In an editorial on his site Jean-Dominique Giuliani highlights the irresponsibility and incompetence of the Greek government which is guided by ideological, demagogic, political considerations to the detriment of a suffering Greek population.

The growth of private activity in the euro zone reached its highest level in four years in June and recovery involves all countries in the region in spite of uncertainty about the outcome of the Greek crisis. The composite PMI index lay at 54.1 in June against 53.6 in May indicated Markit on 23rd June. "In spite of the cloud of the Greek debt crisis which is threatening the region economic growth in the euro zone is gathering pace."

On 25th and 26th June the European Council, bringing together the 28 heads of State and government focused mainly on Greece. Hence Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem reviewed negotiations with the country. A conclusion to the issue was hoped for on 27th June. The European Council then addressed the voluntary relocation of 40,000 asylum seekers who have landed in Italy and Greece as well as the resettlement of 20,000 asylum seekers who are at present in third countries. They defined a return policy for those migrants who have no legal right to enter the EU. Leaders also agreed to enhance Frontex's powers. The UK referendum on its EU membership was also addressed briefly with David Cameron. Finally European leaders exchanged views over security and defence as well as economic issues. Moreover Jacques Delors was appointed honorary citizen of Europe.

On 24th June a new convention between the European Commission and the European Investment Fund was signed to promote growth and employment in Europe. This convention will lead to the release of 500 million euro in aid for people who want to create or develop their business and who are encountering obstacles on the labour market. Marianne Thyssen, the Commission responsible for Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, stressed that "thanks to this financing tens of thousands of jobs will be created."

On 24th June the European Parliament adopted the regulation on the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), the central element in the Juncker Investment Plan totalling 315 billion euro. MEPs adopted the text 464 votes in support, 131 against and 19 abstentions. With this the EFSI will be operational by September 2015.

On 23rd June the 28 European Affairs Ministers, who met in Luxembourg, completed the preparations for the European Council that took place on 25th and 26th June. Ministers also adopted conclusions regarding the present political crisis in Macedonia (FYROM) and called for all sides to honour the commitments they made on 2nd June 2015. Finally ministers exchanged views on the "Better Regulation" programme presented on 19th May by the Commission.

The French, German, Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers met in the "Normandy" Format on 23rd June to discuss the developments in the cease-fire in the east of Ukraine. The different sides repeated their support to the peace process established in Minsk. Ministers called for a total withdrawal of heavy arms from the front line within the next few weeks, the implementation of the desescalation plan for the town of Chirokine on the front, the end of restrictions on the movement of OSCE observers, the removal of all impediments placed on humanitarian aid and the liberation of all prisoners according to the "all against all" rule.

On 28th June the ECB announced that it was maintaining the ELAs (Emergency Liquidity Assistance) granted to Greek banks at their present levels thereby leaving a door open to a political solution to prevent the collapse of the Greek economy and the "Grexit". "In view of the present circumstances the Council of Governors has decided to maintain the ceiling on the provision of emergency liquidities at the levels decided on Friday," said a press release. The Council is "assessing the situation and its potential implications carefully in terms of its monetary policy," said the communication.

A European observation satellite, Sentinel-2A was successfully launched into orbit by a Vega rocket that lifted off in the night of 22nd to 23rd June from the Guianese Space Centre Kourou announced Arianespace. This was the fifth lift-off by the European light launcher which flew for the first time in February 2012. To date they have always succeeded. "It was Vega's mission to place this satellite in orbit at an altitude of 786km. This optical satellite, Sentinel-2A has a launch mass of 1.1 tonnes and is devoted to monitoring the landmasses and coastlines. It will enable the analysis of land, fields and forests and will be useful for the environment, agriculture and civilian security."

On 25th and 26th June a European Financial Summit took place in Frankfurt/Main and was organised by the Institute of International Finance bringing together personalities and experts from the sector such as Jens Weidmann, President of the Bundesbank and Wolfgang Schäuble, the German Finance Minister. Participants in the summit exchanged views on the strategies to enable the generation of faster, more sustainable, more inclusive growth in Europe. In his speech Wolfgang Schäuble reviewed the progress achieved by the EU and the euro zone in countering systemic risks and economic crises, whilst pinpointing the potential causes of the latter.

On 23rd June the IMF published a report on the state of the Cypriot economy. Deep reforms undertaken by Cyprus (structural reform, support to banks with toxic loans) have produced positive results. Indeed, since the first quarter of 2015 and for the first time in four years, Cyprus's economy is now growing again. The Chief of Mission in Cyprus for the IMF declared that the results were better than expected but Cyprus still faces several challenges to overcome such as for example ensuring that the banks can offer more loans, reducing the debt and attracting investors.

On 28th June the new Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen presented his new government after having officially accepted the post following a meeting with Queen Margrethe II. The Danish government will comprise 17 members all from the Venstre Party given the inability of the parties in the centre and right to come to a consensus over the composition of the new executive. Lars Løkke Rasmussen and the Venstre Party came third in the Danish general elections on 18th June behind the Social Democratic Party and the Danish People's Party. However the support of the People's Party, the Liberal Alliance and the People's Conservative Party enabled the Venstre leader to form a government with 34 mandates, in other words the smallest Danish government since 1973.

On 26th June the head of the Spanish government Mariano Rajoy attended the mission statement of Íñigo Méndez de Vigo before the King of Spain as the new Minister for Education, Culture and Sport. After being Secretary of State for the European Union he is now replacing Ignacio Wert.

On 25th June the National Assembly approved the ratification of the association between the EU and Ukraine. After the vote in the Senate in May the entire French Parliament has now given the greenlight to this agreement. All of the EU's national parliaments must ratify this agreement for it to enter into force. With the exception of the Front de Gauche all of the parliamentary groups voted in support. Elisabeth Guigou (PS) Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee for the Assembly explained that it is "a way of paying tribute to those who have fought for their country both in Ukraine and Georgia, to start reform, to fight in a real way to overcome their problems and to draw as close as possible to European standards."

The head of Greek diplomacy Nikos Kotzias and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Popsko agreed measures on 24th June aiming to re-establish trust between the two States in settlement of their dispute over the name of the former Yugoslav Republic. The dispute between Skopje and Athens dates back to 1991, when Greece refused its neighbour's right to use the name Macedonia which it deems historically to be Greek. Mr. Kotzias is the first Greek leader of this rank to visit Skopje in over ten years, a sign that the two sides want to resume dialogue over the problem that exists between their two countries. "We do not agree over the name but there is a solution to every problem," he declared adding, "we agreed on 11 measures the aim of which is to enhance confidence between our States and to create a climate that is more favourable for the quest of a solution to our problem."

On 23rd June the Hungarian government announced that it was unilaterally suspending the European rules governing European asylum rights (the Dublin III Regulation") for an unknown period of time due to "technical reasons". The Dublin III Regulation provides that an asylum request must be assessed by the first State in which the asylum seeker arrives. The Hungarian government said this decision came due to the major influx of migrants experienced by the country since the beginning of the year. However in the face of pressure on the part of the European Union and Austria the Hungarian government revised its decision on 24th June but asked Austria to be "patient" regarding the reconduction of refugees towards Hungary.

The Romanian Parliament ignored the reticence of the IMF on 24th June as it pronounced its support to a reduction in VAT. The new tax code whose leading measure is the reduction of VAT from 24% to 19% as of January 1st 2016 was adopted by 306 votes.

The Queen of England, Elizabeth II was on a state visit to Germany from 23rd to 26th June. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "delighted that Queen Elizabeth was coming to Germany." The Chancellor believes that the two countries "have much in common from a political point of view" and she said she hoped that the UK would remain in the EU. The Queen met the Chancellor on 23rd June and German President Joachim Gauck on 24th June. The Queen also visited Frankfurt-am-Main and the memorial at the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen. During her speech the Queen implicitly said that she wanted the UK to remain in the EU: "Great Britain and Germany have achieved a great deal by working together. I am confident that this will continue in the years to come."

During the 6th meeting with Montenegro the EU announced on 22nd June that two new chapters in membership negotiations were to be opened with Montenegro: financial (chapter 9) and trans-European networks (chapter 21). This brings the number of chapters opened to 20 two of which have been completed. There are 35 chapters in the negotiations. They were launched in June 2012 with Montenegro.

On 23rd June Igor Crnadak, the Foreign Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina addressed the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe presenting it with the priorities of Bosnia's presidency that will be taking place from May to November 2015. He said he was honoured to "take on the presidency for the first time since Bosnia's accession to the Organisation in 2002." Among those priorities, he underlined, are the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), the Council of Europe policy towards neighbouring regions, the Organisation's activities in the sphere of culture, and enhancing the Council of Europe's action with respect to the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue.

The NATO Members' Defence Ministers' meeting that took place on 25th June provided an opportunity for them to repeat their support to Ukraine. They discussed the situation there and NATO's assistance to the country. The Secretary General welcomed the Ukrainian government's determination to undertake economic reform in spite of its "fight to counter separatists who are supported and being trained and equipped by Russia." Moreover he asked Russia to bring its destabilising actions in Ukraine to an end."

On 25th June Eurostat published a study on summertime tourism in the European Union. It emerges that more than half of the annual number of tourist nights are spent by EU citizens (51.9%) in the summer season, ie between June and September. Moreover amongst these nights 60% are spent in their own country (this then comes under national tourism).

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) published its annual report on 2014. Last year confirmed the positive impact of the financial aid programmes contained within the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the ESM. After Ireland and Spain, Portugal successfully ended the programme in May 2014, unlike Cyprus and Greece which continue to benefit from these programmes. The President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem lauded the performance of the ESM and the EFSF, combined with major structural reform - a vital condition if a country is to receive financial aid - which has facilitated a return of confidence in the market and a revival in economic growth.

On 23rd June a ceremony for the winners of the 2015 EU Literature Prize took place in Brussels together with the Commissioner for Culture Tibor Navracsics. This year twelve authors from all over Europe were awarded this price which aims to encourage promising writers.