After the UNESCO, the UN's Committee for Human Rights ... does D. Trump now want to leave NATO? Are his increasingly virulent criticism of the European Union and his rejection of multilateral organisations compatible for him with the USA's upkeep in the Atlantic Alliance? This is the question asked and developed by Jean-Dominique Giuliani.

On 2nd July the European Commission launched an infringement procedure addressing a letter to Poland warning it about the Polish law regarding the Supreme Court which is against the principle of the independence of the judges.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke to the European Parliament which met in plenary on 4th July to defend his controversial reform of the legal system, whilst his country is now under the infringement procedure launched by the European Commission on Monday 2nd July.

Whilst Austria has just taken over six-monthly presidency of the Council, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz presented the working programme for the second semester of 2018 to MEPs on 3rd July in Strasbourg. Amongst the priorities features protecting the Union's external borders, competitiveness, European high technology, and the continuation of an active neighbourhood policy based on the integration of the Western Balkan States in the long term.

On 3rd July the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) made some recommendations to the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, occupied at present by Austria for 6 months. The IOM focused on three points: the management of identity and borders with Africa, the Multi-annual Financial Framework and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, Regular Migration (the adoption of which is programmed for the end of 2018).

The head of Iranian diplomacy, Mohammed Javad Zarif and his French, British, German, Russian and Chinese counterparts, as well as the Union's High Representative met on 6th July in Vienna in a bid to save the nuclear agreement with Iran in response to the American withdrawal. The signatories maintained their commitment to the agreement of 2015 or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and said they wanted to continue negotiations.

According to a report on the state of water published on 4th July by the European Environment Agency, most European waters do not always meet the requirements set by the EU in terms of "good water". In spite of the progress achieved in terms of the environmental quality of lakes, rivers and coastal waters and underground waters in Europe, pollution and structures such as dams and over use are still a major threat to long term environmental health.

On 5th July German Chancellor Angela Merkel came to a political agreement with the CSU and the SPD regarding the migratory issue. There will be no unilateral action by Germany regarding deportation, no any kind of camp established on German soil. Instead of these "transit zone" and in application of the Dublin III rules asylum seekers will be processed faster in police centers.

On 2nd July Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met his Portuguese counterpart in Lisbon. Discussions notably focused on migration, the need for a "fiscal pillar" for the euro zone, the multiannual financial framework and the energy connections in the Iberian peninsula. He announced that a summit bringing together Spain, Portugal, France, as well as the European Commission, would be taking place in Lisbon on 27th July next.

From 2nd to 4th July French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to Mauritania where he took part in the 31st Congress of the African Union and then he went on to Nigeria. He held talks about the fight to counter terrorism, the continent's development and the challenge of migration, today and in the years to come. In his opinion this issue is "demographic above all things" and linked "firstly to a failing security situation."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on 5th July. Exchanging views of the migratory issue, the Chancellor pointed to Hungary's failure to honour the Dublin Agreements, criticised its lack of humanity, whilst the Hungarian Prime Minister recalled that he wanted to keep his borders closed.

On 5th July the OECD published a report on the economic reforms in Lithuania, whereby those undertaken have boosted growth even though "work remains to be done to improve productivity." The report also points to several problems such as unequal wages, the ageing population and mass emigration (notably of young people). On the same day Lithuania officially became the 36th member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, after a process that has lasted nearly three years.

The extremely contested reform of the Polish judiciary entered into force on Wednesday 4th July. Amongst the measures retained, one sets the age of retirement at 65 instead of 70, thereby pushing one third of the Polish judges in office now into early retirement. The President of the Supreme Court Malgorzata Gersdorf refused to resign, whilst several thousand people demonstrated against this reform on 5th July in Warsaw. Lech Walesa, former Polish President and Nobel Peace Prize winner provided his support to the demonstrators.

On 4th July the Romanian Parliament adopted a controversial relaxation of the criminal code. It partially decriminalises the abuse of power that will only be punished if a civil-servant makes an "undue gain for himself or for a member of the family" and not for a third party or an entity. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis criticised this vote and announced that he would be turning to the Constitutional Court. It is one of many reforms made to the Romanian legal system since 2016, whilst the leader of the SPD, Liviu Dragnea was given a two-year suspended sentence in 2016 and 3 and a half years on 21st June last for corruption offences.

British Prime Minister Theresa May met Chancellor Angela Merkel on 5th July in Berlin - the latter insisted on the need to respect the timetable for the Brexit negotiations, which plan for a final agreement in October. Theresa May presented her options for maintaining the Irish border open.

On 5th July the Macedonian Parliament again ratified the agreement concluded mid-June with Greece to rename the country the "Republic of North Macedonia". The second vote follows the refusal of the Macedonian President Gjorgje Ivanov to sign the text on 26th June last. A referendum is planned at the end of September.

On 5th July the EU announced that it was freezing its financial assistance to Moldova following the Moldovan Supreme Court's decision to annul the election of the anti-corruption candidate Andrei Nastase as head of the town council of Chisinau on 25th June. Mr Nastase won 52.08% of the vote against Ion Ceban, who acknowledged his defeat. According to the High Representative, Federica Mogherini, the Court's decision was not transparent and deprives the citizens of Chisinau of a democratically elected Mayor. MEPs adopted a resolution on this issue on the same day.

On 4th July the WTO published its 19th report on the follow up to trade measures implemented by the G20, for the period ranging from mid-October 2017 to mid-May 2018. The document indicates that 39 new trade barriers have been introduced by the countries, i.e. nearly double that recorded in the previous period. According to WTO Director Roberto Azevedo, the conclusions of the report are "really worrying".

On 3rd July the OECD and the FAO published their joint Agricultural Outlook for the period 2018-2027. The report forecasts a continued increase in world production, together with a slowing in demand growth. The report anticipates a "decline" in Western Europe's share in world production but an upkeep of "productivity and high yields."

According to figures published by Eurostat on 2nd July the unemployment rate adjusted to seasonal variations lay at 7% in May 2018 in the EU and at 8.4% in the euro zone. These are the lowest rates recorded since December and August 2008.

From 12th to 14th July the Mad Cool Festival is taking place brining European pop and rock together on its programme. This festival is taking place in Madrid's historic centre.