The Robert Schuman Foundation, together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the CEDEM, are organising a conference in Montenegro on 31st May 2013 entitled "Montenegro's membership of the European Union. Constraints and Stakes". Patrice Verchère, MP and Chairman of the France-Montenegro Friendship Group at the National Assembly, Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation as well as François Badie, head of the Central Corruption Prevention Department (SCPC) at the Justice Ministry will be speaking on what is at stake as far as this is concerned.

The Albanians are being convened to ballot on 23rd June next to renew the 140 members of the Assembly of the Republic, the only chamber in Parliament. MPs are elected for four years by a proportional vote in 12 constituencies. Each party has to win at least 3% of the votes cast (5% for a coalition of parties) in order to be represented in Parliament. Six political parties are represented there at present: the Democratic Party (PDSH), 68 seats; the Socialist Party (PSSH), 65 ; the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), 4 ; the Republican Party (PRS), 1 ; the Justice, Integration and Unity Party (PDIU), 1 ; the Party for the Unity of Human Rights (PBDNJ), 1. Half of the Albanians (49,50%) say that they are not really interested in the electoral campaign.

On 23rd May 2013 the Portuguese government presented a series of measures for economic recovery. "It is now time to invest," declared Vitor Gaspar, the Portuguese Finance Minister during a press conference alongside the Economy Minister Alvaro Santos Pereira. For businesses to have adequate financing, one of the leading measures in the programme proposes the introduction of a tax rebate in support of companies which invest during the second half of 2013. Hence the government hopes to encourage businesses that are still hesitating to invest in Portugal this year.

On 22nd May 2013 the 27 Heads of State and government decided to strengthen the European energy policy. The introduction of the internal energy market is still a priority, likewise the diversification of supply sources and energy efficacy. The wish to pool efforts to reduce the energy bill is encountering obstacles such as contradictory national interests and pressure on the part of industrialists who are against regulations. In terms of taxation they stress the need to counter fraud and tax evasion which implies the automatic exchange of information, greater international cooperation, a more effective fight against tax havens and an adaptation to new challenges. They did not manage however to lift all of the barriers and are counting on an agreement by the end of the year to remove banking secrecy in part.

On 23rd May 2013 the European Commission launched an initiative to improve more than 300 maritime ports in the EU. These new measures "will foster investments and create jobs where they are most needed." In addition to rules in support of improved results, investments as part of the interconnections in Europe mechanism should help improve access to inland sites. Of the 1,200 maritime ports in the EU 319 are considered a priority as part of the Transeuropean Transport Network (TEN-T).

On 21st May 2013 MEPs adopted a resolution calling for a guarantee on the diversification of energy resources by 2030. They notably proposed the introduction of binding goals and incentives for investment in order to develop the proportion of renewable energies. On the same day they reached agreement with the Council on the security of offshore oil and gas operations. Companies that want to use hydrocarbon reserves at sea will now have to establish reports on the dangers associated with their activities and offer measures in the event of accidents and show their ability to manage these potential accidents both materially and financially.

On 21st May 2013 the 27 European Affairs Ministers addressed the issue of the Union's relations with Russia, deciding to organise regular meetings that focus on questions of freedom, security and justice as part of the Council of Permanent Partnership EU/Russia. They adopted a regulation imposing a final compensatory duty on some imports of PET from India. A declaration was also approved on the launch of research cooperation on the Atlantic Ocean with the USA and Canada.

On 27th May the 27 EU Foreign Ministers decided to lift formally the embargo on arms to the Syrian rebels whilst maintaining all of the other sanctions against the regime. However no arm is to be delivered before August 1s so that Ministers can assess the results of the Geneva II Conference that will bring together the regime, opposition and the international community. On the same day the 27 Foreign Affairs Ministers extended the European policing mission in Afghanistan (Eupol) until 31st December 2014, which is the planned date of departure for NATO's fighting troops from the country. A 108 million euro budget was allocated to run this mission from June 1st to the end of 2014. The latter is designed to "set in place, under Afghan management, a permanent and effective police force." However Turkey's accession to the EU is still in stalemate due to Ankara's refusal to fulfil its obligations. "The EU also notes that Turkey has made no progress towards normalisation in its relations with the Republic of Cyprus," whose northern part has been occupied by Turkish troops since 1974.

On 23rd May 2013 the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) celebrated its 150 anniversary together with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande. During the ceremony the French president praised the labour market reforms in Germany launched in 2003 by former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and pleaded for greater European integration. He lauded the role played by Franco-German friendship in that integration recalling the joint agenda in Paris and Berlin marked by a Franco-German initiative for youth employment and the introduction of "Banking and Economic Union".

On 23rd May 2013 Boyko Borissov, former Bulgarian Prime Minister and leader of the GERB which won the general elections on 12th May (97 seats) abandoned the idea of forming a government. The GERB also turned to the Constitutional Court on the same day to request the cancellation of the electoral results. Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev therefore appointed economist Plamen Orecharski, the candidate put forward by the Socialist Party, to form a government. The socialists (PSB) who won 84 seats are putting forward a government of experts supported openly by the Muslim minority party MDL (36 seats) and by the ultra-nationalist party Ataka (23 seats). This is a curious assembly since usually the left denounces the far right, a case of double standards!

On 21st May 2013 the Spanish Employment Minister Fatima Banez and her German counterpart, Ursula van der Leyen, signed an agreement in Madrid which aims to support employment and vocational training of young Spaniards in Germany. Hence "nearly 5,000 young Spaniards will be able to take advantage (...) of vocational training opportunities or stable, qualified employment in Germany," declared Fatima Banez.

On 24th May 2013 German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle gave a speech entitled "France, Germany and the future of Europe" in Paris. He stressed that Germany had already shown a great deal of solidarity towards its European partners in the past and that this support was in Germany's interest: "If our European neighbours are doing badly, long term we shall do badly too."

On 23rd May the German Chancellor Angela Merkel met her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte. During a press conference the chancellor recalled the "strong link" that united the two countries, notably from an economic point of view since the Netherlands is the "Germany's second most important trade partner after France." Both political leaders recalled that there were many joint projects for Europe." "We can now move forward in Europe on issues of banking supervision," declared the chancellor "but also on youth employment, social reform via a policy to supervise public accounts and investments." Mr Rutte announced that the Netherlands intended to bring its deficit down to 3% of the GDP in 2014 and that it was not going to ask for any extra time.

The President of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, made his first official visit to Poland on 23rd and 24th May 2013. He met his Polish counterpart Bronislaw Komorowski as well as Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Their discussions notably focused on bilateral cooperation and more precisely on energy and transport. They also discussed their cooperation within the Visegrad Group, which includes Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia and also cooperation within the EU.

On 22nd May 2013 the Portuguese Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar met his German counterpart Wolfgang Schäuble in Berlin. The German minister has promised to provide technical and financial support to Portuguese SMEs via aid from the federal development bank KfW. According to Mr Schäuble this establishment will also provide technical assistance for the introduction of a new Portuguese development institute which will make major investment contributions to sustainable growth and to the creation of jobs in Portugal. Moreover the two ministers stressed the need to create banking union fast, likewise greater Economic and Monetary Union in order to avoid the fragmentation of the financial markets.

On 22nd May 2013 the IMF published its annual report on the UK's economy. It calls on the UK to take further steps to encourage the recovery of its economy by notably taking advantage of low interest rates to increase investments. It also welcomes London's "flexibility" in terms of reducing its budgetary deficit and deems that the British economy is showing "encouraging" signs of improvement. The IMF does note however that the UK has not recovered strong, sustainable growth, with investments remaining low and the youth unemployment rate being particularly high. The institution called on London to opt for a "clear strategy" in order to enable the return of Lloyds Bank and the Bank of Scotland, which for the time being belong to the State, to the private sector.

The new Icelandic government, comprising members from both of the victorious parties in the general elections in April last, the Progress Party (centre) and the Independence Party (right), entered office on 23rd May 2013. Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, the leader of the Progress Party is Prime Minister, whilst Bjarni Benediktsson, head of the Independence Party occupies the position of Economy and Finance Minister. The government comprises 9 ministers including three women. On 22nd May a government agreement was presented which notably includes the organisation of a referendum on the country's accession to the EU. At the moment, and as long as this referendum has not taken place, negotiations with Brussels have been suspended.

On 22nd May 2013, Eurostat indicated that the rate of unemployment continued to vary strongly from one European region to another. The Tyrol and Salzbourg, which are the least affected areas, have a rate of 2.5% whilst the Spanish enclave of Ceuta totals a rate of 38.5%. The unemployment rate is less than 5.2% in 52 of the 270 European regions studied (NUTS2) including 22 in Germany and is higher than 20.8% in 25 regions including 11 in Spain, 10 in Greece and 4 French overseas districts.

A Eurobarometer survey, which assesses youth (15-30 year olds) participation in democratic life, was published on 24th May 2013. 73% of interviewees of voting age had been to ballot over the last three years. 47% knew the electoral method applied to MEPs for the European Parliament. Regarding the European Elections in 2014 64% of those interviewed say they intend to go and vote. The main reasons in support of this vote are the importance of democracy (94%), the importance of Europe and the European elections (90%), and because voting is the best way to influence political decisions (83%). The main reasons for not voting are that their votes will change nothing 64%, and 61% believe that they do not have enough information. We should note that 18% are against the EU.

On 23rd May 2013 Amnesty International published its annual report on the situation of human rights in 159 countries. The report focuses on the fate of refugees and migrants for whom the world has become more dangerous "because of a lack of international action in terms of human rights." The NGO accuses States which seem more inclined to protect their borders than the rights of the citizens or those who are seeking a better future. Amnesty International also reviews the situation in Syria in 2012 and highlights the failure of the international community to bring the bloodshed to an end. As every year the report reviews the Human Rights situation country by country.

Houghton Hall in Norfolk is putting on an exhibition entitled "Houghton Revisited" until 29th September 2013 which provides visitors with an opportunity of (re)discovering the masterpieces of the Ermitage sent back to their home land, the UK. The descendents of former British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole were indeed obliged to sell his magnificent collection of art to Catherine II of Russia. This brings together masterpieces by the painters of the 18th century including Van Dyck, Poussin, Albani, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velazquez and Murillo.