noted a number of major steps forward that came in the wake of recommendations published in the previous report. The new civil code entered into force in October 2011 and the civil procedure code is due to follow suit in June 2012. Romania has stepped up work on trials involving high level corruption.

According to an innovation scoreboard 2011 published on 7th February by the European Commission and which analyses 24 indicators that cover various aspects of innovation, such as human resources, opening, excellence and attractiveness of research systems, as well as the funding granted to innovation, Sweden was the most innovative country in Europe in 2011. It is followed by Denmark, Germany, Finland. The least innovative countries are Latvia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Romania. Amongst the big countries France and UK rank as "innovation followers" lying 11th and 6th respectively.

On 11th February a major communication campaign was launched to train Europeans to use 112 in the event of an emergency. Indeed according a recent Eurobarometer poll 74% of those interviewed did not know which number to call in an emergency. Whether you are on a business trip in London or skiing in the Alps and you have to call an ambulance or the fire brigade you just have to dial 112 - the European emergency number is toll free from either a landline or a mobile phone across the entire EU.

On 10th February the Member of the Civil Liberties Committee at the European Parliament interviewed the various representatives of Hungarian civil society, the media and the government. On this occasion the Vice President of the European Commission, Neelie Kroes, repeated her deep "concern". Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics said that his government wanted to contine dialogue with the EU and the Council of Europe, but also declared that the Hungarian Constitution took priority over the European texts. Recent measures taken agains the independence of the media, judges and the central bank, as well as those taken against various minorities have led to the implementation of an accelerated infringement procedure.

On 10th February the 12th EU/India Summit took place in New Delhi. After this meeting the President of the Council, Herman van Rompuy declared that the two partners intended to develop their relationship which was mainly based on trade but which could not do without a diplomatic and security dimension. The situation in the Near and Middle East was discussed, notably in Iran, Syria and Afghanistan. He recalled their common commitment in the major international fora, notably at the G20 and the conference in Durban.

On 10th February education ministers approved the common report 2012 with regard to the implementation of the "Strategic framework for European cooperation in the field of education and training." This report shows that progress has been made but also reveals that some measures still have to be taken to improve the EU's key competences; measures also have to continue to be taken to reduce the number of young people who quit school too early and to improve the employability of young graduates. It also recalls the importance of investment in education and training to create growth and jobs.

Germany's trade surplus rose last year to 158 billion euros against 155 billion the previous year, with exports rising by 11.4%, according to figures published on 8th February by the Federal Statistics Office. Exports rose above the 1000 billion euro mark, thereby establishing a new record of 1060 billion euros. Imports increased (+13.2%), domestic consumption - both household and business was also confirmed.

On 8th February the Court of Auditors presented the public annual report 2012. In the first instance the financial institution lauds the government's work to consolidate public accounts. But it notes that these measures are mainly based on tax increases. The Court of Auditors also believes that the goal to bring the deficit down to 4.5% this year against around 5.3% or 5.4% expected in 2011 by the government "will still be difficult to achieve". The report criticises the government's strategy which comprises presenting "a series of recovery plans that are decided upon as growth forecasts are revised downards". Finally the Court of Auditors advises on fiscal spending of more than "15 billion euros" in comparison with their 2010 level (measures that "only" enable a net reduction 5 billion euros by 2013), and to save 10 billion on tax and social havens - especially those benefiting the overseas territories.

On 8th February the French National Assembly approved the progressive establishment of a 40% yearly female appointment quota amongst top ranking civil servants. At present women, who comprise 60% of total employees in the civil service, only total 10% in terms of top ranking civil servants.

On 9th February Eurostat indicated that over the first 10 months of 2011 trade between the EU and India increased by 20%. In 2010 exports to India totalled 34.8 billion euros and imports 33.2 billion euros, ie a trade surplus of 1.6 billion euros for the EU, slightly down in comparison with the previous year. Notably Germany, Belgium and the UK, contribute to over half of this trade.

Notre Europe has published a study written by Paolo Ponzano, Costanza Hermanin and Daniela Corona entitled "The European Commission's power of initiative: progressive erosion?" which analyses the development of the European Commission's power to legislative initiative over the last two decades. The authors explain that although legally the right to initiative has not been reformed, in practice it has clearly changed shape. Hence, increasingly, the Commission feels obliged to follow the conclusions of the European Council. Moreover the practice of direct negotiations with the Council and the Parliament in the event of a codecision procedure has led to it being less active and to it undertaking more negotiations. These factors have led to a decline in ambition in the Commission's proposals and a decrease in conflict over the texts that are put forward.

Magali Balent, project manager and researcher at the Robert Schuman Foundation and lecturer at Sciences Po, has just published a book entitled "Le monde selon Marine - la politique international du FN. Entre rupture et continuité" in which she analyses the international and European policy of the National Front since the election of Marine Le Pen as chair of the party The author dissects the Marinist vision of the world and the positions adopted by the FN regarding foreign policy - looking into the ideological developments that are ongoing in the party.

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Klimt (born on 14th July 1862), the Fine Arts Museum of Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum) is devoting an exhibition to the artist. Thirteen paintings by Klimt are on show: originally they were meant to decorate the museum's monumental stairway. The exhibition starts on 14th February.

Until 13th May 2012 the Château of Versailles is putting on an exhibition "The Napoleonic Wars. Louis François Lejeuen, General and Painter" which brings together drawings and paintings by Louis François Lejeune (1775-1848), a soldier, who not only took part in all of the Napoleonic revolutionary campaigns, but who also painted them and described them in his mémoirs. His life-mémoirs, both as a soldier and a civilian, under the Empire, the Restoration and the July Monarchy are also on show.

The National Portrait Gallery of London is organising an exhibition until 27th may 2012 devoted to Lucien Freud. For the first time ever the focus is placed on portraits painted by this artist, comprising a major part of his work. More than 300 paintings illustrating the various facettes of Lucien Freud's work are presented on this occasion. They notably represent his friends, his family and the people he loved.