The Regions Party came out ahead in the general elections that took place on 28th October in Ukraine, winning 30.99% of the vote. It drew ahead of the opposition forces that rallied amongst others Batkivshina (Mother country), led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the Front for Change led by Arseni Yatsenyuk with 24.84% of the vote. In third position, the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform won 13.62%; The Communist Party came fourth with 13.56% of the vote; the far right nationalist party (Svoboda) Freedom won, 10.01%. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) denounced a decline in democracy in Ukraine after the general elections that took place in the absence of Yulia Tymoshenko, who is behind bars. The OSCE also denounced the abusive use of administrative resources, the lack of transparency during the campaign and in the funding of the parties, as well as an imbalance in media coverage.

The UK's GDP rose by 1% in the third quarter of 2012 in comparison with the previous quarter according to estimates released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), on 25th October 2012 in an update. It might be said that the UK is emerging from three successive quarters of recession. According to the ONS this progression can be explained by a rise in industrial output (+1.1%) and in the tertiary sector (+1.3%). However the building industry is contracting (-2.5%). Moreover unemployment dropped from 8.1% to 7.9% whilst the employment rate rose from 70.8% to 71.3% over the three months prior to August 2012.

In an interim report published on 25th October 2012 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deemed that Portugal was now facing increased risk in the completion of its financial recovery programme, notably because of rising social protest after the presentation of the 2013 budget on 15th October last - which comprised drastic austerity. On the eve of this publication the IMF announced the payment of a further aid tranche to Portugal of around 1.5 billion euros which brings the total amount paid by the institution as part of the 78 billion euro rescue plan up to 21.8 billion.

According to provisional data published on 22nd October 2012 by the national statistics office (Elstat), the public debt and deficit have been reviewed upwards for 2011, 170.6% (355,7 billion euros) and 9.4% (19,7 billion euros) of the GDP. The first estimates in April 2012 put the deficit at 9.1% of the GDP and the debt at 165.3%. According to Elstat the rise in these figures can be explained by a downward trend in the GDP.

On 25th October 2012 experts at the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund praised the work undertaken by the Irish authorities to overcome the crisis, in spite of a restrictive environment. Commitments for 2012 are due to be respected and the deficit brought down to 7.5% of the GDP in 2013. Borrowing conditions on the markets have improved significantly. However domestic consumption and the employment rate are still inadequate.

On 26th October 2012 the Spanish National Institute for Statistics (INE) published its survey of the working population in the third quarter of 2012. At the end of September Spain had 5,778,100 unemployed, ie 25.02% of the working population and 85,000 more than in the previous quarter (24.63%). One quarter of Spain's working population is now out of work, an historic record that darkens perspectives of an end to the recession. Unemployment amongst young people (16-24 year olds), in spite of a slight reduction, totalled 52.34% against 53.27% at the end of June 2012.

On 23rd October 2012 the examination of the text that aims to set a 40% quota of women on the boards of European businesses had been postponed, announced Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. She said that she would not give up however and that José Manuel Barroso would put this subject on the agenda of the next meeting before mid-November 2012.

On 23rd October 2012 the European Commission presented an action plan covering the next two years aiming to help Member States regulate their respective on-line gambling markets. A group of experts will be established in December 2012 in view of exchanging good practice between Member States on the subject and to guarantee that national measures respect the principles of the single market. The Commission's goals are multiple: to protect children from gambling, to fight against addiction and to counter fraud and cheating on-line.

On 24th October 2012 the European Commission introduced a European Fund to aid the poorest. With a budget of 2.5 bilion euros over the period 2014-2020, it would support national initiatives by financing projects to a total of 85%. "It intends to make solidarity to the poorest in the Union real, for those who have been most affected by the economic and social crisis," declared the European Commissioner for Social Affairs Laszlo Andor. This fund would leave Member States and NGO's with a great amount of leeway and should facilitate the purchase of foodstuffs and basic goods. This proposal now has to be studied by the Council and Parliament.

The surprise resignation from the College of European Commissioners by John Dalli, responsible for Healthcare and Consumer Protection has been the focus of controversy. In a letter sent to MEPs John Dalli says that he believes he was forced to resign. The President of the Commission says that the data collated by OLAF, the European anti-fraud organisation according to a complaint made by a Swedish tobacco manufacturer left no room for any other alternative. This dossier highlights the relations between the representatives of specific interests and political leaders. John Dalli may be replaced by the present Maltese Foreign Minister Tonio Borg who will be speaking to the European Parliament on 13th November.

The Commission has estimated the appropriation requirements for the EU's budget in 2012. Hence 8.9 billion euros are required to honour the commitments of payments included in the budget this year. Without this many programmes, notably Erasmus and the Framework Programme for Research and Development might not be funded at the end of the year, which would affect the 2013 budget. MEPs expressed their opposition to the cuts demanded by the Member States in the 2013 budget put forward by the European Commission. MEPs want to guarantee the payment of programmes that favour growth and employment like Erasmus. A conciliation phase, which is to last three weeks, started on 24th October.

On 26th October 2012 European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for the Freedom of Thought to two Iranian militants, film producer Jafar Panahi and lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. "The award o the Sakharov Prize for the Freedom of Thought to the Iranians Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi comprises a message of solidarity and acknowledgement to a man and a woman who have not been crushed by fear and intimidation and who have decided to put the fate of their country before their own," declared the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. As a sign of their discontent the Iranian authorities refused to agree to a meeting between a Parliament delegation and the prize winners. MEPs therefore cancelled their journey.

On 25th October 2012 MEPs adopted a non-binding resolution in which they request the launch of talks with Japan in view of a free trade agreement. They believe that the two sides could benefit significantly in terms of growth and employment. MEPs did however stress that Japan should lift obstacles in certain sectors such as the car industry for example.

On 23rd October 2012 MEPs adopted (517 votes in support, 105 against and 63 abstentions) a resolution calling on Member States to review their position so that the EU 2014-2020 budget was not deprived of appropriations in support of growth and employment and which insists on the need to invest in competitiveness and research. They are asking the Member States to pin point clearly which budgets should be reduced. MEPs are also asking for an end to the various existing rebates.

On 22nd and 23rd October 2012 the 27 Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers finalised a political agreement on fishing possibilities regarding certain stocks in the Baltic Sea in 2013. They discussed the place of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in the upcoming multi-annual financial framework. They also looked into the different aspects of the reform of the CAP, notably direct payments, aid to young farmers and the establishment of a joint organisation of the markets. Many delegations were against continuing direct payments based simply on the payments levels of the past.

On 25th October 2012 the 27 Environment Ministers debated a draft bill on recycling ships as well as the work to undertake following the Rio+20 conference organised by the UN last June. They also tried to adopt a joint European position in view of the next session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the next conference on the Kyoto Protocol that will take place in Doha in November and December next.

According to figures released by the European Central Bank on 25th October 2012, loans granted to the private sector decreased by 0.8% in September 2012 for the fifth consecutive month. In comparison with August the reduction in loans to non-financial businesses has doubled (-1.4% instead of -0.7%), whilst loans to private parties and for the purchase of property decreased by 0.1% (0.1% instead of 0.2% and 0.7% instead of 0.8% respectively). Support operations by the European Central Bank were not enough to make up for the lack of demand on the part of the private sector.

According to a press release by the German Institute GfK consumer confidence is due to improve in November 2012. According to results of a survey undertaken amongst 2000 Germans published on 26th October 2012 the index emerges at its highest since October 2007. This figure is higher than expectations (5.9). Household spending may help Germany survive world economic slowing.

In an article in the newspaper "Tagesspiegel am Sonntag" on 28th October, the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, indicated that he was counting on a balanced federal budget in 2013. "The federal State will probably keep its promises in 2013 and deliver a budget that is nearly balanced, ie three years ahead of the requirements demanded by the fundamental law." "It is a success," he believes, whilst in its Constitution in 2009 Germany included "a debt brake" according to the translation of the term in German. In real terms the Federal State should succeed in achieving the initial forecasts of a balanced budget void of debt by 2016 as declared by W. Schäuble.

On 26th Octobe 2012 French and British Defence Ministers, Jean-Yves le Drian and Philip Hammond met on the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean. They re-iterated their will to step up cooperation in terms of defence. The meeting took place on the conclusion of joint maritime manoeuvres, Corsican Lion, which started on 17th October off the Corsican coast. The British Minister believed that Corsican Lion is "a real result" that has come of this cooperation. In a joint declaration, Ministers noted the "growing level of inter-operability" of the armies of both countries "which undoubtedly have the greatest capabilities in Europe".

Women are still struggling in terms of work and salaries, whilst they are closing the gap on men in the area of health and education. This is what the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicated in its annual report on gender equality, published on 24th October 2012. The latter entitled "The Global Gender Gap Report 2012," looks into the practices of 135 countries in terms of equality between men and women. Iceland, Finland and Norway occupy the first three places in the world ranking whilst Chad, Pakistan and Yemen come last. Whilst all countries have progressed in terms of health and education, only 60% of countries have succeeded in reducing the economic gap. This report stresses that the reduction of the employment gap is fundamental for economic growth and stability.

The Enterprise Institute has published a study entitled "Quel 'choc de compétivité' pour la France? - Diagnostics et propositions". In order to "break the downward spiral that is threatening the French economy," it is vital to boost competitiveness. The Institute is suggesting a short term transfer of a share of the financing of social protection over to households. Long term the institute is suggesting the introduction of "Agenda 2012", a real growth agenda. Structural reform will focus on the following measures: an opening of sectors that are not subject to competition, policies to support innovation; greater decentralisation of employment negotiations, working hours and salaries.

The Louvre is putting on an exhibition on Cyprus between Byzantium and the West from the 4th to the 16th century. 150 objects that have come from several Cypriot museums, the Metropolitan Museum of New York or the Fine Arts Museum in Budapest including some illuminations, icons and sculptures illustrate medieval Cyprus in the first Byzantine century when Christianity triumphed in the Roman Empire until the Turkish conquest of the island in 1570. The exhibition, on until 28th January 2013 is showing at the same time as the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The 50th edition of the international film festival in Vienna - "the Viennale" opened its doors on 25th October 2012 for two weeks. 300 short and features films will be showing until 7th November 2012.

An exhibition entitled "Cézanne: tradition and creative strength" was inaugurated on 25th October at the Fine Arts Museum in Budapest, showing work by the French painter and artists who inspired him. Around 100 pictures and works by Paul Cézanne, an artist, who was a member of the Impressionist movement and the creator of many landscapes in Provence are on show; this includes work undertaken during his studies. Nearly 40 other pictures by painters who inspired Cézanne, such as Italian Michael Angelo, Frenchmen Eugène Delacroix and Gustave Courbet are also being exhibited at the museum in Budapest. The exhibition is open until 17th February 2013.