You have just one day left to enrol for the first EU/Korea Forum organised by the Robert Schuman Foundation, the Yonsei University and the Korea Foundation on 19th September at the European Parliament in Brussels. On this occasion speakers, both European and Korean from various areas, will be presenting the state of relations one year after the signature of the free trade agreement between the EU and South Korea. It is obligatory to enrol.

The Club Droit Public at Sciences Po together with the Robert Schuman Foundation is organising a meeting on 18th September 2012 on the theme of "The euro zone crisis and its possible contractual consequences". The Foundation's Chairman, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, as well as representatives from the legal and academic spheres, will be debating this issue.

"The Permanent Atlas of the European Union" published by the Robert Schuman Foundation and co-managed by Jean-Dominique Giuliani and Pascale Joannin, respectively the Foundation's Chairman and Director General, is the first atlas of Europe that presents not only the 27 Member States but also the European Union and the euro zone. To learn everything you need to know about Europe, this is the reference work to order from the Foundation's site this September.

As part of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Audiovisuel extérieur de la France (AEF) partnership, the Foundation is broadcasting the latest programme "Talking Europe" on its site - the guest this week was the OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria. The latter reviews the announcements recently made by the ECB and notably the purchase of euro bonds. In his opinion it is good news for the countries in debt such as Spain and Italy. He also said he was extremely worried about unemployment in Europe that is rising constanly, especially amongst the young.

The Minister for Employment and Social Security in Spain, Engracia Hidalgo announced in a press release on 4th September 2012 that unemployment had risen by 0.83% ie 38,179 people more than in July. The number of unemployed has now reached 4.63 million, thereby ending four consecutive months of a reduction in the unemployment rate. However the rise dated 31st August is the smallest since 2006.

The Greek GDP contracted by 6.3% in the second quarter of 2012 after a decline of 6.5% in the first quarter according to revised data announced on 7th September 2012 by the Greek Statistics Authority (Ase). These data are slightly more negative than the first forecasts (6.2%) and the GDP lay at 43,661 billion euros in the second quarter. Total consumer spending lay at 7.2% in the second quarter over one year ie -8% in terms of household consumption and -3.7% in terms of public spending, whilst gross capital investments fell by 19.4%.

Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho announced on 7th September 2012 that austerity would be stepped up in 2013 whilst Portugal, which is under financial assistance, is not succeding in respecting its commitments to reducing its public deficit. He announced an increase in social security contributions on the part of wage earners in both the private and public sectors. In exchange he is anticipating a reduction on business contributions in order to foster employment whilst unemployment has risen beyond 15% of the working population. Employees' contributions will therefore rise from 11% to 18% whilst business contributions will decrease from 23.75% to 18%%. "The government has decided to increase social security contributions in the private sector to 18% which will enable us to reduce employers contributions also set at 18%," said the Prime Minister.

According to final figures released by the Central Statistics Bureau (KSH), Hungary's GDP contracted by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2012 in comparison with the previous quarter for the second consecutive period thereby officially plunging the economy into recession. In the first quarter the economy contracted by 1% according to data that had been adjusted to seasonal variations, said KSH figures in a press release published on 7th September 2012.

Unemployment increased slightly in Poland in August to 12.4% of the working population, in comparison with 12.3% in July announced the Labour Ministry on 6th September. The number of unemployed totalled 1.97 million at the end of August it said. In August 2011 unemployment in Poland, a country with 38.2 million inhabitants, affected 11.6% of the working population. Moreover the Polish government reviewed is growth forecasts of the GDP in 2013 downwards, to 2.2% in comparison with a previous 2.9% and 2.5% expected in 2012, said an official press release.

According to figures published on 10th September 2012 by the Italian Statistics Institute (ISTAT) the GDP contracted by 0.8% in the second quarter in comparison with the first, which represents a decrease of 2.6% over one year. Since the second half of 2011 final consumer spending has decreased by 2.9%, the gross fixed capital formation by 9.5% and imports by 8.2%, whilst exports have risen by 1.4%.

The European Central Bank has published its most recent economic forecasts for the euro zone. It stresses that these forecasts are uncertain and largely linked to the Member States' future policy decisions, both in the euro zone andthe EU, as well as he reactions of private players, notably the banks and the financial markets. The ECB is anticipating GDP growth between -0.6% and -0.2% and inflation ranging from 2.4% to 2.6% in 2012. In 2013 growth will lie within a range of -0.4% to 1.4% and inflation will lie between 1.3% and 2.5%.

Vitor Constancio, Vice-President of the European Central Bank defended the idea of Banking Union on 7th September 2012. He firstly insisted on the need for monetary union together with banking union because of the increasing interconnexion between markets and banks, of the need for financial integration in the euro zone and of damaging differences between Member States. The ECB should in this context ensure the supervision of this banking union due to its independence, because of its expertise and the interest in combining monetary supervision with banking and financial supervision. The European Commission is soon to put proposals forward on this.

On 4th September 2012, Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, made his first official visit to Brussels since his appointment in July. He notably met the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. On this occasion Mr Rompuy re-iterated that he wanted to see Serbia become a member of the EU but insisted on the work it had to do to continue in this direction. "A visible, sustainable improvement" in its relations with Kosovo is a key condition for the launch of negotiations regarding the country's accession. He also spoke of several other measures that had to be applied by Serbia if it wanted to progress towards integration.

On 5th September 2012 the European Commission presented a draft recommendation to the Council that aims to acknowledge non-formal and informal apprenticeships. Indeed a growing number of Europeans have experience like this. The acknowledgement of this training would stimulate employment and bring a share of the European population out of its social exclusion. This document suggests that Member States introduce by 2015 the mechanisms to acknowledge these acquis by concentrating on their identification, their documentation, their assessment and their certification. The Member States will also have to ensure the distribution of information about the possibility to validate acquis and offer citizens the opportunity to make an assessment when necessary.

On 3rd September 2012 Catherine Ashton, the EU's High Representative and Stefan Füle, European Commissioner for the Neighbourhood Policy stressed the main challenges facing Georgia, such as the consolidation of democracy, social cohesion and the fight to counter exclusion. The next general elections will be under close scrutiny by the EU in this context. The Robert Schuman Foundation has published a study that analyses the issues at stake in the election just one month before it takes place.

A "consensus" was reached on 8th September 2012 for stronger European sanctions against the regime of Syrian President Bachar al-Assad said the Cypriot Foreign Minister, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis after a meeting with his EU counterparts. During this meeting many people spoke in support of stronger European and also international sanctions against Iran.

German exports increased in July 2012 according to figures published by the Federal Statistics Office (Destatis) on 7th September 2012 but at a slower pace than imports, which is revealed in a slight decrease in the trade surplus. Hence the surplus lay at 16.1 billion euros in July 2012. Exports, according to an adjusted base, increased by 0.5% in July and imports by 0.9% in comparison with last month. Compared with July 2011 exports increased by 9.2% and imports by 1.9%.

The Bank of France confirmed its forecast on 10th September of a 0.1% contraction in the GDP in the third quarter of 2012.

On a visit to the UK on 6th September 2012 French President François Hollande held a joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron. He said he totally agreed with Mr Cameron over Syria; both want to "step up the democratic transition in Syria" and to strengthen sanctions against Bachar el-Assad. Over Sahel they want to step up the fight against terrorism. Regarding the euro zone the French President stressed that "although France and the UK were in a different situation" they did share the same interests however. He called on the countries of Europe; notably the UK to "act together to support the continent's economic activity as much as possible".

According to a Eurostat publication on 7th September 2012 the EU recorded a current account surplus of 4.6 billion euros in the second quarter of 2012. At the same period in 2011 the deficit lay at 37.1 billion euros.

The "Martin Gropius Bau" Museum in Berlin is hosting an exhibition until 7th January entitled "Olympia-Myth, Cult and Games" devoted to the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. For the first time outside of Greece the museum is showing nearly 500 archeological artefacts which have been completed with loans from the Louvre, the Vatican and important museums in Munich, Dresden and Rome. In all, more than 850 objects are on show.

The 29th edition of the European Heritage Days is taking place in several countries on 15th and 16th Sepetember 2012. Discover new heritage treasures that are often hidden by a door, or in an obscure courtyard, above your heads, under your feet - they are only open to the public at this time. Wherever you live there are various offers available to satisfy everyone's curiosity.