The CERI is organising a debate on 26th June together with the Robert Schuman Foundation entitled "What is the political future for Ukraine?" The Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation Jean-Dominique Giuliani will be speaking alonside Vitali Klichko, the Chairman of OUDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance) and Christian Lequesne, the Director of CERI. It is obligatory to enrol.

The day after the general election on 23rd June 2013 in Albania the right in office led by the Alliance for Employment, Well-Being and Integration, a coalition comprising the Democratic Party (PDSH) of outgoing Prime Minister Sali Berisha and 24 other parties on the occasion of this general election, has claimed victory just like the Alliance for a European Albania, a coalition of 38 parties (including the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) of Ilir Meta), led by Edi Rama's Socialist Party (PSSH). On 25th June, and according to partial results, the opposition asked the alliance rallied around the outgoing Prime Minister to acknowledge its defeat. According to the Central Electoral Commission (KQZ) turnout (52.63%) was higher than that recorded in the previous general election on 28th June 2009 (50.77%). It allowed the extension of voting time so that all of those who wanted to fulfil their civic duty could do so, enabling polling stations to close later than planned. As we go to press 75% of the voting slips have been counted.

The IMF published the conclusions of its annual assessment of the economic situation in Spain on 19th June 2013. It highlights that the country has made major progress on the path to economic recovery notably thanks to the reforms that have been introduced, but it also stresses the need for further measures. The IMF is also calling Madrid and the European authorities to foster the creation of jobs and at the same time continue consolidation in the banking sector. It believes that the Spanish economy might recover growth before the end of the year but adds that the difficult outlook forecast for the banking sector - which is still weak - may delay recovery.

On 20th June 2013 the European Commission exhorted France and the UK to fall in line with European railway rules regarding to the management of the Channel Tunnel. Amongst the problems caused by the non-transposition of the 2001 railway package, the Commission insists on the reduction of rail access costs, on the independence of the railway regulation authority and the review of the convention of the use of Eurotunnel and other operators. France and the UK have two months to respond to the European Commission's motivated opinion.

On 19th June MEPs stressed that it was urgent to protect the personal data of European citizens on the internet in the wake of the PRISM scandal. The representatives of various political groups demanded the rapid implementation of legislation that enabled a better defence of European citizens and businesses almost on a par with that enjoyed by the Americans. "The PRISM affair has opened our eyes, showing us that it is urgent to move forward to sound legislation," maintained Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Justice.

On 18th June 2013 the 27 European environment ministers supported the European Commission's strategy to counter climate change and asked for the main European policies to take greater account of this challenge. This strategy adopted in April 2013 notably plans the promotion of the work undertaken by the Member States and to integrate the climate objectives fully into all European policies.

The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton met the Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Serbia on 20th June 2013. They discussed the progress achieved as part of the agreement that was found by both sides in April, notably in terms of justice, police and future elections. The High Representative declared that she would relate the progress made to the members of the Council and the European Council over the next few days which is due to discuss Serbia's bid to join the European Union.

On 19th June 2013 at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, American President Barack Obama,alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, addressed a crowd of nearly 6,000. His speech came nearly fifty years to the day after John F. Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner". He called for the construction of a "world of peace and justice". The American President also pleaded for a one third reduction of nuclear arms and promised to step up work to counter climate change. He also defended "the protection of private life" as the scandal over the Prism programme rages. He concluded his speech with "Germany and the USA must be the leaders of hope".

For the eighth day running thousands of Bulgarians demonstrated on 21st June 2013 in the country's major towns against the oligarchy and "for morality in politics". "We are asking for the oligarchy to quit political power so that Bulgaria can develop according to European standards," stressed the demonstrators in the declaration that was broadcast on the social networks. On 20th June Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev exhorted the political classes to listen to the demonstrators who have been demanding morality in the country's leading organisations. The opposition movement GERB declared on 18th June that it would no longer sit in Parliament where it held the greatest number of seats, whilst further popular demonstrations target the government supported by the socialists.

After having assessed the report by the European Commission relative to a reform of the civil service (CORA) which includes 200 recommendations the Spanish government announced on 21st June 2013 that it intended to save around 6.5 billion euro by 2015, notably via a rationalisation of the civil service, the reform of local communities and public employment measures. The new goals presented by the Spanish Vice-President Soraya Saenz de Santamaria are the strengthening of budgetary discipline and public transparency as well as a more effective civil service.

European Commissioner Olli Rehn was auditionned at the National Assembly in Paris on 18th June 2013. He addressed a speech to the members of the Foreign Affairs, Finance, European Affairs Committees covering the main points of the recommendations made by the European Commission of France as part of the European Semester. He said he was confident in the French authorities in terms of their positive answer to the Commission's expectations, notably from the point of view of retirement funds and the reduction of the cost of labour, recalling the need to bring the French deficit below 3% by 2015. He also addressed MPs on the future of economic and monetary union before answering their questions.

The new cabinet of the Greek government was sworn in on Tuesday 25th June 2013, after a reshuffle undertaken by the Greek Prime Minister conservative Antonis Samaras. The reshuffle was made necessary by the exit from the government coalition of the small moderate leftwing party DIMAR in the wake of the state audiovisual crisis. More posts were granted to the socialists from the coalition. Evangelos Venizelos is now the Deputy Chair of the govenrment and head of diplomacy. The socialists now have one quarter of the portfolio and four ministries instead of two in the previous government. Adonis Georgiadis, a defector from the far right party LAOS, is now Healthcare Minister. Yannis Stournaras will still retain the key portfolio of Finance. He is responsible for steering negotiations with the troika and for the launch of reform in the country.

In Rome, for his first press conference to the foreign press the Italian head of government Enrico Letta delivered a strong plea in support of Europe, as he hoped to turn Italy into a "more pro-European country", "at the forefront of the building of the United States of Europe". The priority in doing this is banking union, said the Italian head of government, which is "fundamental for savers, businesses and for Europe's reliability." Another absolute priority was the fight against youth unemployment, which will be the decisive theme of the next summit in Brussels and which has to be addressed in his opinion "in view of the European elections next year." "If we return from Brussels with a weak, routine message we shall be creating the conditions for a future European Parliament that will be the most anti-European in the history of the European Union," he warned. The Italian head of government also insisted on the importance of a trade agreement between the US and Europe deeming that the cultural exception should not "lead to us missing this historic opportunity."

Poland has to step up its work to counter transnational corruption says the OECD in a report published on 20th June 2013. "Poland has still not succeeded in undertaking legal proceedings concerning transnational corruption" twelve and a half years after the implementation of the OECD's anti-corruption instruments. This situation is all the more regrettable because of "an increase in international trade activities on the part of Polish businesses, and that the risk of transnational corruption might increase in the mid and long term."

At the end of 2012 Portugal totalled 10,847 million inhabitants, ie 55,109 less than on 31st December 2011 (-0.52%), according to an estimation published on 17th June 2013 by the national statistics institute (INE), which notes an historically low birth rate and increasing emigration. With a population that has been declining since 2010, Portugal recorded 89,841 births in 2012, against 96,856 in 2011 (-7.2%) and a negative natural balance of 17, 757 individuals. The number of births has fallen "under the 90,000 threshold for the first time since we started to collate this data" stressed the INE in a press release saying that the fertility rate had also reached a "historically low level of 1.28 children per woman."

Czech President Milos Zeman intimated on 23rd June 2013 that he supported the formation of a government of "experts" in order to settle the crisis caused by the resignation of Prime Minister Petr Necas in the wake of a corruption and abuse of power scandal. "I believe this option to be realistic. I shall call it a "government of experts" therefore a government comprising professionals who understand the problems encountered by their ministries," declared Mr Zeman. The outgoing coalition as well as the opposition immediately expressed their reticence about this idea, calling for early elections instead. Mr Zeman will announce his final decision on 25th June during a press conference.

The G8 Summit took place on 17th and 18th June 2013 in Lough Erne. The leaders of the eight countries agreed on the need to increase growth and employment. They also declared that they wanted to revive the world's economy by supporting demand and by guaranteeing public finance and reforming national economies. They plan to take action in three areas: trade, via the signature of several important agreements, taxation, by fighting money laundering and notably by introducing the automatic exchange of banking and tax information and also transparency.

On 19th June 2013 Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina signed an agreement on the management of their joint border. The agreement plans, on the one hand, for measures regarding crossing points and the conditions for crossing so that they are in line with European norms. It also enables people living close to the border to cross with greater ease so that the border maintains a certain amount of dynamism. As of July 1st 2013 and the entry of Croatia into the EU, Bosnia-Herzegovina will have a border of over 1,000 km with the EU therefore it will be one of the longest land borders.

The 17th International Economic Forum of St. Petersburg took place from 20th to 22nd June. On 20th June Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte held a press conference alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Dutchman notably stressed the importance of trade and the increase in investment flows between the two countries. He also mentioned the issue of Human Rights. German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the representatives of the Russian and German business environment.

On 21st June on his visit to Kyiv, German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle denounced the "selective justice" practised, in his opinion, by the Ukrainian government and asked for the main opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, to be released from prison and for her to be able to travel to Germany to receive medical treatment. The EU indicated that Ms Tymoshenko's imprisonment made any signature of the association agreements (including negotiations that have already been finalised) and free-trade with Ukraine impossible. Guido Westerwelle spoke with opposition leaders and the Yevguenia Tymoshenko, the opposition leader's daughter before meeting President Viktor Yanukovych.

The members of the UN's organisation for food and agriculture (FAO) adopted a Work and Budget Programme on 22nd June 2013 for the period 2014-2015, after their 38th conference. The budget, which totals 1,208 billion dollars is up by 2.2% in comparison with that of the previous year and should enable the FAO to implement its work programme that includes five strategic goals.

According to a Eurostat report published on 19th June 2013 the GDP per capita varied in 2012, depending on the Member States, between 47% and 271% of the EU average. The highest level was seen in Luxembourg where it was two and a half times that of the EU average. Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden lay at around 30% over that average. However countries like Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Hungary and Latvia lay at 30% to 40% below average, whilst Romania and Bulgaria lay at more than 50% below that figure.

The OECD and the European Commission have published a joint study focusing on the care to provide to the elderly ("A Good Life in Old Age"). Whilst the number of elderly people over 80 will have doubled by 2050 rising from 4.7% to 11.3% in the EU, the public authorities are already experiencing problems in providing adequate care to the elderly with reduced physical and mental capacities. Low levels of care, often due to a lack of communication between hospitals, doctors and care structures lead to pointless sejourns in hospital. According to the report "major reform is necessary to improve the services provided to old, fragile people and to protect them at sufficiently high levels." This means "stepping up work to raise the level of care given at home."

The 18th Marseilles Festival devoted to dance and multiple arts will take place until 12th July 2013. American choreographer Bill T Jones is the guest of honour at this event and he will be presenting three of his choreographies. The Israeli Dance Company Batsheva, led by Ohad Naharin, a world famous creator, will also be presenting a show at this festival. On this occasion of the Marseilles-Provence 2013 European Capital of Culture, there will be three high points that will extend into August, November and December after the usual three weeks of the summer programme.