During an informal summit in Salzburg on 20th September the heads of State and government reasserted their priority "to prevent illegal migration" despite certain disagreements regarding the way to increase the means available to Frontex. A meeting between Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, together with the Egyptian President during the UN's General Assembly, a visit by the President of the African Union in Vienna and an EU-Arab League summit in February 2019 are planned to strengthen cooperation with African countries.

The Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager launched the preliminary investigation into "a possible abuse of dominant position" on the part of Amazon. The American on-line sales giant is suspected of using data provided by those selling on their platform abusively in order to better target consumer expectations.

On 18th September the Commission launched an investigation into possible collusion between Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen to avoid all competition in terms of technologies to reduce pollutant emissions. The EU has already inflicted heavy fines on businesses in this sector for practices like this.

After a year of the provisional implementation of the free-trade agreement between Canada and the EU, it emerges that Europe's export companies benefit most. European exports have increased by 7%. Imports have declined by 3%.

According to a study published on 21st September by the European Commission the EU's Member States lost nearly 150 billion € in VAT revenues (value added tax) in 2016. The Commission has called on the Member States to adopt reform to reduce VAT fraud as soon as possible.

On 18th September the Council extended the EUCAP Sahel Niger until September 2020. Created in 2012 on the request of the Nigerian government the mission, undertaken by around 100 people, aims to counter organised crime and terrorism. It comprises training and advising local and national authorities regarding security matters. Since 2016 the mission aims "to control and counter illegal migration." This aspect will be stepped up over the next two years. The budget has been revised upwards from 26.3 million € for the period 2016-201 to 63.4 million for 2018-2020.

On 18th September, the General Affairs Council met to discuss its doubts regarding the future relationship between the EU and UK. Michel Barnier declared that he was prepared to improve the proposal over the Irish border by the next Council in October. The sanction procedure covered by article 7 TEU against Poland for the infringement of the rule of law was also on the agenda.

On 19th September the Commission presented its new connectivity strategy between Europe and Asia that aims to develop cellular network infrastructures, internet and transport, notably railways, maritime and air routes. The Commission hopes to stimulate European financial investments in this region whose economy is expanding rapidly. The High Representative, Federica Mogherini stresses however that this project is not in competition with the "Silk Road" developed by China. It must now be discussed with the Council and the European Parliament.

A no-deal Brexit "would lead to major costs" for the British economy and it is therefore "vital" for London to come to agreement with Brussels on their future relationship deemed the IMF on 17th September in its annual report on the UK. The IMF is expecting growth to reach 1.5% in 2019 in the UK, but its forecasts are based on the achievement of an agreement with the EU by the end of the year and the introduction of a period of transition, says the organisation.

On 24th September the Commission took further steps to ensure that the UK makes customs duties fallen due, available to the European budget. It sent a Reasoned Opinion to the UK for the reimbursement of 2.7 billion €, accusing it of having fraudulously allowed the entry into Europe of Chinese products that were subject to insufficient tax rates. London has 2 months to respond.

The Council of Europe's anti-corruption body (GRECO) published a report on 18th September on the state of the anti-corruption policy undertaken by France. It deems that the policy is unsatisfactory and has called on the French authorities to make progress on certain points: the rules on conflicts of interest and gifts, and public access to member of parliaments' and senators' declarations of assets; the criteria for the award of honorary decorations and distinctions, and the commencement of disciplinary proceedings before the Judicial Service Commission with regard to judges and the Commission's investigative powers. France has to deliver a report illustrating the progress that it has made by 30th June 2019.

Sevilla is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of the painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618-1682). Three major exhibitions are devoted to this representative of Spain's Golden Century. The last exhibition that is open until 8th December is devoted to the relations the artist entertained with the Church: a Baroque painter during the Concile de Trente, he stood out notably as a hagiographer of the Sevillan saints. The town is also paying tribute to the music of his time with a wide programme of concerts.

The 28th International Festival of Photography and Visual Arts is running a photography exhibition on the theme of "beauty and consolation" until 28th October in Braga (Portugal). It is one of the oldest photography festivals in Europe.

Established by the European Commission and the Council of Europe in 2001, the European Day of Languages will be celebrated on 26th September with activities to promote linguistic diversity and to raise the public's awareness of the importance of learning languages and of protecting our linguistic heritage. This year the European Commission is organising an event entitled "Learning three languages at school: multilingual education and cultural expression" on 27th September at the Charlemagne Conference Centre in Brussels.

After a presentation in Vienna during the summer the exhibition "Beyond Klimt" is coming to BOZAR in Brussels and will be open to visitors until 20th January 2019. Using Klimt's death as a starting point - which reaches its centenary this year, the works show developments in art in Central Europe after the Great War, which was open to new networks and new influences.

Until 6th January 2019 the Albertina Museum of Vienna is devoting a vast retrospective to the painter Claude Monet. The exhibition especially aims to present the artist's approach to light notably by showing canvasses representing his garden in Giverny.