The "Schuman Report on Europe, State of the Union 2013", a reference work on Europe, has just been published. This, the 7th edition, includes an exclusive interview with José-Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. The 27 articles all point to the same question: will 2013 be the year of recovery? This book, edited by Thierry Chopin and Michel Foucher, is being published by Lignes de Repères. It is now available in all bookshops and on the Foundation's site in paper form and for the first time a digital book will be available (e-book and tablets) very soon.

The Labour Party (LP) led by Joseph Muscat made a landslide victory in the general elections that took place on 9th March in Malta. He won 54.83% of the vote and 38 seats in the Chamber of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati), the only chamber in Parliament (ie +4 in comparison with the previous election on 8th March 2008). He came out ahead of the Nationalist Party (PN) led by outgoing Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who won 43.34% of the vote and 29 seats (-6). Democratic Alternative (AD), an ecologist party led by Michael Briguglio won 1.8%of the vote and failed to enter parliament as a result. Turn out lay at 93.10%.

According to a press release by the National Institute for Statistical Studies (INSEE) published on 7th March 2013, 10.2% of the French were looking for a job in the fourth quarter of 2012, a rate that had not been seen since 1999. This is equal to 0.3 points more than in the previous quarter. Including overseas territories, unemployment totals 10.6%. The unemployment rate that measures the share of unemployed amongst the working population has been rising since mid-2011. INSEE now believes that 2.9 million people are without work in France according to the standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

In line with a legal act adopted on 7th March 2013 by the European Commission an inversed black triangle will soon feature on the labels of some medicines on the EU's market. This will help patients and healthcare professionals spot medicines more easily if they are the focus of specific surveillance. According to the European Commissioner for Healthcare and Consumer Policy, Tonio Borg, "the strengthening of the patients role in the notification of side effects is an integral part of the European pharmacovigilance."

On 11th March 2013 the European Parliament debated a report by the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee on "the effects of the economic crisis on equality between men and women and women's rights. " The report by Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP, FR) which aims to define the impact of the crisis on women's work also puts forward a certain number of measures to reduce present inequality between men and women, notably in terms of employment. The Robert Schuman Foundation publishes studies on equality between men and women in the EU. The General Manager of the Foundation, Pascale Joannin recently published a text entitled "More women in Europe?" in the Schuman Report 2013.

On 5th March 2013 the 27 Finance Ministers approved the main guidelines of the agreement with the European Parliament regarding rules on banks' capital. This agreement aims to replace existing rules in order to implement the recommendations set down by the G20 in the so-called Basel II agreement. This agreement with the Parliament also anticipates the limitation of bankers' bonuses. Ministers also looked into the possibility of extending the maturity of the loans granted to Ireland and to Portugal in order to facilitate the reimbursement of their debt; they also asked the Troika to act accordingly.

"New technologies are a vital sector for the future," declared German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her inaugural speech at the CeBIT show on 4th March 2013 in Hannover. The CeBiT is the biggest show of new technologies in the world, whose guest country of honour this year is Poland. "We must merge the real economy and ITs. All of Europe is lagging behind in this matter," declared the Chancellor. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that "in Poland 15 minutes were necessary to create a company. What we need in Europe is creative optimism."

The Austrian Defence Minister Norbert Darabos resigned on 5th March to become secretary of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) just seven months before the general elections planned for 29th September. Norbert Darabos has been replaced by Gerald Klug, who was the head of the SPÖ's parliamentary group at the Upper Chamber of Parliament, the Bundesrat.

On 5th March 2013 the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Steven Vanackere resigned after a scandal erupted over the financial links between the Belfius bank and a Christian Democratic movement close to this Flemish member of government. This resignation comes at a difficult time for the Belgian government coalition which is facing the rise of the Flemish nationalists, problems with Belfius (ex-Dexia) and European budgetary requirements. He has been replaced by Koen Geens, a lawyer and professor of company law.

In Brussels on 6th March 2013 Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev declared that his country had the necessary resources to enable an increase spending in social programmes designed to tackle the political, social and economic crisis in Bulgaria. He notably qualified his country as "an island of budgetary discipline" with a deficit of 0.5% in 2012 and a forecast deficit of 1.3% in 2013. Brussels expressed its hope for a "stable, fully operational" government in the wake of early elections that are planned for 12th May next in order to continue major reforms in the country.

Together French Ministers will have to find five billion additional euros in savings in 2014 according to guidelines set out in a letter dated 8th March, addressed to them from Matignon as a run up to tough budgetary discussions. French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault asked ministers in his letter to pin-point five billion euros in further savings in 2014." This guideline confirms our commitment to stabilising public accounts for the country's recovery," he said in a press release.

On 6th March 2013 French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were guests at the Visegrad Group Summit (Poland, Hungary, Czech Repubilic and Slovakia). The agreement on the European budget 2014-2020, Economic and Monetary Union as well as competitiveness and EU growth were addressed during this meeting. However the issue of European defence was the focus of discussions. The six leaders repeated that they wanted to step up European defence means and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). They also spoke of the need to pool military and defence resources. At the same time Defence Ministers published a joint declaration for the development of European Defence.

Milos Zeman was sworn in on 8th March 2013 at the Vladislas Hall of the Castle of Prague and thereby became the third head of the Czech Republic. He is taking over from Vaclav Klaus and is the first president to be elected by direct universal suffrage. His mandate is for five years.

The Slovenian Parliament adopted two bills on 5th March 2013 that were put forward by outgoing Prime Minister Janez Jansa's government. These are designed to reform the labour market and make it more flexible and competitive. The two bills were approved by 68 of the 83 MPs in Parliament which comprises 90 seats. No MPs present voted against the texts. This labour market reform aims to facilitate long term contracts for young people and to encourage companies to take people on by relaxing dismissal rules. It also sets a maximum of 25% of the staff being temps and plans for stricter measures in the event of non-payment of social contributions by employers.

On 7th March 2013 the Swedish Parliament ratified the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG), 251 votes in support, 23 against. This text introduces the "golden rule" on public finances and automatic sanctions in the event of any excesses. Sweden is the 19th Member State to ratify the text signed by 25 governments in the Union. The Robert Schuman Foundation has published an explanatory paper on the budgetary pact as well as a table on its site showing the ratifications per country of the TSCG.

On 8th March 2013 Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat handed in his government's resignation. This follows a no-confidence vote by parliament on 5th March by 54 of the 101 MPs, several of whom belong to the European Integration Alliance in power. The fall of the Moldovan government opens a period of political instability in the country and compromises its European aspirations. Indeed Moldova was hoping to sign an association agreement with the EU during the Eastern Partnership Summit in November 2013. Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti now has 45 days to propose a new Prime Minister to the MPs.

On 8th March 2013 the Vatican press office announced the 8th general cardinals' congregation for the election of the successor to Benoît XVI on 12th March 2013. The "pro-eligendo Pontifice" will be celebrated in the morning in the Saint-Pierre Basilica and in the afternoon the cardinals will enter the conclave says the press release.

On 7th March 2013 the co-rapporteurs of the monitoring committee at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said they were extremely concerned and disappointed after the dismissal of a Ukrainian opposition MP Serhiy Vlasenko in a decision delivered on the previous day by the Ukrainian High Administrative Court. "This raises the spectre of punishment inflicted on Mr Vlasenko because he is a political ally and legal advisor to former imprisoned Prime Minister Yulia Timochenko", said the rapporteurs.

On 8th March 2013 the Internationl Monetary Fund (IMF) announced in Dublin by way of its General Director Christine Lagarde, that it was "open" to an adjustment to the terms of the financial assistance programme to Ireland in order to help the country settle the situation and make its final return to the markets. "We have an open mind over a number of questions, terms and conditions for an exit strategy (an aid plan)and going as far as a loans adjustment," she notably declared. She also welcomed Ireland's work that serves as a model amongst countries under assistance in terms of reviving the economy.

On 8th March Eurostat published a selection of data on women's employment and on reconciling professional and family life in the EU. In 2011 one third of executives in the EU were women. In all Member States there were less women than men executives, with the highest share of women executives being in Latvia (45%), Hungary (41%) and in France (40%) and the lowest numbers were in Cyprus (15%), Greece (23%) and in Malta (24%). Part time work is a means of reconciling work and family life affecting mainly women in 2011. 32% of women aged 25 to 54 who are in work and who have children under 6 years old work part time whilst amongst men in work the share is much lower (5%).

0n 8th March the European Parliament published a survey on male/female inequality in the crisis. Undertaken amongst 25,556 citizens from the 27 Member States this survey reveals that 38% believe that wage inequality is the one that remains between men and women. Male/female inequality seems to have worsened with the crisis since nearly one European in three believes that the crisis has strengthened wage inequality (30%) and increased the difficulties experienced by women in reconciling family and professional life (30%). The fight to counter inequalities are due to be the focus of European elections in 2014. Hence 21% of those interviewed believe that the candidates in the elections must give priority to fighting wage inequality and 16% believe that violence against women and the diffculties experienced by women in reconciling family and professional life should be priorities.

The Centre for Information and Research on Contemporary Germany (CIRAC) has published a study by Bert Rürup entitled "Agenda 2010, a model for France?" The author, a professor in economy and former chair of the "Council of Experts" (2005-2009) analyses the German structural reforms, known as "Agenda 2010" and the lessons that France might learn from it.

The Reiss-Engelhorn Museum of Mannheim is devoting an exhibition to one of the most famous families in the world: the Medici. This family's name is closely linked to the Renaissance, power, wealth and to the promotion of the arts. They profoundly affected the town of Florence and Europe as a whole for over three and a half centuries. The exhibition is on until 28th July 2013.