The "Forum du Futur", the centre for geoppolitical analysis and research, is organising a Franco-German seminar on industrial competitiveness on 20th March 2013 with some prestigious speakers from the political and industrial world in attendance. The event will take place at the Bourbon Palace. It is obligatory to enrol.

The Croats are being called to ballot to elect 12 MEPs on 14th April next. At present the country is represented in the European Parliament by 12 observers who were elected in March 2011 by the members of the Hrvatski Sabor, the only Chamber in the Croatian Parliament. The MEPs elected on 14th April will only sit for one year since the next European elections - in which Croatia will be taking part after it becomes a member of the European Union on 1st July next – will take place on 22nd-25th May 2014. The Croatian political parties had to hand in their candidate lists before 18th March. The election will take place according to a proportional vote with open lists on which the electorate will be able to indicate their 1st, 2nd etc... preferences. The Croatian electoral law obliges political parties to put forward at least 40% of women on each list.

According to final data published on 11th March 2013 by the INE, Portugal's GDP fell by 1.8% in the fourth quarter of 2012 and by 3.2% over the entire year. The recession totalled 1.6% of the GDP in 2011. Moreover Portugal managed to negotiate an extra year to reduce its public deficit, which is only due to fall below 3% in 2015. During a press conference on 15th March 2013 Portuguese Finance Minister, Vitor Gaspar announced, "the new limits for the deficit are 5.5% of the GDP in 2013, 4% in 2014 and 2.5% in 2015," as he presented the conclusions of the 7th quarterly assessment of the reforms to be implemented in exchange for the EU and IMF's aid.

During the European Council on 14th and 15th March 2013 the 27 Heads of State and government noted that national budgetary policies took account of the efforts required in terms of budgetary austerity and support to recovery but that this work had to continue. Some measures, both in terms of revenues and spending are necessary to support growth and employment short term. Fiscal austerity notably must be even stricter. They indicated three areas of action: the fight to counter unemployment, greater integration of the single market and the simplification of regulations for businesses. They stressed the need to implement all measures necessary for better economic governance of the euro zone and of the European Union. They agreed to meet to discuss the following areas: innovation, defence, energy, the digital economy and competitiveness.

It was an historic day for the satellite navigation system Galileo which determined its first ground location on 12th March 2013. This was enabled by four Galileo satellites that are in orbit at present and by the ground installations which they are connected to. This first position fix of longtitude, latitude and altitude was achieved with a precision of 10 to 15 metres. To do this a new European infrastructure was employed including satellites in space and two control centres established in Italy and Germany, which are also connected to a network of ground stations across Europe. Long term this programme is due to include 30 satellites with a fully operational system in 2018. The first delivery of services is expected at the end of 2014.

The European Elections of 2014 will be brought forward so that they do not take place during the Whitsuntide weekend. They will take place from 22nd to 25th May 2014, instead of 5th-8th June. This will enable higher turnout and therefore greater legitimacy for the European Parliament. This will also enable a more efficient appointment of the Commissioners before the start of the summer. This decision still has to be approved by the Council. Moreover on 13th March 2013 the MEPs suggested a reduction in the number of seats: 12 States will lose one seat (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Czech Republic), Germany will lose three. This reduction aims to respect the maximum number of MEPs, set by the Lisbon Treaty at 751. This measure does not take on board Member States' demographic reality.

On 11th March 2013 the 27 European Affairs Ministers prepared the European Council of 14th and 15th March, which was devoted to economic and social policies to end the crisis, relations with the main diplomatic partners and international affairs. The ministers also set anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel and aluminium. They finally concluded an agreement on legislation that will allow customs to protect intellectual property better via the simplification of goods destruction, notably counterfeit or pirated goods. This text is now to be assessed by the European Parliament.

Two years after the start of the Syrian conflict Paris and London are about to ask the EU to bring forward the meeting on the arms embargo for Syria which had initially been planned for the end of May. If no agreement is found arms will be delivered as a national gesture to the Syrian rebels, announced the head of French diplomacy, Laurent Fabius on 14th March 2013. On 12th March British Prime Minister David Cameron indicated to a liaison committee at the House of Commons that his country could dissociate itself from the EU's embargo by providing arms to the Syrian opposition to fight against President Bachar Al-Assad. The question was raised at the European Council but no decision was taken.

On 13th March 2013 the European Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros informed the President of the European Parliament that he wanted to step down as of 1st October 2013 after ten years in office. The next Ombudsman, who notably ensures the respect of ethics in Europe's institutions and policies, is due to be appointed by the European Parliament.

On 13th March 2013 the German Council of Ministers adopted a draft budget for 2014 as well as a financial plan for 2017. Standing at 6.4 billion euros the additional debt in 2013 will be the lowest in the last 40 years. According to the financial plan the structural deficit will be zero by 2015, whilst it still totalled 46 billion euros in 2010. In 2016 a surplus of 5 billion is now being forecast.

On 13th March 2013 the Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev appointed a new expert government, that is due to lead the country until the early elections on 12th May 2013. Marin Raykov, former deputy Foreign Minister and Ambassador to France, has been appointed to head this government. "The government of experts will work so that citizens have confidence in their institutions again and it will ensure greater transparency and civic control. The government will be the guarantor of free elections," declared the President as he announced the members of government.

The Social Democratic Party "Siumut" led by Alequa Hammond won the elections in Greenland on 12th March 2013. However with 42.8% of the vote and 14 of the 31 seats in Parliament, he did not win the absolute majority. The formation of a coalition will therefore be necessary to govern the country. The far-left secessionist party (Inuit Ataqatigiit) led by outgoing Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist, only won 34.4% of the vote, ie 9.3% fewer than in 2009. The central theme of these elections was the management of Greenland's mining resources. In this context Alequa Hammond pleaded for greater surveillance and the taxation of mining companies.

On 12th March 2013 the head of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy, gave details of 15 measures from around 100 that are part of his strategy for entrepreneurship and to counter youth unemployment which is affecting more than one Spanish worker in two under the age of 25. This plan that notably anticipates the upkeep of unemployment benefits or its payment in one instalment to help create businesses totals 3.485 billion euros over four years and is funded by the EU to a total of 32%. Mr Rajoy declared that this fund "would benefit more than one million young people." This strategy is in line with the aid programe "Guarantee for Youth" approved by Brussels in February.

"The country is in danger because its defences are under threat" - Danton (1792) This idea was taken up by Jean-Louis Carrère, chairman of the Senate's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces Committee thereby expressing the Senate's concern at France's "possible reductions in terms of defence spending." Supported by the leaders of all of the political groups represented in the upper chamber, except for the ecologist party, he said that if the bill on military programming for the army anticipateed a budget below 1.5% of the GDP "we might not approve it." At a time when France is reviewing its approach to defence, to a backdrop of severe budgetary restrictions and just as a new White Paper on defence is being drafted, the Sentators believe that a "decrease in defence spending from 1.56% in 2011 to 1.1% in 2025, as planned would no longer allow France to "maintain" its role at the level it should have.

On 11th March 2013 the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban's party, which holds a 2/3 majority in Parliament adopted a further reform of the Constitution which implies a fourth amendment in two years - the amendment was approved 265 votes in support, 11 against and 33 absentions. The Socialists, representing the biggest opposition party boycotted the vote. The amendments notably withdraw most of the competences from the Hungarian Constitutional Court and have been strongly challenged by the USA, the Council of Europe, the EU and many NGOs. On 11th March 2013 the Commission spokesperson, Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen said that the "Commission would not hesitate to use all of the legal instruments at its disposal" to ensure the respect of the community law.

The election on 16th March 2013 of the leaders of the two Chambers of the Italian Parliament by the left still leaves the country without a government majority. In the chamber of representatives where the left has the absolute majority, Laura Boldrini from the SEL, journalist and former spokesperson for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was elected with 327 votes (the majority required 310 votes). In the Senate Pietro Grasso, a former anti-mafia prosectuor, was elected with 137 votes.

Following the victory of the Labour Party (LP) during the general elections on 9th March 2013 in Malta the new Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced on 13th March 2013 the formation of his government. On the previous day he declared that this government would be a "mix of innovation and experience, a competent team that would take Malta forwards." Of the 15 members the government only includes two women: Helena Dalli, Social Dialogue, Consumption and Civil Liberties Minister and Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Family and Social Solidarity Minister.

The Slovenian Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek sent the future composition of her government to Parliament on 14th March 2013. The day before Alenka Bratusek announced that she had concluded a government agreement between her party, Positive Slovenia (PS) and three other parties: the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), the Citizens' List (DL) and the Social Democratic Party (SD). Her government will have a majority of 49 MPs (27 PS and 10 SD, 7 DL and 5 DeSUS) in a Parliament comprising 90 seats. The government comprises 13 members and will be the focus of a vote in Parliament on 20th March next.

Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope on 13th March 2013. The 266th Pope chose to reign under the name of Francis. He is the first non-European, from Latin-America and a Jesuit to become Pope. The election by 115 cardinals, who met in the Sixtine Chapel, was announced by the ritual emission of white smoke and by the ringing of the bells of in Saint Peter's Basilica.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus won the biggest contract in the history of civil aviation on 18th March 2013 with an order for 234 A320 planes for a total of 18.4 billion euros by the Indonesian airline Lion Air. The contract was signed at the Elysée Palace, the seat of the French presidency, by the CEO of Lion Air, Rusdi Kirana and that of Airbus, Fabrice Brégier. The order, which totals 24 billion euros overall (the currency in which aviation transactions are undertaken), is split between 109 A320 Neo planes, the plane's future more ecological version, the 65 A321 Neo and 60 A320's, which is the present model.

According to the first esitmates published on 18th March 2013 by Eurostat in January the euro zone recorded a deficit of 3.9 billion euros in terms of its external trade, after a surplus of 10.8 billion euros in December. In January in comparison with December exports, adjusted to seasonal variations, increased by 2% and imports by 3.1% says Eurostat. A year earlier in January 2012 the euro zone recorded a bigger trade deficit, totalling 9.1 billion euros. In January the EU recorded a deficit of 16.5 billion euros.

The Eurobarometer survey on electoral rights published on 12th March 2013 shows that 72% of those interviewed know that a European citizen living in their country has the right to vote and to stand in the European elections, which is an increase of 18% in comparison with 2007. However 54% wrongly think that European citizenship offers such rights in national legislative elections, whilst this share only totalled 26% in 2007. 84% believe that turnout in the European elections would be higher if people were better informed about these elections, on the impact of the European Union in their daily lives and on the programmes of the candidates and the European political parties; and 62% believe this turnout would be higher if the European political parties put forward a candidate for the post of President of the European Commission.

On 14th March 2013 the International Institute for Strategic Studies published its annual report on military balance in the world. The document analyses nations' military capbilities as well as the defence policies and economies of the countries with the most important defence budgets. This year the report looks into the wars in Syria and Afghanistan, as well as the strategic effects of the "Arab Spring". The report also reveals that for the first time military spending in Asia has risen above that of the European NATO member states.

As part of the Berlin Festtage and on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Wagner the German capital is paying tribute to the Romantic composer in the shape of a series of concerts in the "Ring des Niebelungen" cycle. There will be four evenings of stimulating opera conducted by Daniel Barenboim, one of the world's Wagner specialists, from 23rd March to April 1st 2013.