After the release of the first results in the Swedish general election on 9th September the blocks on the left and right are running neck and neck: 144 MPs for the left and 143 for the right. The Social Democrats of the outgoing Prime Minister came out ahead but with the worst score in their history - 28.4% of the vote and 101 seats. The Moderates Party (M), led by Ulf Kristersson won 19.8% of the vote and 70 seats. The populist party, the Democrats of Sweden achieved a lower score than forecast, with 17.6% and 62 seats. Hence votes of Swedes living abroad still have to be counted (250,000, 4% of the electorate), on 12th September to see who the real winner is. The two political blocks are almost on a level and so the formation of the next government will be difficult.

The EU's programme to distribution fruit, vegetables and milk to schools is starting again this year. It aims to encourage healthy food habits amongst children, hence to explain to them the importance of good nutrition and the way that food products are made.

On 4th September the Council settled its position regarding the new draft EU budget for 2019. Austrian Finance Minister, Hartwig Löger, will present the Council's position to the European Parliament during the September plenary session. MEPs will have until 24th October to amend it.

On 5th September in view of the next European elections, the leader of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber officially said he would be running as the lead candidate for his political family and therefore as candidate to the Presidency of the European Commission.

On 7th September in Brussels the Serb President Aleksander Vucic and his Kosovar counterpart Hashim Thaçi held talks and met separately with Federica Mogherini, to discuss a possible exchange of land that is intended to foster the accession of their countries to the EU. Fifteen days ago in Vienna they agreed to do everything they could to finalise a peace agreement by the spring of 2019.

The European Court of Auditors assessed the European student mobility programme Erasmus+. The opinion it gave on 6th September points to the added value gained for the participants countries. The Court deplores however that the application procedures and the establishment of the reports are still too complex. The report goes together with general proposals that target the improvement of the programme.

The German Council of Ministers adopted a draft bill on 5th September which governs the period of transition (29th March 2019 to the end of 2020) after the UK's exit from the European Union. During this period the UK and its inhabitants will be treated in the same way as a member of an EU country according to German federal law.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on 4th September. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations between their two countries, as well as the political situation in Ukraine. Sebastian Kurz also called on Russia to come back to the negotiating table.

In view of the upcoming euro zone summit in December French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and his Spanish counterpart Nadia Calvino met on Tuesday 4th September in Paris. They agreed on real proposals to reform the euro zone: the creation of a common unemployment insurance fund, a euro zone budget etc... The exchange of views also focused on present common challenges: digital taxation, harmonisation of the corporate tax base in Europe.

The French President Emmanuel Macron met the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte and Belgian Charles Michel. Discussions mainly focused on the migratory policy, the Brexit negotiations and the upcoming European agenda.

The court of Palermo confirmed on 7th September that an investigation involving Matteo Salvini was underway for the sequestration of nearly 140 migrants whom he refused disembarkation in Italy for over 10 days. At the same time the Italian judiciary allowed the seizure of more than 49 million € belonging to the Liga after the conviction of Mr Salvini's party for fraud by some of its former leaders.

On 5th September the Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis and his Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki met in Krynica, Poland to discuss issues related to transport and energy, the importance of geopolitical security and enhanced cooperation.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis in Berlin on 5th September. Talks focused on economic issues, Brexit and migration. On the latter point the two countries disagree over the distribution of refugees, but agree on the question of preventing illegal migration and the establishment of legal paths for this.

Pedro Sanchez, the President of the Spanish government hosted his Romanian counterpart Viorica Dancila on 6th September. Two Memorandums of Understanding were signed on this occasion: one provides for an exchange of knowledge in the area of defence and the training of civil servants, the other encourages the development of investments and trade between the two countries.

During hearing with the Committee responsible for Brexit at the House of Commons, Michel Barnier spoke out against some positions provided for in the British Whitepaper deeming that key elements on post-Brexit trade relations were "unacceptable".

Three weeks before the referendum on the agreement of the name of its country with Greece, planned for 30th September, Skopje hosted NATO's Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg on 5th and 6th September as he came to give his support to Macedonia's membership of NATO. On 6th, 7th and 8th September Luxembourg Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean Asselborn, then Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and finally German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited in that order and spoke in support of the agreement with Greece.

According to a report published on 6th September by the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the Cypriot authorities have only partly succeeded in complying with the recommendations regarding the prevention of corruption of members of Parliament, judges and prosecutors. Although some positive legislative procedures have been started such as the Code of Conduct for MPs and the creation of the Judicial Training Office, their implementation still has made effective.

According to an estimate published on 7th September by Eurostat, the GDP is up by 0.4% in the second quarter 2018 in comparison with the previous quarter, both in the EU and in the euro zone. This is 2.1% more in comparison with second quarter 2017.

Professional collectors and amateurs are gathering on 16th September under the glass dome of the Grand Palais for the 30th Biennale of Paris. Around 60 French and international antique galleries are represented and aim to improve the cohabitation of contemporary and ancient art, design, primary and decorative arts.