On 21st October Jean-Dominique Giuliani, President of the Robert Schuman Foundation will be presenting "Pourquoi et comment l'Europe restera le coeur du monde, petit traité d'optimisme" (Why and how Europe will remain at the heart of the world, a small treaty of optimism) at 17:30 to the Federal Parliament of Wallonia-Brussels. This conference is part of the event "L'Europe en dialogue avec le monde au XXIe siècle," which provides a series of prestigious conferences, debates and guided tours.

On 14th January OECD published new figures regarding employment in the second quarter of 2014. The OECD zone employment rate, defined as the share of people of working age who have a job, remained stable at 65.6% in the second quarter of 2014, after an upward trend over four consecutive quarters. The euro zone has been in the same situation since its employment rate is stable at 63.8%, after increasing over the two previous quarters. The employment rate is up in the UK (by 0.4 percentage points at 72.1%, the fifth consecutive quarter that it has risen) and in the USA (by 0.2 percentage points at 68%) whilst it is decreasing in Canada (by 0.1 percentage points at 72.2%).

The European Commission and the UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) signed a three-year cooperation agreement on 14th October in Brussels. The agreement aims to strengthen the positive image of sport particularly football and to use its full potential in all areas of social and economic life. The agreement signed between the two parties also covers most of the challenges that modern sport faces: corruption, match fixing, financial instability, doping, violence and racism.

The 28 Economy and Finance Ministers met on 14th October and adopted several conclusions notably concerning the EU's investment policies and Member States' fiscal transparency. They stressed "the urgent need" to implement further measures to strengthen competitiveness and European growth potential via public and private investment. From a tax point of view they approved a draft directive that extends the field of obligatory automatic information exchange between tax authorities, thereby enabling them to counter tax evasion and improve the effectiveness of tax collection. According to the newly agreed rules, the tax authorities in the EU will have an obligation to exchange information on all relevant income automatically (interests, dividends and similar types of income) but also regarding account balances and sale proceeds from financial assets.

On 20th October the 28 European Foreign Ministers demanded that the elections that are to be organised on 26th October in Ukraine be organised "freely" and "across the entire country", warning that the EU would not acknowledge the elections being organised by the pro-Russian separatists on 2nd November. "Ukrainian leaders and the electorate must be able to prepare the elections freely, and all candidates must be able to campaign freely and safely across the entire county," insisted the 28 European Ministers. In addition to this a united, concerted effort is required to bring the Ebola epidemic to a halt and provide necessary aid to the affected countries," maintained ministers. The EU is notably promising to provide "at least half a million euro" to help the most affected countries. Promises of aid have totalled around 480 million euro to date, 180 of which are to be provided by the European Commission. Finally they stepped up their sanctions against the Syrian regime.

Schengen Member States launched the operation "Mos Maiorum" on 13th October. This is a vast operation, supervised by the EU's agency Frontex aimed to put a halt to illegal immigration and improve understanding about illegal immigration routes in Europe. It is taking place between 13th and 26th October 2014 on the EU's external borders and within the Schengen Area. The 22 Schengen Member States and four associate countries (Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) will be taking part in this action which will be coordinated by the Italian Home Affairs Minister. This type of intervention is undertaken every six months by the country which is ensuring the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During her speech to the Bundestag on 16th October German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of everyone "respecting the European stability pact," whilst in Brussels the assessment of the French budget, which includes some deviation from the path, is now underway. "I insist on this point, all Member States must respect the stability and growth pact to the letter," she declared to MPs in the German Lower Chamber.

The new Belgian government led by Prime Minister Charles Michel won the confidence of the majority of MPs on 16th October - 84 votes in support, 58 against and 1 abstention. This government, which was sworn in on 11th October, is the result of a totally unique coalition between three Dutch-speaking parties including the N-VA and one French-speaking party the Reform Movement (Liberal) led by Charles Michel.

During a press conference on 15th October 2014 Emmanuel Macron (French Economy, Industry and Digital Minister) presented the guidelines behind the draft activity and equal economic opportunities bill which will be put to the Council of Ministers mid-December. Macron has selected three main reform priorities: removing impediments to activity, ie opening up certain sectors and certain professions like coach transport, regulated professions and even housing and commercial planning; investing ie renovating the framework of the State's intervention as shareholder, the improved management of civil service delegations and public/private partnerships and also the reform of remunerated shareholder status; finally work, ie renovating labour litigation tribunals and simplifying Sunday-working even further.

On 14th October the Irish government put forward to budget to end austerity by 2015. It plans for increased spending and tax reductions for the first time in seven years. Moreover Michael Noonan, the Finance Minister announced the end of a fault in the tax system, nicknamed the "Double Irish" - a method used by American multi-nationals to register their profits in offshore tax havens via Ireland. This announcement notably follows an inquiry by the European Commission into the agreements made by Apple and the Irish tax authorities which enabled the company to pay corporate tax of just 2% in Ireland where its European HQ is located.

On 15th October during a press conference Matteo Renzi presented Italy's 2015 budget. He notably plans for an 18 billion euro reduction in taxes. The head of the Italian government is reckoning on a 3% GDP deficit this year and 2.9% in 2015. He also postponed the structural deficit balance goal by two years, as requested by Brussels, from 2015 to 2017.

On 15th October Portugal presented its draft 2015 budget. It is planning to reduce government debt from 4% to 2.7% of the GDP, without affecting the population's buying power. As a result the Portuguese government has decided not to change taxes and to increase the minimum wage. It is counting on the growth of the economy and the recovery of employment to increase tax revenues. According to the government's first estimates the latter are due to rise by 2.4%. In 2015 the growth forecast lies at 1.5% and unemployment at 13.4% against a previous forecast of 14.8%.

According to official results the three parties in the coalition in office in the Czech Republic won the senatorial elections in the second round of voting which took place on 17th and 18th October. During the election, marked by the lowest turnout ever recorded since the country's independence in 1993 (16.63%), the Czechs elected 27 senators out of the 81 who sit in the upper chamber. The coalition parties won 19 of the 27 senatorial seats that were open, and now hold 46. In the majority the coalition does not enjoy a qualified 3/5 majority however which would allow it to change the constitutional laws. The Social Democratic Party (CSSD) led by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, won 10 seats, the Christian Democrats KDU-CSL 5 seats and the centrist, populist movement ANO led by Finance Minister Andrej Babis, 4 seats.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) confirmed on 15th October that Alex Salmond's successor would be Nicola Sturgeon. Ms Sturgeon was Alex Salmond's second in command for 7 years and was the only candidate standing for the post. Her first task will be to increase Scotland's autonomous powers comprising new tax and welfare programmes.

On 14th October the Ukrainian parliament confirmed the appointment of Stepan Poltorak as Defence Minister. To date he was the head of the National Guard comprising volunteers who were fighting alongside regular troops in the pro-Russian separatist east. The National Guard was formed on the base of troops from the Home Ministry which integrated the "self-defence" units during the Maidan demonstrations.

According to a press release by Eurostat on 16th October, the euro zone's annual inflation rate lay at 0.3% in September 2014 against 0.4% in August. This is the lowest rate registered since October 2009. It lay at 1.1% in September 2013. Regarding the EU the annual inflation rate lay at 0.4% in September 2014, against 0.5% in August. In September it lay at 1.3%. The monthly inflation rate lay at 0.3% in September 2014.

On 14th October in Brussels Edmund Stoiber presented the final report by the High Level Group on Administrative Burdens that he has led to advise the European executive. According to the conclusions of the former Bavarian Prime Minister it would be necessary to exempt SMEs from industrial rules "as much as possible". He also advised the future Commission led by J-C Juncker to undertake further administrative reform to reduce red-tape which would lead to savings of 41 billion euro per year and convince the UK to remain in the EU.

Paul Collowald, who was notably the general manager for information at the European Commission and the director of the cabinet of the President of the European Parliament Pierre Pflimlin, has published "J'ai vu naître l'Europe", with Nuée Bleue. This book of interviews with Sophie Allaux-Izoard reviews the life of a pioneer of European integration. Prefaced by Jacques Delors the book recounts the small and great history of Europe as Paul Collowald has experienced it since 1948; it is a story marked by his meeting with Robert Schuman and his Declaration of 9th May 1950, which, for Paul Collowald, became the focus of a study and his passion.

On the initiative of the European Film Academy Committee a group of European film makers have launched a petition in support of Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov, addressed to the Russian authorities. Several film makers have already signed including Frenchman Jacques Audiard, Elie Chouraqui, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Finn Mika Kaurismaki and Briton Christopher Hampton. Sentsov, who is opposed to Crimea's annexation to Russia, was involved in the support of the EuroMaidan demonstrations in Kiev. He has been gaoled in the Lefortovo prison in Moscow since May and Russian justice decided to extend his detention until 11th January 2015. He is accused with three others of "terrorism", the "organisation of a terrorist group" and of "arms trafficking". He risks twenty years in prison.