The 28 heads of State and government called on 18th October for an agreement over the asylum rights regime and the strengthening of the work of border and coastguards. They said they wanted to step up cooperation with third countries to stop smugglers. In terms of security they asked the ministers to set out a specific sanctions regime against cyberattacks. They also confirmed that there would be an EU-Arab League Summit on 24th and 25th February 2019. As for the euro zone they hope to find an agreement over banking union and the European Stability Mechanism in (ESM) in December.

During the 12th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM) on 18th and 19th October European and Asian leaders stressed the importance of fulfilling the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and acknowledged that climate change was "a serious challenge". They renewed their commitments for the non-proliferation of chemical weapons and denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. They insisted on the importance of multilateralism in world governance. They discussed the opportunities provided by greater connectivity between the two continents. Their exchanges also focused on women's rights, access to education and migration.

The EU and South Korea reviewed their bilateral relations on 19th October, notably regarding the implementation of the free-trade agreement signed in 2011. They reasserted the importance of multi-lateralism and the reform of the WTO. They exchanged views regarding the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and looked into cooperation in terms of research and the fight to counter climate change.

The EU and ASEAN leaders (South East Asia) met on 19th October to discuss the deepening of their economic and political relations. They highlighted the importance of the multilateral system and the reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). They also exchanged views over the climate, security cooperation and their share values in terms of democracy and human rights.

On 19th October the EU and Singapore signed three agreements to take their political and trade relations forward. This involves a trade agreement, one for the protection of investments and another partnership and cooperation framework agreement in the economic and political areas. The trade agreement will enter into force in 2019 after the approval of the European Parliament, whilst the two others will follow a ratification procedure by the Member States.

On 22nd October the EU and Japan met in Tokyo for the 1st economic dialogue meeting. Both sides re-iterated their determination to enable the rapid entry into force of the EU-Japan economic partnership and to deploy their work to promote the completion of their respective internal procedures by the end of the year.

On 16th October European Commissioner, Mariva Gabriel put forward some detailed roadmaps that describe real measures to implement the codes of good practice to counter on-line disinformation.

On 19th October the Council gave the Commission permission to launch negotiations with the USA regarding the import of hormone free beef. The aim is to settle a dispute at the WTO, the solution of which was found in 2009 and revised in 2014, thereby creating a quota of American hormone free beef imports which no longer satisfies the USA.

On 16th October, European Affairs Ministers prepared the work of the European Council starting on 18th October pertaining to the reform of the asylum system, internal security and the partnership with Africa. They also discussed the procedure of the rule of law in Poland and asked the European Parliament to launch a similar procedure regarding Hungary. As 27 they assessed the progress made in terms of negotiations over Brexit with Michel Barnier and stressed the importance of being prepared for any possibility.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk held talks on 16th October with European social partners during the Tripartite Social Summit. They exchanged views over the potential of the digital revolution and new technologies. They debated the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the multi-annual financial framework 2021-2027 and the deepening of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).

On 20th October the BepiColombo mission for Mercury, a joint initiative by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Agency for Space Exploration (JAXA), took off on an Ariane 5 rocket from the space centre in Kourou. This is the first European mission to Mercury and its aim is collate scientific data to try and solve the planet's mysteries.

The annual inflation rate was 2.2% in the EU and 2.1% in the euro zone in September, National rates vary between 0.5% in Denmark and 4.7% in Romania. Inflation is being underpinned especially by increases in energy and service prices.

In the opinions published in conclusion of its plenary session on 18th October, the European Economic and Social Committee deemed that the Reform Support Programme (RSP) put forward by the Commission should be clarified and not run alongside retrospective payments, that provided less incentive for the Member States. The EESC noted that the European Investment Stabilisation Function (EISF) put forward by the Commission was a useful economic support tool when their was economic slowing but that it would not be enough since it does not replace economic stabilisers that are vital in rising to the challenges of in times of crisis.

The Kunsthalle of Karlsruhe is devoting an exhibition to French drawings dating from the 16th to 20th centuries. Works by Fragonard, Odilon Redon and Degas, amongst others can be seen by visitors until 13th January 2019.

The National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm re-opened its doors in October with paintings and sculptures on show alongside with applied arts and design that have come from unique national and international collections.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris is running two monographies until 14th January 2019, one of the painter and drawer of the Viennese Secession, Egon Schiele, and the other to the New York Afro-American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The 13th edition of the International Film Festival of Rome is taking place until 28th October. The Marcus-Aurelius is awarded to the best films, directors and actors from the world over during the celebrations.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Madrid is devoting an exhibition to the German painter of the first half of the 20th century, Max Beckman from 25th October 2018 to 27th January 2019. It provides the public with an opportunity to travel through German history of this period via the artist's life and works: from the First World War to exile as Nazism and censorship rose.