Harmony Centre (SC) came out ahead in the general elections that took place in Latvia on 4th October but the party achieved a lower score than predicted by the polls: 23.13% of the vote and 24 of the 100 seats in the Saeima (Parliament) ie 7 less in comparison with the previous general election on 17th September 2011. Unity (Vienotiba, V) the main outgoing government coalition party took second place with 21.76% of the vote and 23 seats (+3), the Greens and Farmers' Union (ZZS) member of the outgoing government won 19.92% and 21 seats (+8); the National Alliance, an outgoing government coalition member 16.57% and 17 seats (+3). No sirds Latvia won 6.88% of the vote and 7 seats, the Regions Alliance 6.55% and 8 seats. Turnout totalled 58.83% - the lowest level since Latvia regained independence in 1991.

18.3 million Romanians will be appointing their president on 2nd November next. If none of the 14 candidates running wins the absolute majority in the first round, a second will be organised on 16th November. Outgoing head of State Traian Basescu, who is ending his second term, is not allowed to stand for re-election. The president is elected for five years. All candidates standing for the supreme office have to be aged at least 35 and has to have collated at least 200,000 voters' signatures. He must also swear that he did not work with the Securitate, the Romanian secret policy under the Communist regime. 14 people are officially running for the presidential office:Victor Ponta (Social Democratic Party, PSD), Prime Minister since 7th May 2012; Klaus Johannis (National Liberal Party, PNL), Mayor of Sibiu; Calin Popescu-Tariceanu (Liberal Reformist Party) present leader of the Senate and former Prime Minister (2004-2008); Dan Diaconescu (People's Party-Dan Diaconescu, PP-DD); Elena Udrea (People's Movement), former Regional and Tourism Minister (2009-2012); Hunor Kelemen (Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania, UDMR), present Culture Minister; Monica Macovei, member of the Liberal Democratic Party (PD-L) at present she is an MEP; William Brinza (Romanian Ecologist Party, PER);Constantin Rotaru (Socialist Alliance Party, PAS); Corneliu Vadim Tudor (Grand Romania Party, PRM); Zsolt Szilagyi (Hungarians of Transylvania People's Party EMNP); Mirel Mircea Amaritei (Prodemo Party); Teodor Melescanu, independent; Gheorghe Funar, independent.

On 8th October Amnesty International is organising a conference in Brussels on the as an extension to the exhibition "The Wall and Fear. India-Bangladesh." Three speakers will share their view of this issue. Michel Foucher, geographer, Professor of Geography at the University Lumière Lyon II and member of the Foundation's Scientific Committee will provide his analysis of this geopolitical question.

On 9th October the Bernardins College in Paris is organising a study day on "New Challenges for Ukraine and Europe" notably with Philippe de Suremain, former Ambassador and member of the Foundation's Scientific Committee.

Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation will be speaking on 13th October to auditors at the 26th session of the "Institut des Hautes Etudes Nationales de la Sécurité et de la Justice" (IHNESJ). His speech will focus on the European dimension of this theme.

Growth waned again in September in the euro zone revealing its lowest level in 10 months indicated Markit on 3rd October as it published the PMI index. The euro zone's Composite PMI has been revised downwards to lie at 52. It lay at 52.5 in August. The recently observed slowing in the euro zone economy continued in September. The most recent Composite PMI figures highlight a further decline in new order and output growth over the month in the euro zone's private sector.

Unemployment continued to rise in Spain in September confirming the reversal of the August trend bringing the total number of unemployed up to 4.45 million according to figures published on 2nd October by the Employment Ministry. At the end of September 4,447,650 were unemployed in Spain, ie 19,720 more than in August said the ministry, whilst between February and August the figure had declined.

The Italian government revised its GDP forecasts downwards on 30th September and is now reckoning on a contraction of 0.3% in 2014, but with a return to growth next year. The council of ministers adopted an economic and finance document that is forecasting a GDP contraction of 0.3% this year and growth of 0.6% in 2015, said Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan during a press conference after the meeting. In April official forecasts reckoned on growth of 0.8% in 2014.

Greece is planning for vigorous growth of 2.9% in 2015 according to a draft budget unveiled on 6th October by the Deputy Finance Minister Christos Staikouras. He said that growth is due to return in 2014 to 0.6% after six years of recession which made the country lose one quarter of its GDP. The draft budget, which is being presented on 6th October to Parliament's Finance department before its discussion in November, provides for a government deficit of 0.2% of the GDP against 0.8% in 2014.

On 30th September the European Commission adopted the technical regulatory standards required to implement stricter rules governing credit ratings agencies. Three main standards were adopted to regulate the information that firstly the issuers, initiators and sponsors disclose regarding structured financial instruments, secondly the information that ratings agencies have to report to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and thirdly the reports that the agencies have to deliver to the ESMA as part of their continuous supervision regarding the fees they invoice.

On 1st October the European Commission published its 31st annual report on the monitoring of the application of EU law in 2013. This report highlights a notable decrease in the number of infringements over the last few years, whilst the number of cases settled via mechanisms like the "Pilot EU" has increased significantly. As in 2012 the report shows that the share of infringements (62% of all cases) involve conformity with European law governing the environment, taxation, transport, the internal market and services. The Member States with the worst results in terms of falling in line with community law are Italy, Spain, Greece and Latvia, whilst Malta and Estonia were the best performers. Croatia's results will be taken into account in 2014. This report "reflects the Commission's determination to work with the Member States to settle problems resulting from the non-respect of EU law at an early stage," commented the Commission in a press release.

On 3rd October after a week's work the 7th round of negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), was concluded in Chevychase, Maryland, USA. The representatives of the European Commission and the American administration debated new measures. During the press conference Dan Mullaney, the deputy American spokesperson responsible for trade with Europe and the Middle East declared that public services like healthcare and education are not a part of the TTIP negotiations. There is also disagreement over the transparency of the work ongoing between the two sides. Many negotiators including Ignacio Garcia Bercero, the EU's head negotiator, seem to think that the negotiations are sufficiently advanced for them to be given a more transparent nature. Negotiators stressed the advantages of the agreement for SMEs as well as a greater similarity between US and EU standards.

Since 29th September 21 of the 27 Commissioners designate have been heard by MEPs in respect of the appointment procedure of the new college described in article 17 of the treaty on the European Union. During the three hour hearing the Commissioners designate answered many questions set by the MEPs. The coordinators of the political groups then meet to assess the hearings. The hearings will continue until 7th October. The Vice-Presidents designate will heard by MEPs after this. Several candidates have been called for a further oral or written hearing before a final decision is taken.

According to a press release published on 29th September by the International Organisation for Migration more than 3000 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean Sea since January, ie more than double the peak in 2011 following the Arab Spring. Of the 4077 deaths recorded in the world in 2013 three quarters of them took place in the Mediterranean, which makes it the mostly deadly journey of the last twenty years for illegal migrants. According to IOM figures most of the dead perished either by drowning, suffocation, hunger or thirst on their way from Africa and the Middle East.

Michel Sapin, the French Finance and Government Accounts Minister, together with Christian Eckert, the Secretary of State responsible for the Budget presented the draft finance bill 2015 on 1st October. The structural deficit will remain every high (2.2% next year) in spite of 21 billion euro in savings planned next year and 50 billion over the next three years in all (2015-2017). The level of obligatory contributions will only drop by 0.1 GDP points in spite of the announcement of a reduction on income tax. Government spending will only decline by 0.4 points. Finally high level participation by local authorities in efforts to reduce spending has been planned for: budgetary grants from the State to local authorities will be reduced by 11 billion euro by 2017.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls made an official trip to London on 6th October. After speaking with his British counterpart David Cameron he gave a speech to City businessmen and bankers. He defended the reforms undertaken in Paris and the "need" for "dynamic investment policies" to revive growth in Europe, whilst recalling his attachment to business: "I love business! My government is pro-business," he declared. Manuel Valls also advocated that the UK remain within the EU declaring that "France wants the UK to stay in the EU." He warned that the UK and especially the City of London "would lose a great deal if they turned their back on Europe."

President of the Italian Council Matteo Renzi won the support of the Democratic Party (PD) on 29th September concerning the reform of the labour market and notably the simplification of the dismissal procedure in major companies. The Renzi plan provides for the extension of unemployment rights, a reduction in the number of short-term contracts, the strengthening of the role played by employment agencies and a relaxing in wage guarantees for people with permanent employment contracts. This latter point caused the discontent of the left-wing of the Democratic Party, which as a whole however voted in support of the project 130 votes in support, 20 against and 11 abstentions.

France and Germany are to send drones to monitor the respect of the ceasefire in the east of Ukraine "within the next few days" announced French Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian on 5th October.

According to a press release by Eurostat on 30th September the euro zone's annual inflation rate is estimated at 0.3% in September 2014. Regarding the main components of euro zone inflation services are due to witness the highest level in September (1.1%, against 1.3% in August), followed by food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (0.2%, against -0.3% in August), industrial goods, energy aside (0.1%, against 0.3% in August), and energy (-2.4% against -2% in August).

The 2014 Regional Yearbook was published by Eurostat on 6th October. It provides a European regional statistical overview covering a wide range of areas. It also provides a more detailed image of the EU in comparison with national reports and promotes the understanding of regional diversity.

The European Commission and the New Media Consortium, an American a not-for-profit body which brings together education experts, published the first "Horizon" report on 2nd October which highlights the technological trends and developments that might affect education over the next five years. This report ranks the challenges facing European education institutions into three categories: solvable, difficult and wicked. This year the report promotes the "low digital competences and skills of schoolchildren and the need for the effective use of ITC's in teacher training" as the priorities of European education.

On 2nd October the European Commission published the results of an indepth study on the development in choice and innovation in the retail sale of food products in Europe over the last decade. Since 2004 innovation has led to greater consumer choice in the shops. However the number of new products that reach consumers on a yearly basis has dropped by 6.5% since 2008. According to Joaquin Almunia, Vice-President of the Commission, responsible for Competition, this study has revealed interesting insights in order to assess citizens' concerns about the food supply chain.

In 2013 economic conditions remained difficult for SMEs in most Member States. Economic results seem to show that recovery has started but this is occurring unequally and is still fragile. These are the findings of the annual SME Performance Review and the country per country Small Business Act reports published on 3rd October by the European Commission.

The Frankfurt Book Fair will be taking place from 8th to 12th October 2014. This literary event is the biggest of its kind in the world: yearly it attracts more than 300,000 authors, editors and visitors from the world over. This year Finland will be the fair's guest of honour.

The Tate Modern is running a unique retrospective from 9th October 2014 to 8th February 2015 on the work by contemporary German artist Sigmar Polke. This exhibition is the first to bring together such a wide range of artistic supports with which Polke works - not only painting, drawing, photography, cinema and sculpture but also laptops, slideshows and photocopies. In addition to the exhibition the museum is putting on various events focused on Polke's work: film showings, conferences, seminars, lessons and workshops. The exhibition is being organised by the Museum of Modern Art of New York together with the Tate Modern.

The Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany is running an exhibition until 18th January 2015 which highlights the Japanese influences in the art of the grand masters such as Degas, Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh. The museum especially wants to highlight this period ranging from 1860 to 1910 in France called "Japonism". This exhibition provides an opportunity to compare work by the greatest European artists of the 19th century with those of some grand masters of Japanese art.