Is 2014 a turning point for Europe ? The European elections and the renewal of the all of the Union's political institutions offer an exceptional opportunity to analyse how the European Union is developing. These questions are the focus of the Schuman Report 2014, a yearly work of reference on Europe. This 8th edition includes an exclusive analysis by the French Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who gives his view of European defence issues. This book, edited by Thierry Chopin and Michel Foucher, is published by Lignes de Repères. It is available in libraries and on the Foundation website in printed paper format and digital version (eReaders and tablets).

The Dutch statistics office announced on 19th June that in May and for the first time in 2014 unemployment had declined in the Netherlands after more jobs were created than destroyed. Unemployment also decreased in March but this followed people retiring from the job market. In May unemployment lay at 7% in comparison with 7.2% in April. The average unemployment level in the euro area is 11.7%.

On 18th June, the European Commission officially launched a new EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region in the form of a Communication and an Action Plan, to help its 70 million residents reap the benefit of closer cooperation in areas like the maritime economy, preserving the marine environment, completing transport and energy links and boosting sustainable tourism. This is the first EU 'macro-regional strategy' with participation on the part of so many non-EU countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia) cooperating with EU members (Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia).

On 18th June 2014, the Belgian N-VA party decided to join the Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) of the European Parliament, whilst the door of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) was open to them. Guy Verhofstadt, president of the ALDE group said that the decision "is not good for the European project." He criticizes the N-VA for wanting to join a Eurosceptic group.

Euro area Finance Ministers met on 19th June 2014 for a Eurogroup meeting, focusing their attention on how to accelerate growth in the euro area. At the end of the crisis, priority will be placed on the creation of an agenda that concentrates on growth and employment. Ministers welcomed the Commission and the ECB 's convergence reports, which in line with the acting institutions confirm that Lithuania fulfills the criteria for the introduction of the euro. This opens the way for the preparation of a draft recommendation on the adoption of the euro by Lithuania on 1st January 2015. They welcomed the continued progress made by the aid programmes in Cyprus and Greece, and remain confident about fiscal consolidation in Portugal and in the decrease of the Irish deficit.

On 16th June 2014 the Council completed preparations in view of the signature of the association agreements between the EU and Georgia and Moldova. These agreements aim to deepen political and economic integration with the Union and will also lead to the introduction of a deep and comprehensive free-trade area with these two partners. These two agreements will be signed on the sidelines of the European Council on 27th June next at the same time as an association agreement between the EU and Ukraine.

The Consultative Council on National Security, which comprises the President and the representatives of the main Bulgarian political parties, decided on 17th June to set three possible dates for early general elections. These might be 28th September, 5th or 12th October. Following discussions at the Council President Plevneliev declared that the political leaders had agreed on possible dates. However the exact date will be set during one of the next meetings between the President and the parliamentary parties. Depending on this decision the Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski's cabinet will then set the date for its resignation.

After the announcement of the abdication of Juan Carlos and the ratification by the lower and upper Chambers of the Spanish Parliament, the King officially stepped down from the throne on 19th June, aged 76 after a 39 year reign. He left the throne to his son, Prince Felipe, whose coronation took place on 19th June. Now crowned, Felipe VI has taken over a country which is gradually emerging from the economic crisis but which faces many political, economic and social challenges. The new king will therefore have to assert his legitimacy vis-à-vis the Spanish republicans in order to bring the country out of the crisis in which it is now plunged.

Finland announced on 18th June that it was putting forward its former Prime Minister, Jyrki Katainen for a post at the European Commission after the departure of their Commissioner of Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn. "The government decided on 18th June 2014 to appoint Jyrki Katainen as Finland's candidate for the period 1st July-31st October 2014 at the European Commission", a statement said.

French President François Hollande met with 8 centre-left leaning heads of government on 21st June. "The Luxembourg candidate Jean-Claude Juncker is supported by nine social democratic leaders of EU Member States," declared François Hollande. The choice to support a centre-right candidate for the presidency of the Commission should be counterbalanced by the appointment of a social democrat to take over the presidency of the Council from Herman van Rompuy. "We respect the spirit which governed the European elections, ie that the party that came out ahead should put forward the candidate that was presented - ie Mr Juncker," said Mr Hollande. "But," he added "there are other responsibilities that might go to names that are of a social democratic leaning." In Paris with Mr Hollande were Italian, Matteo Renzi, German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Denmark), Victor Viorel Ponta (Romania), Robert Fico (Slovakia), Bohuslav Sobotka (Czech Republic), Joseph Muscat (Malta), Werner Faymann (Austria) and Elio di Rupo (Belgium).

Nineteen trade contracts between Greece and China totalling 4.6 billion dollars (3.4 billion euro) were signed on 19th June during a visit by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Athens announced the Greek Economic Development Minister. "Greece may become the port of entry for China and the starting point of a trade corridor to Europe," maintained Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras during a joint press conference with his Chinese counterpart. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang spoke of a flourishing future for the convalescent Greek economy which Beijing wants to use to strengthen its trade in Europe via the country's railways, ports and airports.

The Hungarian government unveiled a monument on 18th June in memory of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat. Raoul Wallenberg came to work in Budapest at the end of the Second World War and he actively took part in the rescue of Jews and other Hungarian citizens. The memorial is called "Do not forget!" and aims to recall that the Shoah should never happen again, declared Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister, Tibor Navracsics, during the inauguration.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk appointed Małgorzata Omilanowska Minister of Culture and National Heritage after the election of Bogdan Zdrojewski, her predecessor, to the European Parliament. The Polish government now includes four women out of a total 19 ministers. Małgorzata Omilanowska, an art historian, will notably be responsible for the programme for national revival that aims to protect and renovate Polish historical monuments with the aid of European and national funds.

On 17th June during an official visit to the UK Chinese Prime Minister Li Kegiang was hosted by his British counterpart David Cameron and then by Queen Elizabeth II. China and the UK agreed to work together to take forward their bilateral cooperation in terms of growth, reform and innovation said a joint press release. In all no less than 30 billion dollars in transactions will be made over the next few days said the Chinese embassy. China and the UK also jointly committed to countering climate change.

The new president of Slovakia, Andrej Kiska was sworn in on 15th June 2014 in Bratislava. The President of the Constitutional Court, Ivetta Macejkova, confirmed his powers. Andrej Kiska is the fourth Head of State since Slovakia's independence in 1993. He was elected by direct universal suffrage on 30th March 2014 easily winning against Prime Minister Robert Fico in the second round. Mr Kiska is the first president without a communist past in this country which joined the European Union in 2004 and the euro zone five years later. The new president replaces Ivan Gasparovic whose second five-year mandate as head of the country had come to an end and who could not stand again.

The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) published a new report on Ukraine on 15th June 2014 which describes the collapse of public order and the respect of the law in areas under the control of armed groups in the country's east with increasing proof of kidnapping, detention, torture and murder. The High Commissioner Navi Pillay exhorted the armed groups operating in the eastern areas of Donetsk and Luhansk to "stop going down this path, taking people into a dead end that will lead simply to misery, destruction, displacement and economic destitution."

Switzerland unveiled a plan to introduce immigration contingents for short stays, cross border work and regarding people who want to stay permanently in the wake of the referendum on 9th February which brought "massive immigration" to an end. These measures announced on behalf of the government by Ms Simonetta Sommaruga, the Minister responsible for the issue, aim to implement the decision taken in the referendum earlier this year as the result of a decision by the sovereign people. At present there are no quotas regarding border workers who have a work contract, nor for seasonal workers.

In its report published on June 19th 2014, the Council of Europe's anti-corruption organisation, GRECO raised concern about the low impact of its recommendations on the transparency of the financing of political parties in many member countries. "It is clear that there remains a great deal to do to make the prevention of corruption in political life a priority," declared Marin Mrcela, President of GRECO. After a country by country presentation of the progress made in implementing GRECO's recommendations the report analyses the impact of the gender issue in corruption following a first pan-European conference on the question on 13th December 2013 in Prague.

The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) met on 17th June to mark the 20th anniversary of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) which has transformed Euro-Atlantic security and NATO by erasing dividing lines, inspiring reforms and building peace and security through consultation and cooperation based on common democratic values. Many EAPC members condemned Russia's actions and strongly called for it to abide by its international obligations, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and reverse the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea. A large number of EAPC nations reiterated that the only way forward is through a political solution to the crisis, which is undermining security for the entire Euro-Atlantic area.

Walid Pharès, Middle East advisor to Mitt Romney, is the author of a book entitled "Du printemps arabe à l'automne islamiste?" published by Hugo & Co. The author analyses developments in the geopolitical situation of the countries that experienced the rebellions of 2010 which he places in their historic context, going back to the 1990's. This enables the reader to understand the events that occurred in these Arab societies where fundamentalists and secular liberals oppose each other. He describes the "hijacking" and the confiscation of the Arab Spring by the Islamic forces and the resistance put up by groups of progressives and democrats since then., He invites the West to be aware of the issues at stake in terms of the world balance of power.

According to figures published on 19th June by Eurostat, in 2013, prices of services and consumer goods were very different depending on the Member State. Denmark (140% of the EU average) had the highest prices. Price levels of 10% to 20% above the EU average were seen in Ireland (118%) for example, whilst in Belgium and France (109% each) price levels of up to 10% below the EU average were observed. Spain (95%) lay just below the EU average whilst Greece (89%) lay between 10% and 20% below the average. The lowest price levels were seen in Bulgaria (48%).

The Louvre Museum is running an exhibition entitled "Masques, mascarades, mascarons" until 22nd September in which the paradoxal function of the mask, the emblem of illusion is used by way of around one hundred drawings, sculptures, paintings or prints. The exhibition is structured around the idea that "in the West, since Ancient times there have always been masked men. The mask hides the face to the benefit of its double and this reveals something. It provides an air of mystery. It belongs to the holy and the profane, to truth and to vanity, to reality and fiction. It scares and seduces, imitates and deceives."