DIW experts (the German institute for Economic Studies) anticipate that the German economy will gather pace in 2014 with the aid of domestic demand. Following a slight rise of 0.4% in 2013 the German GDP is due to grow by 1.7% next year indicated the DIW in a press release. The institute also added that the euro zone was emerging from the crisis and that there were positive signs indicating that the countries in crisis would recover growth in the second half of the year.

On 16th September 2013 the IMF announced that it had paid 84.7 million euro to Cyprus. This payment completes the second tranche of aid validated by the euro zone on 13th September which totalled 1.5 billion euro. These payments came after an initial audit by the troika which showed significant efforts undertaken by Cyprus to stabilise its economy. The country is still in a deep recession. The IMF explains that in spite of the restructuring undertaken the Cypriot banks have still not been able to re-establish confidence. Outflows of capital totalled 12.6% in deposits ie 8 billion euro which has led to a contraction in the offers of loans. The situation of the Central Bank of Cyprus has caused a dispute between the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades and the governor of the Central Bank, Mr Demetriades who is being criticised for managing the crisis badly. The IMF is worried that "significant" risks continue to weigh over Cyprus.

On 19th September 2013 the Portuguese government sent its "Portugal 2020" plan to the Commission in order to receive 21 billion euro in European Structural Funds for the period 2014-2020. The government's programme aims to focus investments in state education, the building of roads and the modernisation of infrastructures. According to the project put forward 93% of the funds will be concentrated in four of the country's seven regions: the north, centre, Alentjeo and the Azores.

On 19th September 2013 the Greek Statistics Institute published a study of the labour market. In the second quarter of 2013 the unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 points in comparison with the first quarter to total 27.1%. However the unemployment rate had increased in comparison with 23.6% in the second quarter of 2012. The number of people in work increased by one point in comparison with the first quarter of 2013 but showed a reduction of 4.2 points in comparison with the second quarter of 2012. The number of unemployed declined in comparison with the first quarter but this figure had increased by 15.5 points in comparison with the second quarter 2012.

The Belgian State's budget in 2013 was reduced by 218 million euro. In line with the requirements demanded by the European Commission the Belgian deficit only totals 2.5% of the GDP. Belgium has succeeded in reducing its budget by decreasing spending on social security by 84 million euro as well as taking into account 75 million euro in dividends from the organisation that is responsible for managing the former assets of Fortis. The Belgian government hopes that the Council of the European Union will decide to end the "excessive deficit procedure" launched against it.

Ireland emerged from recession in the second quarter according to official statistics published on 19th September 2013, which is good news for the former "Celtic Tiger" since it intends to exit the bail-out plan agreed in 2010. The GDP rose by 0.4% over the period in comparison with the previous quarter indicated the Central Irish Statistics Office.

On 17th September 2013 the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Citizenship and Justice, Vivian Reding, put forward a proposal that aims to step up action against new psychoactive substances, the so-called "legal highs". The Commission is suggesting a faster procedure and a more graduated system. The time it takes to ban a substance in the EU has been reduced from two years to ten months and in an emergency it will be possible to withdraw a substance immediately from the market for a one-year period. The proposal plans for three modes of processing which will depend on the dangers and industrial as well as commercial uses of the substance in question.

On September 19th 2013 the European Commission indicated that 193 billion euro was missing due to the non-observance or non-receipt of VAT in the EU in 2011. This discrepancy cannot just be explained by fraud - it also comes from bankruptcies, insolvency, statistical errors, late payment and even tax evasion. To counter this the Member States must step up the fight to counter fraud and implement their legislation more rigorously. Moreover facilitating VAT systems should enable tax payers to respect the rules better. Finally Member States must reform their tax systems to improve the effectiveness of the levying of taxes and to dissuade fraud and evasion.

On 2nd September 2013 the Council adopted a position on the 2014 budget which was significantly below the European Commission's proposal. However on 18th September the Commission suggested adding 130 million euro for the Erasmus+ Programme, which is devoted to youth education and training; 30 million for the COSME programme, which supports entrepreneurship amongst SMEs and 200 million for "Horizon 2020" a research and innovation programme. In addition to this the Commission suggested that Cyprus be granted an extra 200 million euro. MEPs are due to take a decision in October 2013. If there is a difference in opinion a three week conciliation period will begin.

On 18th September the European Commission launched the so-called article 39 procedure against Croatia for its refusal to abolish a dispensation which limits the range of the European arrest warrant. The latter effectively excludes the period of war in the former Yugoslavia. The prevention of Croatia's accession to the Schengen Agreements is one of the sanctions planned for by the Commission. Member States are due to vote on this in ten days time.

On 20th September 2013 the European Commission put forward a new strategy for forests which matches the challenges encountered by the forestry industry. The strategy stresses the importance of forests for rural development, environment and diversity. The Commission pleads in support of an overall approach which takes on board national forestry policies. Finally the strategy encourages the harmonised collation of information and the creation of a forestry information system across Europe. Forests cover around 40% of the EU and could represent a major resource to improve quality of life and to create jobs and yet at the same time to protect eco-systems.

On 12th September 2013 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the implementation of the principle of equal pay between men and women in Europe. In this resolution the Parliament regrets the slowness in terms of progress as far as equal pay between men and women is concerned. It stresses that this principle should be seen as an investment rather than a cost. It has asked the Commission to re-consider the directive 2006/54/CE so that Member States reduce the pay gap by five points until the latter disappears in 2020. Parliament is extremely demanding in terms of wage equality and is inviting the Commission to support the Member States "in the promotion of good practice".

The European Commission gave the greenlight to the purchase by the British company Vodafone of German cable operator Kabel on 20th September deeming that this merger would not damage competition. "The inquiry undertaken by the Commission has confirmed that the activities of the parties in the merger were complementary in the main" explains the European executive in a press release.

On 16th September 2013, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hosted his Spanish counterpart Pedro Morenés Eulate in Brest for a Franco-Spanish Defence and Security Council. After this meeting they signed a declaration in which they emphasised their joint belief in a strong European Defence system. They also re-iterated their long term relations from the point of view of defence and security. They also stressed that they wanted to support "the introduction of a Maritime Safety Strategy (MSSEU)" as of 2014. In this context they are asking for the implementation of joint programmes in the ilk of the Atalante operation to counter piracy in Somalia, and for the establishment of roadmaps that will enable a rapid response to any danger of instability.

The President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy spoke on 18th September 2013 to the Regents University of London. He called for people to standback from the present situation and for them to look at the progress achieved in one century. Although it was involved in a bloody battle in the last century Europe had become a land of peace, democracy, security and prosperity. The economic crisis does not mean that we can say that it has failed from an economic and trade point of view. Its temporary divisions do not bring its general unity into question. The European Union has considerable influence in the international arena and its attractiveness bears witness to its success.

The IMF has published its assessments of the sustainability of the G20 economies as part of the mutual assessment process (MAP) introduced in 2009. This report entitled "Imbalances and Growth" which was updated in September 2013, observes a reduction in the imbalances in the G20 economies in spite of a great deal of work that remains to be done to maintain durable growth. Several members including China, India, France, Germany, Japan, UK, USA and the euro zone have been identified as having relatively significant imbalances. To remedy this the IMF is inviting these countries to implement policies to facilitate re-balancing and to support growth.

The Institut de l'Entreprise has published a study entitled "Germany: an employment miracle or social disaster?" This study focuses on the labour market reforms introduced in Germany in the 2000's. In Alain Fabre's opinion the Hartz reforms enabled the eradication of long term unemployment and the German experiment should serve as an example for labour market reforms across the entire euro zone.

The American institute, the German Marshall Fund, published a study entitled "Transatlantic Trends" on 18th September 2013 on the public opinion in the USA and in Europe. The study reveals a general rapprochement in public opinion either side of the Atlantic. It notably emerges that both Europeans and Americans are reticent about the idea of military intervention abroad and support the introduction of democracy in North Africa and the Middle East.

From 26th September 2013 to 6th January 2014 the Louvre Museum in Paris is devoting an exhibition to the Florentine Renaissance. The exhibition which is called "The Spring time of the Renaissance - the Sculpture and Arts of Florence, 1400-1460 is showing work that were based on major innovations often associated to classical antiquity which transformed the idea of art in the West. It covers the start of this major artistic and cultural movement which emerged in republican Florence at the beginning of the 15th century.

The 33rd Cambridge Film Festival devoted to the independent cinema industry is offering a selection of international films until 29th September 2013.

The 61st Film Festival of San Sebastian is offering an international selection of full feature films until 28th September. This festival is the most famous in the Hispanic world and attracts more than 155,000 people yearly.

Between five to six million visitors go to the Munich Oktoberfest yearly - which is more commonly known as the Beer Festival. The tremendous popular festival, which is nearly two centuries old, is one of Germany best known events. The Oktoberfest is taking place until 6th October 2013.

An exhibition on the Polish princess Marie Leszczynska, the wife of Louis XV and grandmother of three kings of France is running an exhibition until 5th January 2014 at the Royal Castle of Warsaw which covers the life at the court of Versailles in its heyday. This exhibition, organised together with the castle of Versailles, is offering visitors over one hundred works including six exhibits from Versailles, pictures in the main but also furniture, books and daily objects.