On 23rd April 2013 in Berlin the Robert Schuman Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation are organising the 8th meeting of the Franco-German forum on the future of Europe, the Rhénan Club. This meeting will focus on Franco-German cooperation and its developments for the future in order to create "true economic and monetary union."

The President of the Italian Republic is elected by secret ballot for seven years by a college of grand electors comprising 630 members of the Chamber of Deputies, 315 life senators and 58 representatives of the country's 20 regions (3 per region except for the Aoste Valley which only appoints one) ie a total of 1007. In the first three rounds a candidate has to win at least 2/3 of the vote ie 671 votes. In the fourth round the simple majority (504 votes) is enough. This year, because of the mitigated result of the parliamentary elections on 24th and 25th February that did not lead to a clear majority, 6 rounds were necessary to elect the President. Outgoing Head of State, Giorgio Napolitano, the last resort, accept to stand (no other president had done this before him) and he was re-elected 738 votes in the 6th round.

On 17th April 2013 the Council of Ministers adopted a "stability and growth" programme which lays out in detail the strategy for the consolidation of France's public accounts between 2013 and 2017 for France. "The government still aims to return to structural balance in terms of its public finances by 2017," said Pierre Moscovici, the French Economy and Finance Minister. In spite of the publication of pessimistic forecasts by the IMF the day before, which estimates that France will be in recession this year, the government has maintained its growth goals: 0.1% of the GDP in 2013 and 1.2% in 2014. Regarding the public deficit the government maintains that it will total 2.9% of the GDP but only in 2014. In 2013 "there will be no further adjustment plan nor a budgetary collective," said Pierre Moscovici. The effort will then focus on 14 billion euros in savings on spending next year whilst obligatory levies will increase by around 6 billion euros (VAT, tax niches and the fight to counter fraud). This will represent 20 billion euros after 30 billion in 2013.

On 18th April the European Commission suggested a series of transitional rules regarding the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The new CAP must be formulated by January 1st 2014, but negotiations are still ongoing between the Commission, Parliament and the Council. To ensure transition between the two multi-annual cycles the Commission has therefore suggested a series of measures mainly concerning direct payments. They should enable paying agencies to continue working and the States to have enough time to introduce all of the necessary administrative procedures. According to the Commission's proposal direct payments would continue to be distributed according to the previous method and measures linked to ecology would not be implemented until 2015.

On 16th April 2013 MEPs opposed the freezing of the auction of some 900 million tonnes of C02 in the EU's emissions quotas exchange system (ETS), 334 for, 315 against and 63 abstentions. The freeze was requested by the European Commissioner for Climate Change Connie Hedegaard, who deems that it was "urgent to act". The measure that was welcomed by the representatives of the industrial world caused the collapse of CO2 prices to 3 euros a tonne on the ETS market, its lowest level ever. The emissions quotas market is the main financial tool in the European climate policy. Each industrial site is allocated a certain annual quota and can purchase additional credits on the market.

On 18th April the Council approved an agreement with the European Parliament on the implementation of the single supervisory mechanism of credit institutions. The first regulation confers supervisory tasks over to the European Central Bank and the second will be the responsibility of the European Banking Authority. This agreement notably enables a balanced vote within the new institutions in order to prevent them being dominated or vetoed by a group of countries.

Following the agreement on 19th April 2013 between Serbia and Kosovo to settle their relations the European Commission recommended on 22nd April the opening of Serbia's accession negotiations to the EU. "The Commission believes that Serbia has fulfilled the criterion of utmost importance that comprised taking steps in view of improving visibly and sustainably its relations with Kosovo," indicated the Commission in a report that was submitted to the ministers responsible for European Affairs. "As a result the Commission is recommending the launch of negotiations with Serbia for its accession to the Union." At the same time the European Commission suggested the opening of negotiations in view of concluding an association agreement between the EU and Kosovo. The decision to follow the Commission's recommendations or not will be up to the heads of State and government during the June European Council.

On 16th April 2013 the European Union's Court of Justice rejected the appeal made by Spain and Italy against the enhanced cooperation agreement to introduce a single European patent. Spain and Italy are challenging the translation of the patents into only three of the EU's working languages (German, English and French), but the Court of Justice deemed that this measure did not contravene the rules of the internal market nor the States' powers. The single European patent was adopted after 30 years of negotiations by the European Parliament in December 2012 and this should enable a six-fold division of patent registration costs, whilst ensuring greater protection Europe wide.

On 18th April 2013 MPs from the German lower chamber (Bundestag) approved the bail-out plan for Cyprus 486 votes out of 601. Before the vote the German Finance Minister and member of the Robert Schuman Foundation's board, Wolfgang Schäuble, stressed the need to help the island to "prevent Cyprus's problems from becoming further problems for the euro zone." In other euro zone countries, notably Finland and Austria, a vote by parliament is also necessary for the release of aid to Cyprus.

On 17th April 2013 Slovenian President Borut Pahor met French President François Hollande. Discussions between the political leaders focused mainly on the strategic partnership signed between the two countries in 2011, "which is enabling (from a cultural, economic and political point of view) the rapprochement of our two countries," said the French President. Both men agreed on the fact that the Slovenian economic situation was not comparable with other European states which have had to resort to European financial aid, notably Cyprus.

Outgoing President Giorgio Napolitano, 87, who was called on for help by a Parliament in stalemate was re-elected on 20th April 2013 provoking the fury of Beppe Grillo, who declared that it was a "coup d'état" as he launched an appeal for a "popular day of action". In his first public response after his re-election Mr Napolitano stressed that the country was in a "difficult position" and said that he would lay out his intentions as he was sworn in and during his speech to Parliament on 22nd April. The re-election, a first in Italian history - 738 votes in support out of 997 of this president, who will be celebrating his 88th birthday in June, was given a long ovation by a majority of the "grand electors".

This year Poland is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the uprising of the Warsaw Ghetto, that occurred on 19th April 1943. On this occasion Polish MPs commemorated the event on 16th April 2013 and adopted a resolution that describes this rebellion as "an heroic bid to oppose the final liquidation of the ghetto by the Germans." On 19th April 2013 official ceremonies took place before the memorial to the heroes of the uprising notably with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and European Parliament President Martin Schluz in attendance. As part of the commemoration the Polish Institute for National Remembrance also presented one of the two original examples of the report by the German Commander of the Warsaw Ghetto ordering its liquidation between April and May 1943.

On 19th April 2013 the Finance Ministers and the international financial institutions that are members of the Deauville Partnership together with the Arab countries in transition met in Washington with the aim of taking forward the development of open economies and inclusive growth in the Arab countries in transition. Ministers re-iterated their support the economic transition in Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and in Yemen stressing the importance of a coordinated response on the part of the international community in support of financial stabilisation and the various reforms which foster economic growth and the creation of jobs. The IMF also announced that it had come to an agreement of principle with the Tunisian authorities in view of granting a credit facility that might total up to 1.75 billion dollars.

On 16th April 2013 the IMF announced that it had revised its growth forecasts for the world economy for this year and next downwards, notably due to budgetary cuts in the USA and continuing difficulties in Europe. The IMF is now counting on world growth of 3.3% this year, i.e. 0.2 points less than expected in January and 4% in 2014, against 4.1% planned just three months ago. For the advanced economies, which includes the USA and the euro zone, the IMF is counting on growth of 1.2% only this year against 1.4% in January. The international financial institution is forecasting a 0.1% contraction of the GDP for France this year against growth of 0.3% planned in January but it is maintaining its forecast of 0.9% in 2014.

On 16th April 2013 Eurostat indicated that the annual inflation rate had dropped by 0.1 point in March 2013 in comparison with the previous month to lie at 1.7% in the euro zone and at 1.9% in the EU. A year ago this rate totalled 2.7% and 2.9% respectively, i.e. a decrease of 1 point over a year. It varies from -0.2% in Greece to 4.9% in Hungary.

The European Agency for Border Management, FRONTEX has published its report on the analysis of risks for 2013. In 2012, and for the first time since 2008, the number of illegal detected entries made into the EU was below 100,000 lying at 73,000. Although the circuits passing via Greece have been reduced those transiting via the Western Balkans have remained stable. Most of these migrants come from Afghanistan. Of the 350,000 illegal residents detected most come from Afghanistan, and also Morocco. FRONTEX believes that the instability in North Africa and in the Middle East are still the main threats which expose the borders of the Mediterranean and the Eastern frontiers of the EU in particular.

For the very first time and until 13th July 2013 the Petit Palais in Paris is paying tribute to Slovenian beaux-arts dating 1890 to 1920. Although the country was still a province of the Austro-Hungarian empire (Carniola), this period was one of an assertion of a feeling of national identity, which the artists tried to shape. This exhibition presents the work of four Impressionist painters who tried to rise beyond anecdotal realism and only retain the landscape for its emotional power. The exhibition offers a review of the work created in Ljubljana notably with sculptures, Art Nouveau illustrations, photographies and caricatures.