As part of the partnership between the Robert Schuman Foundation and the Audiovisuel extérieur de la France (AEF), the Foundation is broadcasting the most recent programme on its site "Talking Europe" whose guest is Pascal Lamy, Director General of the World Trade Organisation. He is interviewed by Christophe Robeet and Caroline Camaret. During the interview he says what the European Union should be doing to revive the economy. He notably warns Europe against its protectionist responses.

On 17th October 2012 the Hungarian government led by Victor Orban announced further austerity measures in a bid to contain the public deficit below 3% of the GDP. The first savings plan announced on 4th October 2012 totalling 397 billion forints (1,39 billion euros) was deemed inadequate by the EU said Economy Minister György Matolcsy. The additional measures to a total of 367 billion forints (1,32 billion euros) notably include a doubling of financial tax rates. If Hungary, which has been the focus of an excessive deficit procedure since its accession in 2004, does not succeed in convincing Brussels of its ability to reduce its deficit it might lose access to some community funds.

During the European Council on 18th and 19th October 2012 the 27 Heads of State and Government decided on the introduction of banking supervision in 2013. This measure, which is the first step towards banking union, is all the more important since it is the condition for the Monetary Union's firewall, the ESM, to be able to recapitalise banks directly if they are in difficulty. They also re-iterated their will to implement measures for growth and employment decided upon in their previous meeting in June, to a total of 120 billion euro. They finally repeated that they were prepared to help Mali to regain control of its northern territories that are being occupied by armed Islamists, by planning a military mission to train the Malian army.

On 17th October 2012 the European Commission put forward a modification of the 2009 Directive relative to the promotion of the use of energy produced by renewable sources. It is planning to restrict a share of the use of biofuels produced from foodstuffs to 5% out of a total 10% renewable energy use that the EU set itself to achieve by 2020. This change should, in the Commission's opinion, encourage the use of more performant biofuels whilst discouraging the use of production methods that impede the production of foodstuffs.

On 19th October 2012 the 27 European Affairs Ministers adopted a political agreement on the new rules relative to the cohesion policy for the period 2014-2020, whilst they wait for Parliament's first reading of this text. Ministers also debated the next multi-annual financial framework, which the presidency intends to present differently. Bilateral negotiations are planned with the Presidency of the European Council in view of finding an agreement on this subject. Finally the Council approved access by the European Parliament to classified information other than that concerning the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The Serb Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic and his Kosovar counterpart, Hashim Thaci met on 19th October 2012 for the first time under the guidance of the European Union in Brussels - this is the first step towards dialogue that will continue "soon" after months of being in stalemate. The meeting was the first at this level since the opening of this dialogue in March 2011, which aims to normalise relations between the two States.

On 17th October 2012 German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble set out his ideas to make progress towards true budgetary union. He advises the creation of a Super European Commissioner for Budgetary Affairs, who in his opinion, should be able to reject the national budgets of the States which have signed the budgetary pact and ask for improvements when they do not respect criteria. Wolfgang Schäuble also wants to strengthen the competences of European Parliament to provide better guarantees to democratic legitimacy within the EU.

In a speech delivered at the Collège d'Europe on 17th October, Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt said she believed that the European Union had the tools it needed to settle the crisis. Indeed the EU has already proved that it could take decisions, that it was creative in finding new solutions and that solidarity, in spite of some setbacks, was not lacking. She notably spoke of Vaclav Havel, the patron of the Collège's 2012-2013 acadamic year. "Is it not during times of deep doubt that new certainties arise?" Whilst emphasising that the work done over the last 60 years, which had been crowned with the undeniable success of peace, democracy and prosperity, she recalled that a great deal still had to be done, notably in terms of the fight to counter youth unemployment and sustainable growth, whilst she also defended the possibility of building a several speed Europe.

Until 26th October 2012 thousands of sailors from the British Royal Navy and the French air-naval group are undertaking a major military exercise off the Corsican coast entitled "Corsican Lion". The aim of these land and sea manoeuvres is to develop a joint expeditionary force to provid response to both land and maritime threats (amphibian battles) and the evacuation of inhabitants from crisis situations. As part of the bilateral Lancaster House defence agreements signed in 2010 by France and the UK this technical and tactical cooperation aims to develop into a "powerful, joint operation" in the future.

On 18th October the Italian Senate adopted on first reading a stricter anti-corruption law in the wake of scandals that have sullied the political classes over the last few months. Amongst other things this new bill anticipates heavier sanctions for simple corruption, rising from a prison sentence of two to five years, to four to eight years. The sentence of judicial corruption, ie of a witness or magistrate in a trial will rise from three to eigt years to between 4 and 10 years in prison. In some cases the law also plans for the sentences to be heavier for bribery ranging from 6 to 12 years in prison. This law also includes ineligibility for anyone who has been sentenced to prison for over two years.

The European People's Party (EPP) held its annual Congress on 17th and 18th October 2012 in Bucharest. Several resolutions were adopted, notably regarding the single market, the cohesion policy and on the situation in Syria. The new electoral platform was adopted replacing that selected in Athens in 1992. Finally the President and Vice-Presidents were elected. Wilfried Martens, former Belgian Prime Minister, was re-elected as President for a further three year mandate with 91% of the vote.

The Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas's coalition suffered defeat in the second round of the senatorial elections organised on 19th and 20th October, which was won by the social democratic opposition (CSSD). Mr Necas's Civic Democratic Party (ODS) only won 4 of the 27 constituencies where the election took place - it was designed to redistribute one third of the seats in the Senate which total 81 in all. The CSSD will now have 46 Senators' seats and the ODS 15.

British Home Secretary Theresa May announced on 15th October 2012 to MPs in the House of Commons that the UK intended to "disengage massively" from 130 European police cooperation and judicial measures, amongst which feature the European Arrest Warrant and the sharing of data on criminal records. According to the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, the UK has until 31st May 2014 to use the exemption clause on the measures pertaining to "Justice and Internal Affairs". Theresa May justified this position speaking of the national interest, the will to recover certain powers and that of renegotiating British membership of the EU.

On 17th October 2012 the President of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili appointed as Prime Minister, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, head of the opposition coalition, "Georgian Dream" which won the general elections on October 1st. Parliament met on 21st October and is to approve the composition of the new government over the next few days. "Georgian Dream" has 85 of the 150 seats in Parliament, against 65 for the National Movement Party-Democrats. And so, for the first time ever there will be political cohabitation in Georgia.

According to a Eurostat publication dated 16th October 2012 the euro zone's goods trade balance was in surplus to a total of 6.6 billion euro in August but in the EU there is a deficit of 12.6 billion euros. Since the start of the year the energy deficit totalled more than 230 billion euros, and the manufactured goods surplus was over 200 billion - with these two figures being over those seen during the same period in 2011. Germany and the Netherlands record the best results whilst the UK and France the worst.

In a study published on 16th October 2012, Eurobarometer reveals that 85% of European citizens are attached to the aid the EU provides to developing countries. Trade and finance are seen as vital leverage whilst the corruption of local governments is often denounced as in impediment to development. More than 60% of Europeans believe that aid should be stepped up, but more than 50% think that the countries with high growth rates should no longer have the right to it even though major inequality still exists. Human rights, education and healthcare are considered as the main priorities.

In a study published by the Finnish Institute for International Relations Kristi Raik analyses how the perception of the EU has developed in opposite directions over the last few years in Finland and Estonia. As euroscepticism gains ground in Finland, Estonia is trying to be pro-active in the European arena by supporting greater integration. American disinterest in Europe explains this rapprochement in part as welll as the work undertaken to join the euro zone and the Schengen area, overcoming the economic crisis and appearing as a responsible, pragmatic ally in the eyes of its European partners. The most recent decision, which is symptomatic of this pro-active attitude, is the support given to the financial transaction tax.

In partnership with the Prado Museum, the Louvre is offering an exhibition until 14th January 2013 on work by Raphaël (1483-1520) in Rome completed during the last seven years of his life. Around one hundred paintings, drawings and tapestries review the artistic journey of the master who formed the heart of the Italian Renaissance. The unique exhibition which place his pictures alongside those of his pupils illustrates how his workshop operated.