The Club Droit Public at Sciences Po, together with the Robert Schuman Foundation is organising a meeting on 18th September on the theme of "Euro Zone Crisis and its possible contractual consequences". The Foundation Chairman, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, as well as representatives from the legal and academic world will be debating this issue.

On 12th September the Dutch are being invited to elect the 150 members of the Tweede Kamer early (The Chamber of the States General). The outgoing government coalition (VVD, CDA and SGP), which sits in the minority, collapsed over the 2013 budget. The Netherlands, which are rated AAA however, have entered recession; the populist parties (SP on the left and PVV on the right) are trying to take advantage of this by challenging the main political parties and the European Union. The voting method (completely proportional) fosters the existence and the representation of a greater number of parties and makes the task of putting a clear, sound govenrment majority together increasingly difficult. An ever growing number of political parties is required to govern. Just one month before the election the Maurice de Hond Institute is crediting the SP (Socialist Party) with 37 seats, the Liberals (VVD) with 31, the Freedom Party (PVV) 17, the Centre Left (D66), Labour (PvdA) with 15 and the Christian Democrats with 14. This means that it might take time before we know what the next government will comprise.

Mariano Rajoy's government approved the draft 2013 and 2014 budgets on 3rd August 2012 and these are now due to be submitted to the European Commission. It anticipates measures to reduce the budgetary deficit to 4.5% in 2013 and to 2.8% in 2014.

On 6th August 2012 the mobile laboratory Curiosity landed successfully on Mars and started its first operations. This robot will be exploring part of the red planet's surface to reveal any possible traces of elements necessary for life as we know it, notably water. This programme led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the US has the support of the European Space Agency in the shape of a probe that is being used to relay information between the robot and Earth.

The European Commission announced on August 1st deductions from 2012 fishing quotas of those Member States that had exceeded their quotas in 2011. Through deductions the Commission can immediately address the damage done to the stocks overfished in the previous year and ensure a sustainable use by all Member States of a common fishing resource. This year, for the first time, deductions were increased by 50% for Member States that had repeatedly (in 2009, 2010 and 2011) overfished the same stock.

The European Central Bank (ECB) left its key interest rate as it stood on 2nd August 2012 at 0.75%. Moreover the European Central Bank said it was prepared to intervene on the bonds markets in a bid to contain the euro crisis. The ECB is ready to intervene on the debt market, given the high rates at which some euro zone countries are having to borrow thereby preventing the successful transmission of its monetary policy, said its president Mario Draghi. The monetary institution "can undertake operations on the bonds market that will be enough to reach its goal", declared Mr Draghi, calling however on governments to prepare to use to the European rescue fund the EFSF and the ESM on the bonds market and to continue implementing the necessary stabilisation measures.

On 23rd August 2012 German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted the President of the French Republic, François Hollande. On this occasion the two leaders looked into the progress achieved in the fight against the economic, banking, financial and budgetary crisis focusing notably on Greece. Whilst they want the country to remain in the euro zone they reminded the Greeks of the extent of the measures they will have to implement if they want to succeed. They also discussed the options open to Europe in the face of the Syrian crisis. Finally they repeated they wanted to launch the next step in the Elysée Treaty, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary that will be celebrated in January 2013, thereby confirming the key role played by Franco-German friendship in European integration.

On 22nd August French Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault announced various measures designed to improve Roma integration into French society. Notably an improvement in reception and housing capabilities are being set out in conjunction with the local authorities, as well as an interministerial work group on education. The list of professions open to Romanians and Bulgarians will also be extended and taxes owed by employers to the French Immigration and Integration Office will be abolished. On 22nd August the European Commission welcomed the announcements made by the French government regarding Roma integration and encouraged France to "lift all restrictions still in vigour as soon as possible".

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras travelled to Berlin on 24th August and to Paris on 25th to put forward his suggestions to German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and French President, François Hollande regarding the sovereign debt crisis that is affecting his country and threatening the euro zone. He repeated the Greek government's desire for the country to stay in the euro zone whilst implementing a series of measures designed to revive the Greek economy. Privatisations should notably continue. The Prime Minister did however ask for more time to implement these measures so that austerity does not worsen social tension. The German Chancellor said she wanted Greece to stay in the euro zone. She said that no decision about aid to the country should be taken before the international creditors' report has been delivered.

Romanian President Traian Basescu will remain as Head of State. On 21st August the Constitutional Court of Romania invalidated the attempted impeachment procedure launched last month against him by the centre left coalition in office since May. Indeed, although a large majority of voters (more than 80%) voted in support of impeachment, the quorum was not reached, since turnout was below 50%. The election was also marked by a number of irregularities. The European Commission said it was concerned about what it believes to be threats being made to the independence of the judiciary.

During a press conference on 6th August Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced the withdrawal of the controversial plan to reform the upper house of Parliament, the House of Lords. The reform which the Liberal Democrats held dear was part of the coalition agreement between the LibDems led by Nick Clegg and the Conservatives led by David Cameron. This heralds a "rift" in the coalition agreement said the LibDem leader who then said that LibDem MPs would not approve the project to redefine the electoral constituencies, dear to the Conservatives.

On 22nd August the Belarus authorities registered the candidates for the "general elections" that will take place on 23rd September rejecting opposition leader, Aleksander Milinkevich but accepting that of opponent Anatoli Lebedko. "They said that 28.3% of my signatures were invalid" indicated the leader of the opposition party "For Freedom", Aleksander Milinkevich, who stood in the presidential election in 2006 but not in 2010 when it was won by Aleksander Lukashenko in office in this former Soviet Republic for the last 18 years. "In my opinion it is clear that this is a political decision," he added.

In an article published by the World Affairs Journal on 15th August, Vladimir Kara-Murza reviews the first 100 days of Vladimir Putin's new mandate as President, although he has headed the country as Head of State or government for the last 13 years. Extremely severe measures have been taken against demonstrators, opponents and NGO's, most of whom receive funding from abroad. This increased severity comes after the recent demonstrations in support of democracy and political pluralism that rallied 100,000 people in Moscow. Since March Vladimir Putin's popularity has fallen 11 points, dropping to 44% according to a poll undertaken in August.

On 8th August 2012 the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine refused the request made by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to be placed as lead candidate in the upcoming general elections in October. Ten members of the fifteen are against it, arguing that her conviction and imprisonment made it impossible. Yulia Tymoshenko was appointed head of her list by a coalition of opponents to the present government at the end of July. Her party announced that it would appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court. On 24th August several hundred demonstrators turned out in Kyiv in support of Yulia Tymoshenko on the occasion of Independence Day.

On 17th August 2012 the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for Ukraine, Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE) and Mariette de Pourbaix-Lundin (Sweden, EPP/CD) welcomed the release of Valery Ivashchenko, former Defence Minister in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on 14th August. They also said they hoped that this release would soon be followed by that of Yuri Lutsenko and Yulia Tymoshenko whose continued imprisonment is worrying the Assembly.

On 22nd August the World Trade Organisation (WTO) welcomed two new Member States, Vanuatu and above all Russia, bringing the number of members to 157 of this forum where international trade rules, notably the reduction of customs duties, are discussed. After 18 years of negotiations Russia has joined the WTO, and its G20 and BRICS partners; with this it hopes long term that this will facilitate its accession to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). The Russian agricultural and automotive sectors benefit from special clauses and extended periods of transition since they are not ready to face world competition straight away.

According to a Eurostat estimate published on 17th August 2012, the euro zone and the European Union registered trade surpluses in June to a total of 14.9 billion euros and 0.4 billion euros respectively. The trade balance has improved significantly over one year, since, in June 2011 the euro zone recorded a surplus of only 0.2 billion euros and the EU, a deficit of 15.3 billion euros. Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland have a better trade balance whilst the UK, France and Spain have recorded the most significant deficits. The export of manufactured goods and the import of energy resources have increased sharply.

In a study published by the Centre for European Studies, Nikolaos Tzifakis analyses the effects of the growing trend to use the services of military and private security businesses. The author notably recommends greater competition between these companies and thought about all of the government services involved, so that these contracts are not automatically systemized but continue to meet efficacy requirements . He finally calls on governments to improve the responsibility of these companies vis- à-vis the law.

During the Summer Olympic Games that took place in London in August the sportsmen and women from the 27 EU Member States won 304 medals, 92 of which were gold, 103, silver and 109, bronze, far ahead of the USA and China. Of the ten countries that won the most medals five are EU members: UK, Germany, France, Italy and Hungary.

On the occasion of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the BOZAR Museum in Brussels is hosting an exhibition entitled "Mapping Cyprus: Crusaders, Traders and Explorers." This exhibition reviews Cyprus' long history, at the cross-roads of the East and the West it was coveted by traders and warriors from all horizons because of its strategic position.