The next general elections will take place in Lithuania on 9th and 23rd October. The Seimas, the only chamber in parliament, comprises 141 members, elected every four years according to a mix voting method. The most recent poll forecast a win for the Social Democratic Party (LSP) of outgoing Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius with 17.2% of the vote ahead of the Farmers' and Greens Party (LVZS) 13.4%, the Homeland Union-Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), 10.7%, the Labor Party (DP), 6.6%; the Liberal Movement (LRLS) 6.3% and For Order and Justice (TT) 5.1%. The formation of a government coalition comprising three or four parties will be inevitable.

In partnership with the Egmont Institute and Eurodéfense France the Robert Schuman Foundation is organising a seminar in Brussels on 29th September called "Europe and Sovereignty: reality, limits and perspectives". Enrolment on-line.

On 14th September the Council approved the regulation regarding the European border and coastguard. This regulation extends the competences of the FRONTEX agency and improves work between this agency and the national agencies responsible for monitoring the borders.

According to a study published by the OECD on 13th September, the real GDP of the G20 remained stable at 0.7% in the second quarter of 2016.

On 16th September the 27 heads of State and government of the EU, except for the British, met in Bratislava for an informal summit that aimed to provide new impetus to the European project. They defined a "roadmap" with priorities dominated by the protection of the external borders, the fight to counter terrorism and the revival of European defence.

On 14th September Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission gave a speech on the State of the Union to the European Parliament calling for greater solidarity in order to rise to challenges such as youth employment, digital economy, security and defence and the protection of the borders.

On 13th September MEPs approved a resolution calling on the Polish government to settle the constitutional crisis which is affecting the country and to respect the three month time limit set by the Commission on 27th July.

On 12th September the Council officially took position over the EU's draft budget for 2017 recalling its priorities i.e. solving the migratory crisis and stimulating the European economy.

In its decisions C-165/14 and C-304/14 of 13th September, the Court of Justice deemed that EU law does not allow another Member State to automatically refuse the issue of a residence permit to a third country citizen if the latter has the exclusive guardianship of a minor citizen of a Member State. The Court deemed that a Member State could not automatically expulse a third country citizen simply on the grounds of his/her criminal record.

The European Court of Auditors published a report on 13th September on the support given by the EU to the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) via the pre-accession mechanism.

In the night of 15th and 16th September the European launcher Vega put five satellites into orbit from the Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen jointly sent a document on 11th September to the High Representative Federica Mogherini in which they set out proposals for the revival of the European Defence policy.

Romanian President Klaus Johannis hosted his French counterpart François Hollande to exchange views on an economic and university partnership.

On 12th September the European and External Relations Committee at the Scottish parliament published a report in which it indicates that access to the European Single Market must be the government's priority. If access were to be lost it examines the various options that would remain to the Scottish government

In their speech to the Riksdag on 13th September the King of Sweden, Carl XVI and his Prime Minister Stefan Löfven expressed the need to continue strong European cooperation.

On 14th September the IMF announced that it had completed its second review for the extended fund facility to Ukraine. The completion of this review heralds the disbursement of around 1$ billion.

According to a survey published by Eurostat on 13th September the number of people in work increased by 0.3% in the 28 Member States and by 0.4% in the euro zone in the second quarter of 2016 in comparison with the first quarter.

On 14th September Eurostat published its 2016 Regional Yearbook, which presents a wide range of regional statistics.

Until 9th January 2017 tribute will be paid to the German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch at the Bundeskunsthalle in Berlin via an exhibition, film screenings, performances and interactive activities.