On 17th January the European Commission adopted new measures on education and life-long training, in line with the Göteborg Summit of November 2017. Initiatives aim to improve European citizens' competence and digital skills, as well as to promote common values and knowledge by pupils of the functioning of the European Union.

On 18th January the European Commission put forward new rules to allow Member States greater flexibility to set VAT rates and to create a better quality tax environment to help SMEs prosper.

On 16th January MEPs voted to ban the use of electricity during fishing at European level. It means that measures can be taken that are adapted to regional needs of each maritime area.

On 18th January MEPs looked into the issue of children's rights during international disputes in terms of divorce. The resolution adopted notably aims to harmonise European legislation in response to the increase in international divorces and transborder kidnappings in the Union.

On 18th January the leaders of the political groups of the European Parliament gave the greenlight for the introduction of a special committee responsible for assessing the procedure for the authorisation of pesticides in the Union. Its 30 members appointed for 9 months will assess the potential failures and conflicts of interest, notably regarding the dangers of glyphosate. The decision will be officially taken during the plenary session in February.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar spoke to the European Parliament on 17th January. He presented his vision of the future of Europe to MEPs in which he called for greater democracy in the Union notably via transnational voting lists as well as the completion of Economic and Customs Union.

On 22nd January, for the first Eurogroup Meeting under the presidency of Mario Centeno the Council welcomed the progress made by Greece in terms of reforms undertaken. Regarding the reform of the euro zone, the Eurogroup has indicated that it support the project for banking union and the revision of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian co-chaired the 14th meeting of Ministers of the 5 +5 Dialogue on the Western Mediterranean with his Algerian counterpart, Abdelkader Messahel. They worked on answers to be given to development problems (economic, social and sustainable), migration and youth, not forgetting the challenges given the situation in Libya.

During the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 22nd January a new strategy for Iraq was adopted with the aim of protecting ethnic diversity and the establishment of a stable government. Moreover an association agreement with Chile aiming to modernise the one in force was published in order to deepen EU-Chile relations.

During the SPD Congress on 21st January 362 delegates voted for coalition negotiations, 279 voted against and one person abstained. With 56% of the vote in support the SPD therefore enters into coalition negotiations with the CDU-CSU.

In a report published on 18th January, the anti-corruption body of the Council of Europe (GRECO) concluded that Romania had made very little progress in terms of implementing its recommendations aiming to prevent and combat corruption involving MPs, judges and prosecutors. GRECO stresses that Romania had only fully complied with two of the 13 recommendations featuring in a global assessment report published in 2016. Seven recommendations have not been implemented and four have only been so in part.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with British Prime Minister Theresa May at Sandhurst on 18th January for the 35th Franco-British Summit. This celebration of the "entente cordiale" concluded with the signature of a new agreement - to complement the Touquet Agreements of 2004 - on the control of immigration. The UK has therefore committed to contributing an additional 50.5 million € for the control of the border in Calais. Moreover the British army will provide - in terms of defence - logistic support to the Barkhane operation in the Sahel.

According to Eurostat on 17th January the EU's annual inflation rate lay at 1.7% in December 2017, against 1.8% in November and that of the euro zone lay at 1.4% in December 2017 against 1.5% in November.

The report published on 19th January by the European Commission and the European External Action Service shows that trade agreements foster human rights, encourage good governance and strengthen the principles of sustainable development.

On 19th January MEP Jean Arthuis (ALDE, FR) handed in his report on the means to develop European apprentice mobility to the French Minister for Employment, Muriel Pénicaud, who was tasked to look into this last July. The report makes 16 proposals.

"How to reconcile risk sharing and market discipline? - a constructive proposal to reform the euro zone" - is the title of the report published on 17th January and written by both French and German economists. They put forward six reforms, that aim to strengthen the political and financial stability of monetary union and to increase the euro zone's economic prosperity.

The CBI, Carolyn Fairbairn advocated on 22nd January for the upkeep of a customs union with the EU after the Brexit, which in her opinion would be the best solution for British businesses.

From 27th January to 3rd June the Condé Museum in Chantilly is showing the work of Rembrandt. 21 etchings will be on show alongside some drawings. This is an exceptional event because these works have never been shown to the public before.

From 26th to 28th January the 25th Masquerade Festival of Pernik (near Sofia) is taking place - it is a Bulgarian tradition in honour of the god Dionysos. According to legend the wild dancing in the streets of Pernik drives out the bad spirits. It is the biggest cultural event in the region.

Until 13th February the Symphonic Orchestra Capella Cracoviensis is playing in the old town of Krakow. Concerts are given in historic buildings notably churches.