On 16th July 2013 the Bank of Portugal published its "summer economic bulletin 2013". According to this data the GDP contracted this year by 2% in comparison with 2.3% that had initially been forecast, thereby reflecting a sharp decrease in domestic demand and a major increase in exports. However next year's growth forecasts have been revised downwards, dropping from 0.6% announced in March 2013 to 0.3%. However the bank stressed that these forecasts were still uncertain give the country's present political crisis.

On 16th July 2013 the OECD published its report on employment prospects 2013. According to this report unemployment is due to rise to a record level in the euro zone at the end of 2014 with an average rate of 12.3% (+0.1 point more in comparison with May 2013). The report highlights "major, increasing differences between countries". In Germany the unemployment rate is due to decrease from 5.3% to under 5% whilst it is due to rise to nearly 28% in Spain and Greece. By the end of 2014 unemployment is due to rise beyond 11% in France, and to lie at around 12.5% in Italy. In the US the unemployment rate is also due to decline below 7% by the end of 2014. The OECD also shows that "youth unemployment is still at unprecedented levels in many countries." It is over 60% in Greece, 52% in South Africa, 55% in Spain and 40% in Italy and Portugal.

On 18th July 2013 the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund presented the conclusions of the 11th review mission to Ireland. The results are varied: unemployment remains high but is declining; a slightly positive growth rate is expected this year, even though economic activity is contracting; access to financing on the markets is stabilising. The European and international experts identified three main priorities with the Irish authorities: reducing the budgetary deficit, reducing unemployment and re-establishing the financial health of the banking sector.

The Finance Ministers and governors of the Central Banks of the G20 countries, who met in Moscow on 19th and 20th July 2013 to prepare the meeting of the heads of State and government in September in St Petersburg recalled that the "world economy was still too weak and recovery fragile and unequal". They therefore decided that employment and growth would be their priority in the "short term". They also said that they "fully supported" the OECD's action plan against fiscal strategies used by multinational businesses to avoid paying taxes.

Spanish banks, which received European aid of 41.3 billion euro in 2012, are now stronger but in a context of recession they are facing high risks deemed the IMF on 15th July 2013. "The establishment of the aid programme in the Spanish financial sector is still on course," said the IMF in its third interim report. These interim reports are part of the Troika's supervisory framework (IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank), governing the strict conditions that go together with the European aid to Spanish banks granted in 2012.

On 17th July the IMF urged the UK to strengthen its banking sector which is showing signs of weakness whilst the country's economic recovery is still fragile and uncertain. In its report it explains that "restoring the financial sector is a vital condition for sustainable recovery." Hence the IMF is advocating "increases in capital, the reduction of dividends payed to banks' shareholders, a more measured remuneration of bankers and all of this whilst guaranteeing loans to businesses and households to support the economy." Moreover the IMF is encouraging the British government to revive growth with major investments in "infrastructures."

The IMF stresses in a report published on 16th July 2013 that Romania is not meeting the goals set by the Fund when aid was given in 2011. This report is based on the IMF's internal expertise as well as on discussions started in January with the Romanian political and economic leaders. It is encouraging the country to step up and deepen reforms and notably speed up the privatisation of its businesses. Once this programme has been completed the IMF experts believe it will be possible to plan further discussions for more support.

The 28 European Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers agreed on 15th July 2013 on the main guidelines in the distribution of a package of some 6.4 billion euro designed to fund the common fisheries policy. This agreement on the European Maritime Affairs Fund for the period 2014-2020 and fisheries opens the way to the reform of the sector for "long term, more sustainable fishing". "It was the last part of the puzzle" after the political agreement concluded in May between States and the European Parliament to orient the new common fishing policy towards the restoration of fishing resources.

EU Member States came to agreement on 17th July 2013 on a draft budget for 2014. Member States accepted 141.8 billion euro in commitments and 134.8 billion in payments whilst the Commission had been advocating 142.01 billion in commitments (1.05% of the EU's GNP) and 135.9 billion for payments (1.01%), ie a reduction of 6% in comparison with the initial budget in 2013. According to the European Commission's budget 3.6 billion euros are intended for the Youth Employment Initiative and support measures to SMEs - both major projects that were decided upon by the EU's leaders during their last summit. The agreement, which still has to be approved by the European Parliament, slightly reduces the proposal put by the European Commission at the end of June. The cut will mainly affect the institutions' spending.

On 19th July the 28 European Justice Ministers came to agreement on a reform of personal data protection. More effective legal cooperation between Member States as well as wider use of ITs in the area of justice are vital. The main aim of the regulation on data protection being assessed at present by the Council is to guarantee a more systematic, clearer and easier application of data protection standards in the EU. Ministers agreed on the systematic respect of personal data protection rules in Member States and expressed their support to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB).

The composition of the EU's delegation for the ad hoc working group in charge of discussions with the US delegation on data protection was announced on 18th July 2013 by the Lithuanian presidency of the Council of the European Union. The delegation will comprise the presidency, the Commission, the Counter Terrorism coordinator, the European External Action Service as well as experts from the Member States. On a voluntary and bilateral basis interested member countries will be able to discuss issues related to their national security with the USA and will be able to coordinate their positions if they so wish it. The working group will meet for the first time on 22nd and 23rd July in Brussels.

On 19th July 2013 the French Brigadier General Bruno Guibert was appointed as the new chief of the EU's training mission to Mali (EUTM-Mali). General Guibert will take over his post on 1st August 2013. He succeeds Brigadier General François Lecointre. The EU's training mission will help to train and reorganise the Malian armed forces.

On 22nd July 2013 the Council adopted two directives to counter VAT fraud. These two directives modify the one adopted in 2006. The first will enable immediate measures in the event of massive VAT fraud (rapid reaction mechanism). The second directive will enable Member States to apply "self-liquidation" for the payment of VAT on a facultative and temporary basis.

On 22nd July 2013 the 28 Foreign Ministers decided to include the armed branch of the Lebanese Shi'a movement on the EU's list of terrorist organisations. Regarding the situation in Darfur they declared they were worried. They called on the Sudanese government to protect the populations and to work towards a sustainable political situation. Moreover ministers said they deplored the continued lack of progress in Bosnia-Herzegovina on the path to the EU, notably that the political leaders in the country had not implemented the decision delivered by the European Court of Human Rights in the Sejdic/Finci case. The Council is pleased with the detailed support framework to Burma/Myanmar, but highlights its concern about the situation in Egypt, and the effect of "water diplomacy" in the settlement of notably cross-border conflicts. The Council is encouraging the draft of a plan to improve cooperation and the development of this approach.

On 15th July 2013 Bulgaria opened the first east/west motorway crossing the country to link Sofia with Bourgas on the Black Sea. The construction of this 360km long motorway that was started in the 1970's was interrupted several times due to a lack of funding and because of corruption scandals. The project started again thanks to European aid in 2004. Bulgaria, that covers 111,000 km2 only has around 400km of motorway. It is therefore counting on European funding to develop its road infrastructures.

The Italian national statistics institute (Istat) published a report on poverty in Italy. According to this survey of the 9.56 million poor people, 4.81 million lived in "absolute poverty". This total represented 15.8% of the population in 2012, up in comparison with 2011 (13.6%). "Absolute poverty" is typified by the impossibility of paying goods of primary necessity in order to have an acceptable standard of living. The absolute poverty threshold varies depending on the region or the type of family ranging from 537 euro per month to 806 euro per month. The study also mentions cases of "relative poverty" whose threshold has been set for 2012 and a revenu of 990.88 euro per month for a family of two people.

On 15th July 2013 political leaders from the three main parties in the UK (Kenneth Clarke/Conservative Party, Lord Mandelson/Labour, Danny Alexander/Liberal Democrats) published a pro-European Union Manifesto (Better Off in a Better Europe) to highlight that exiting the Union would be an "historical mistake" that would make the UK "weaker and poorer". In their opinion it is certain that the EU needs to change on certain issues but the UK must remain within it in order to take part and influence the reform process. According to the manifesto the study on the balance of power between London and Brussels asked for by the Prime Minister David Cameron should take place in all Member States and not just according to a specific agreement with the UK.

On 16th July 2013 Eurostat indicated that the international goods trade had registered a surplus of 15.2 billion euro in the euro zone and 15.8 billion euro in the EU in May. Germany registered the highest surplus (67.3 billion) and the UK the highest deficit (29.2 billion), followed by France (25.8 billion). On 19th July 2013 Eurostat also announced that the EU had registered a trade surplus of 29.1 billion euro in the first quarter of 2013, driven along by a 32.4 billion euro surplus in the service trade balance. A year ago the EU faced a deficit of 1.5 billion euro.

On 17th July 2013 Eurostat announced the publication of a book that brings together all of the EU's social statistics such as immigration, healthcare and parity. This report shows that more than one European in 50 lives in another Member State of the EU and that around 25% more women than men go on to higher education. It also indicates that the risk of poverty is proportionally opposite to the level of education.

According to figures published on 22nd July 2013 by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, the public debt ratio in comparison with the GDP lay at 92.2% in the euro zone at the end of the first quarter of 2013 against 90.6% at the end of the fourth quarter 2012. In the EU the ratio rose from 85.2% to 85.9%. In comparison with the first quarter 2012 the public debt ratio in comparison with the GDP increased in the euro zone (from 88.2% to 92.2%) as well as in the EU (from 83.3% to 85.9%).

From 9th August to 1st September 2013 this year's international festival of Edinburgh will be taking place. On this occasion six of the cities main theatres, concert halls and stages will be the venue for classical music, theatre, opera as well as dance. This year the Festival will be inspired by relations between artists and technologies and innovation over the last 500 years.

As each year many groups will be presenting their dance and traditional singing from 9th to 18th August 2013 in Fregenal de la Sierra (Spain). Groups from five continents will be meeting to celebrate their cultural difference. On the last day of the festival the town's inhabitants decorate the streets and houses with flowers and flags to brighten the parade in which all of the artists take part.

From 16th August to 1st September 2013 Helsinki will once again host many Finnish and international artists of all kinds. Varying renowned European orchestras, such as the Göteborg symphony orchestra will be playing in the grand music hall in the city. On stage audiences will also be able to see performances by world famous artists such and violonist Pekka Kuusisto and Yoko Ono.

The International Piano Festival at La Roque-d'Anthéron will be taking place until 20th August. Founded in 1980 by Paul Onoratini (1920-2010), then mayor of La Roque-d'Anthéron, this festival takes place in the open air in the park of the Florans Castle. It brings together both young talented musicians as well as renowned pianists.

The Sziget Festival in Budapest, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, will take place from 5th to 12th August. On this occasion 140 groups and 500 concerts are planned with the participation of numerous international artists.