The "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2012" by the Robert Schuman Foundation is a reference work on Europe and has just been published. This sixth version is devoted to the means necessary to overcome the crisis and there is an exclusive interview with Jean-Claude Trichet, former President of the European Central Bank. All of the 26 articles converge to send out one message: "the reasons calling for Europeans to stand as one have never been as numerous as today". Using 67 tables and commented graphs as well as 34 colour maps - which are unique in the main - the authors invite you to learn about the challenges facing the EU. This book published by Lignes de Repères can be ordered on line on the Foundation's site.

On 22nd April and 6th May the French are being asked to elect the President of their Republic. 10 candidates are running: Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP), François Hollande (PS), François Bayrou (MoDem), Marine Le Pen (FN), Jean-Luc Mélenchon (FG), Eva Joly (EELV), Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (DLR), Philippe Poutou (NPA), Nathalie Arthaud (LO) and Jacques Cheminade. The two candidates who win in the first round on 22nd April will face each other in the second round on 6th May. Just one month before the election the polls show a tightly run race between the two main candidates in the results of the first round: Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande. The latter is forecast to win in the second round according to the polls.

On 21st March Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy announced the launch of an "innovative guarantee fund" that will be provided with 500 million euros to help revive the Greek economy after the crisis. The aim of the fund is to facilitate loans for Greek SMEs to "put the Greek economy back on track and to give the country new hope". The European Investment Bank together with the European Commission will fund loans to a total of one billion euros via the banks. This fund is an additional financial tool to revive the country's economy since SME's are believed to be a vital pillar.

After his meeting on 20th March with Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, President of the Helvetic Confederation, the President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy recalled the existence of strong links between the EU and Switzerland. He then said he wanted to strengthen links by establishing a true cooperation framework between the two. During this meeting he also addressed the euro zone's economic situation, the signature of the TSCG and the work done in terms of budgetary consolidation, maintaining that he hoped to see Switzerland join in these various processes, given the close link between this country's economy and that of the euro zone. The two countries then promised to promote stability, democracy and prosperity in the Western Balkans.

Debate over the opening of public procurement markets in Europe was re-initiated on 21st March after the European Commission's presentation of proposals to encourage third countries to open their markets to European companies. Michel Barnier, the European Commissioner responsible for the Internal Market insisted that the present situation represents a loss of 12 billion euros for European exports. The Commission is proposing two lines of action: a contracting authority will ask for the closure of a market in a third country which applies protectionist measures. In the event of repeated discrimination towards a European company the third country may see the procurement markets of the 27 Member States being closed to it. The solution will only be adopted after consultation but Karel de Gucht, Commissioner for Trade does not fear any negative effects.

On 19th and 20th March the 27 Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers held a public debate on a draft regulation for the common fisheries policy. The proposal to ban dumping was received positively by most of the Member States. They also agreed on a proposal for the common organisation of markets in the fishing sector and in products from aquaculture and on the European Fisheries Fund. They stressed that the role and responsibility of manufacturing organisations had to be strengthened. Ministers then adopted conclusions which are mainly based on the promotion of a more sustainable fishing policy both from an external and internal point of view. The Council finally adopted a position on the protection of sharks.

On 23rd March the European Union announced that it was stepping up the restrictive measures it is taking against Belarus. Hence 12 people who "benefit from the Belarus government and who support it" or who take part in the repression of the opposition have been added to the list of people who are banned entry into the Union and whose assets have been frozen. The assets of 29 organisations, whose leaders support the regime have also been frozen. At present more than 200 people and three companies have been affected by the measures to freeze assets and the ban on them entering the Union.

On 22nd March the 27 EU Defence Ministers signed a "political declaration" that stresses "the need to develop innovative, economic, flexible solutions in a difficult financial context" in the area of air to air refuelling. This project, which is complicated to implement, is one of the initiatives supported by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to encourage countries to strengthen together their military capabilities whilst the USA is partially disengaging from the continent. "Developing air to air refuelling capabilities is believed to be a priority in Europe," stressed Claude-France Arnould, EDA Director.

On 21st March the federal government adopted the draft 2012 budget that had been amended to integrate that fact that the contribution made by Berlin to the European aid mechanisms this year was higher than previously planned. German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaüble announced that Germany will respect - as of 2014 and two years ahead of time- the debt limit that has been part of fundamental law since 2009. This "golden rule" that is now part of the new European pact sets a limit of 0.35% of the GDP on the federal structural deficit.

The Spanish National Statistics Institute published the 2012 version of the statistics report on 22nd March focusing on "men and women in Spain". This document is a comparative study containing a series of indicators that enable an analysis of the respective situation of men and women in Spain in various sectors of the economy and from a social point of view - in education, employment, wages and social exclusion.

On 22nd March French Economy and Finance Minister François Baroin indicated that the French government was revising its economic growth forecasts upwards for the next two years. Hence growth is planned to rise to 0.7% in 2012 and to 1.75% in 2013. This re-assessment follows a revised increase by the National Statisticis and Economic Studies Institute (INSEE) of its growth forecasts in 2012. According to the statistics institute these are due to be zero in the first quarter and 0.2% in the second quarter.

On 19th March the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos resigned from office so that he could take over leadership of PASOK (Socialist Party) which he was elected chairman of on 18th March. He was replaced on 21st March by his Deputy, Filippos Sachinidis who will ensure an interim of several weeks before the general elections take place. These are being planned to take place in about one month's time, although the exact date has yet to be set. At the same time as this reshuffle Greek MPs ratified the second rescue plan during the night of 20th to 21st March that was concluded with the euro zone States, which are due to provide 172 billion euros to the country in the shape of loans.

The board of the Italian employers Union, Cofindustria appointed Giorgio Squinzi, head of the chemical group Mapei as head of the institution on 22nd March in replacement of Emma Marcegaglia, whose mandate expires in May. This choice will be approved during the Cofindustria assembly on 23rd May next. The next day Giorgio Squinzi, who is already the federation's Deputy Chair, will take over his new function for a four year mandate.

On 20th March the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne presented his third austerity budget in a row, typified by a controversial reduction in taxes on the highest revenues, which he has promised to offset with new ideas that target the wealthy. This draft budget notably plans for a reduction on the highest tax bands and simultaneously a raising of the tax threshold on middle to low incomes. At the same time taxes on tobacco and alcohol are due to go up, the wealthiest families (more than £60,000 per year) will lose their rights to any type of family allowance and pensioners will see their tax threshold frozen. The British government has made the consolidation of its pubic finances a priority and is still under the pressure of the credit ratings agencies that are planning to take down the country's precious triple "A" rating.

On 21st March in an interview on the channel Russia Today, Aleksander Lukashenko admitted that the Belarus authorities had drawn up a "black list" of about ten opponents who are banned from leaving the country and that they planned to extend it. The opposition has been denouncing this black list since the beginning of March after some of its members, such as former head of State Stanislav Shushkevich were prevented from leaving the country. Lukashenko presented this list as being an "answer" to the sanctions taken by the EU, which set a list of around 227 people whose assets have been frozen and who are banned from having an EU visa. These declarations come in a context of increasing tension between Belarus and the EU.

The Center for Strategic Research that is close to the Kremlin has just updated a report published in September 2011 regarding the political situation in Russia. It warns the government about widespread political discontent that is spreading across the entire country. According to the CSR Vladimir Putin is said to be unable to satisfy either the hopes on the part of the new middle classes or those of the rural areas. In this context a new political crisis could start in the event of economic difficulties in particular and lead to early elections won by the opposition. Moreover the direct election of regional governors, which has just been re-introduced, may provide an opportunity for a challenge to be made against Vladimir Putin's legitimacy.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich appointed Petro Poroshenko as Economic Development and Trade Minister on 23rd March - Mr Poroshenko is a billionaire and former leader of the Orange Revolution said the presidency. Mr Poroshenko, who is 46 years old, owns the group Ukrprominvest, whose assets include the TV channel Canal 5 and shares in the influential weekly Korrespondent. The biggest confectionary group in Ukraine, Roshen, and several manufacturing and car sales companies are also part of this group.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjoern Jagland, who was visiting Budapest on 21st March, believed that too much power was concentrated at the head of the legal and media systems in Hungary. He informed the Hungarian leaders of the results of work undertaken by the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) regarding the reforms adopted by the government. He met Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Public Administration and Justice Minister, Tibor Navracsics. The Venice Commission looked into the changes decided upon by the government in the areas of the judiciary, freedom of the press and religion. In its report published on 19th March it criticised severely the reform that was being planned for the Hungarian legal system, qualified as a "threat" to its independence, whilst admitting that the "old Hungarian legal system undoubtedly required reform."

The UN Security Council gave its support on 21st March to the proposals made to the Syrian authorities by the UN and Arab League State's Special Envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan to put an end to the violence that has caused thousands of deaths in Syria since the start of the crisis one year ago. The Presidency of the Council maintains that "the Council unreservedly subscribes to the preliminary six point proposal submitted to the Syrian authorities." This proposal which was dated 16th March 2012 plans, amongst other things, for a UN monitored cease-fire; the provision of humanitarian aid; the release of people who are being arbitrarily detained and the withdrawal of government troops from the agglomerations. After having vetoed several resolutions concerning Syria, China and Russia voted in support of the Presidency's declaration.

According to Eurostat figures published on 23rd March the number of asylum seekers in the 27 Member States increased in 2011 to total 301,000 people. These are mainly Afghans, Pakistanis, Russians, Iraqis or Serbs. With 56,300 asylum seekers in France and 53,300 in Germany, these two countries take the lead in the ranking. These figures only represent a part of the picture, since three quarters of asylum seekers are confronted with a rejection regarding decisions in first instance.

The "Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) has published a study entitled "Neuer Anlauf in und für Griechenland" (New Start in and for Greece). Its author, Daniela Schwarzer looks into the effects of the restructuring of the debt on the Greek economy. Now facing new challenges, Greece must undertake several reforms, notably by focusing on local and regional innovation.

"Strategic Horizons" written by the Higher Council for Training and Strategic Research was published on 26th March and focuses on "the new challenges raised by globalisation." Amongst the authors, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, the Robert Schuman Foundation's Chairman wonders whether "Europe can be a power?" This issue has been edited together with the French newspaper Les Echos which included it as a supplement in its 26th March publication.

An exhibition devoted to Italian artist, Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1654) is taking place at te Maillol Museum until 15th July 2012. The collections on show review the work of this woman painter who succeeded in breaking through in a man's world to become on of the most reputed artists of our time.