In view of the upcoming European elections, the Robert Schuman Foundation has published a new version of the "Permanent Atlas of the European Union" which offers a full overview of the Union, the euro zone, of each of the Member States and its overseas territories. This work allows each reader to consult the most recent and most objective political and statistical information at any time. It is available in digital and paper version from the Foundation's website and in a bookshop.

On 29th January the Commission published the first reports established by the signatories of the good practice code against disinformation. The Commission noted progress especially in the deletion of fake accounts from social networks, but it is asking for further measures to guarantee the total transparency of political adverts and to ensure good cooperation between these platforms and the Member States. The Commission stressed that action by internet companies was the most advanced and complete in comparison with the sector of advertising.

On 31st January just six months prior to beginning of the Finnish presidency of the Council, Prime Minister, Juha Sipilä delivered his vision of Europe to MEPs. He presented the issues that will be this presidency's priority: the multi-annual financial framework, a concerted policy on migration, defence cooperation, improving the single market, an eminent role of Europe in terms of fighting climate change and the adoption of new technologies.

On 30th January the Council approved the draft regulation that will facilitate the continuation of two cooperation programmes between the UK and Ireland, in all possible Brexit scenarios. These are the PEACE programme, which supports peace and reconciliation between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the INTERREG programme, which promotes economic and social cohesion. They will continued to be financed to the same amount until 2020, by the Union's budget on the basis of the present management. The act is due to be formally adopted mid-March by the Council and the Parliament.

On 31st January the Commission published the third report on the implementation of the Association Agreement with Georgia in 2018. The report stresses the implementation of a deep and comprehensive free-trade zone and its advantages for the Georgian population. It notes the progress made in terms of strengthening democratic institutions, notably during the presidential election. It stresses the modest, yet still limited progress made towards to the reform of the legal system. In 2018, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Russo-Georgian conflict, the EU repeated its support to Georgia's sovereignty and its territorial integrity.

The Advocate General of the Court of Justice, Yves Bot, gave his opinion on 29th January regarding Belgium's doubts about the dispute settlement mechanism between investors and the States provided by the EU-Canada free-trade agreement (CETA). The Advocate General concluded that this mechanism was compatible with Union law, that it did not damage the autonomy of the Union's law and that it did not affect the Court's exclusive jurisdiction in the final interpretation of the Union's law. In his opinion the agreement does not disregard the general principle of equal treatment with regard to the access to the dispute settlement mechanism and provides adequate procedural guarantees.

The European Chemicals Agency suggested an almost total restriction on the intentional use of microplastics in daily products on 30th January - these include cosmetics and fertilisers. This report is the first stage towards legislation that might be put forward in 2020. The restrictions mentioned by the Agency would lead to the reduction in the volume of microplastics that enter the environment by about 400,000 tonnes over the next 20 years.

The Charlemagne Prize 2019 was awarded on 29th January to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for his work based on common values and beliefs as defined by the EU, his defence of pluralism, tolerance, dialogue and more than anything else, peace, freedom and democracy. The prize giving ceremony which rewards "exceptional contribution to European unification," will take place in Aachen on 30th May.

The heads of State and government of seven Member States (France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal and Spain) met in Nicosia on 29th January for the 5th Summit of the Southern European Union countries, the MED 7. In a joint declaration they reasserted their commitment to a strong and prosperous Europe, whilst respecting common values. Emphasis was placed on greater cooperation in the quest to counter illegal migration, as well as on security, climate change and energy, reform and the strategic programme for 2019-2024. Leaders expressed their support to the UN's efforts to find a comprehensive, viable solution to the Cypriot problem.

After a slight deceleration in the third quarter of 2018, the Italian economy witnessed a slide in its GDP of 0.2% in the fourth quarter, according to figures published on 31st January. The President of the Council, Giuseppe Conte blamed this result on the world trend towards deceleration and to poorer results recorded in industrial and agricultural sectors.

By approving an amendment, 317 votes in support, 301 against, on 29th January British MPs gave the Prime Minister, Theresa May a mandate to renegotiate the UK's withdrawal from the EU by replacing the "backstop" on the Irish border with an unspecificed "alternative measure". MPs also voted against an exit from the EU without a deal and for the upkeep of the protection of workers rights after Brexit.

The NATO Council declared on 1st February that Russia was not respecting the intermediate-range nuclear force treaty (INF) as it has been developing and fielding a missile system, the 9M729. NATO has asked Russia to eliminate "in a verifiable way all of its 9M729 systems" within the next 6 months, and to return to total and verifiable compliance of the treaty. On 2nd February the USA announced their withdrawal from the treaty and Russia the suspension of its participation.

Following a meeting on the ways to respond to tax optimisation strategies which took place on 23rd and 24th January the OECD announced on 29th January an agreement of principle between 127 countries to draft new international tax rules by 2020 which would comprise the taxation of profits where they are made rather than in the countries where the HQ of the business is established.

According to data published by Eurostat on 31st January unemployment rates in the EU and the euro zone lay at 6.6% and 7.9% respectively in December 2018, stable in comparison with November 2018.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) rounded up the year 2018 on 29th January. It allocated more than 64 billion € to investments, totalling 230 billion € achieving its goal as part of the Juncker Plan. Nearly one third of these investments were destined for regions which were part of the cohesion and convergence goal. In all, the Juncker Plan was due to generate 375.5 billion € at the end of 2018. The EIB increased financing granted to counter global warming in 2018, bringing it up to around 30% of its volume of loans. It also invested as much as last year in innovation, i.e. 13.52 billion €. Loans to the exterior increased to reach 8.1 billion € in 2018, 1.6 billion € of which went to projects in Subsaharan Africa.

The 69th edition of the international cinema festival in Berlin, the Berlinale is taking place in the Germany capital from 7th to 17th February with French actor Juliette Binoche as Chair of the Jury.