On 15th February last, the President of the Spanish Government (Prime Minister), Pedro Sanchez, (Socialist Workers' Party, PSOE) announced a snap election fifteen months before the planned date. This decision follows the rejection of the budget by the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of Parliament (Cortes Generales). According to the most recent poll undertaken between 24th and 27th March by Demoscopia for OK Diario, the PSOE is due to come out ahead in the election on 28th April with 27.7% of the vote. The People's Party is due to win 21% of the vote, Ciudadanos (C's), Alberto Rivera's centrist party, is due to win 16.9% of the vote; Podemos 13.4% of the vote and Vox, a populist far right party led by Santiago Abascal, 11.2%.

The Parliament, Commission and Council came to a provisional agreement on 26th March on the amendment of the road safety regulation. As of 2022 new safety technologies and user protection will become obligatory in European vehicles including systems to reduce dangerous blindspots or to warn drivers in the event of sleepiness. The Commission believes that these measures will help save 25,000 lives by 2038 and bring the EU closer to its goal of reducing the number of road victims ('Zero Vision').

On 26th March the European Parliament adopted in plenary the directive on copyright, 348 votes against 274 and 36 abstentions. The new rules notably aim to enable better remuneration agreements when works are published on on-line platforms, which will be responsible for online content. The directive aims to protect the freedom of expression by excluding certain cases from its field of application: extracts of topical articles, the use of works for criticism or parody, online non-commercial encyclopedias and free software platforms.

On 27th March MEPs approved the draft directive banning single use plastic products by 2021. The Member States will have to reach a 90% collection goal on plastic bottles by 2029 and the latter will have to be made of at least 25% recycled content by 2025 and 30% by 2030. The text, which still has to be approved by the Council also provides greater implementation of the "polluter pays principle" regarding tobacco and fishing equipment.

MEPs adopted the draft regulation on 27th March on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions emanating from cars and vans by 2030. With 521 votes in support, 63 against and 34 abstentions - MEPs raised the reduction goal (37.5%) in comparison with that suggested by the Commission (30%). This concerns all new vehicles; manufacturers whose average emissions are above the set limits will have to pay a bonus on the excess emissions. Road transport is responsible for around 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union.

On 27th March MEPs adopted new rules regarding funds that aim to strengthen the economic, social and territorial cohesion policy covering the period 2021-2027. These rules will apply everywhere, notably in the less developed communities, urban and outermost regions. MEPs decided to use a major share of the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) for smart growth and the green economy. The next Parliament and Council should see the start of negotiations over the financing of the future regional and cohesion policy this autumn.

On 28th March MEPs approved the directive on the distribution of TV and radio programmes, which aims to simplify the distribution and cross-border broadcast of these programmes. The aim of these new rules is to enable distributors to broadcast their programmes outside of their country of origin whilst guaranteeing a fair remuneration for authors and content creators. The directive now has to be formally adopted by the Council.

On 28th March MEPs voted in support of a regulation to triple the Erasmus+ budget for the period 2021-2027 (45 billion € against 15 billion from 2014 to 2020). This increase aims to raise the number of participants and to adapt the programme to the underprivileged. MEPs also hope to diversify Erasmus+ activities to extend these to vocational training. In May 2018 the Commission had suggested doubling the budget. The final text is due to be the focus of negotiations and an agreement with the Council during the next legislature.

MEPs adopted four directives and regulations on 26th March aiming to create a European market for cleaner, cheaper electricity. One of the main goals is to increase the cross-border trade of electricity, notably for energy produced from renewable sources. New, stricter limits will also apply to the Member States who subsidise coal-fired power stations, to prevent the most pollutant of them from receiving State aid. The Member States will be obliged to protect European citizens in the event of a blackout, via the elaboration of national risk assessment plans.

The representatives of the Member States confirmed on 27th March the agreement found on 20th March between the Council and Parliament on InvestEU, a programme that provides for the regrouping of all financial instruments aiming to support investment in the EU. InvestEU copies the Juncker Plan model for investment and will use the European Investment Bank for its main partner. Negotiations with Parliament are now going to start to finalis the agreement. The InvestEU will for its part be assessed separately, as part of the next EU multi-annual financial framework.

Parliament and the Council came to a provisional agreement on 28th March on the strengthening of the European Border and Coast Guard (Frontex). They agreed on the creation of a new permanent corps which will support the Member States in terms of border control. After a first deployment of 5000 agents in 2021, the new corps would become fully operational by 2027, with 10,000 agents. The cooperation of the Agency with third countries would also be stepped up to support return procedures. This provisional agreement now has to be approved by all of the MEPs and the Council before entering into force.

During an informal meeting on 26th and 27th March in Bucharest Transport Ministers stressed the importance of developing a global approach to multi-modal transport and the integration of the reduction of emissions into European and international policies. They suggested several measures to decarbonise transport, such as the promotion of alternative fuel and digitisation. Questions related to road safety, notably the quality of infrastructures and material and technical conditions of vehicles were also addressed.

On 29th March the Council extended the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia mandate until 30th September, whose mission it is to dismantle the economic model of smugglers and human traffickers in the southern part of the Central Mediterranean. The Council suspended the operation's maritime chapter for the duration of the extension. The mission will continue to undertake its mandate by stepping up surveillance of the Mediterranean by air and by strengthening the training and support given to the Libyan navy and coastguards during operations at sea.

On 31st March three new members of government were appointed: Amélie de Montchalin, MP will replace Nathalie Loiseau as Secretary of State to Minister of Europe, and Foreign Affairs, responsible for European Affairs; Sibeth Ndiaye will now be Secretary of State to the Prime Minister and the government's spokesperson; Cédric O, Secretary of State to the Economy and Finance Minister for public accounts and the digital economy.

On 28th March Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced that a referendum would take place on 26th May on the reforms undertaken by the government to the judicial system, which are undermining the system's independence, notably via the lightening of the criminal record of certain MPs in the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in office at present. In order for the referendum result to be valid, participation will have to total 30% of the electoral body.

On 1st April British MPs rejected four alternative withdrawal agreement motions of the UK from the EU negotiated by British Prime Minister Theresa May. Three votes were missing from the motion suggesting the upkeep of the country in the European customs union (273 MPs voted in support, 276 against). The rejected proposals might be merged to be submitted again on 3rd April. On 2nd April the Union's negotiator in chief, Michel Barnier warned that a no-deal withdrawal was "becoming increasingly likely day by day".

The Council of Europe's Cultural Routes Programme is the 2019 winner of the European Carlos V Prize, which rewards contributions that enhance Europe's cultural and historical values. It is the first time that a European programme has won this prize awarded each year on the 9th May on the occasion of Europe Day. The Cultural Routes Programme, launched by the Council of Europe 1987, uses paths or cultural entities to illustrate European cultural heritage, in areas ranging from art to architecture, via music, literature and landscape.

On 29th March the Commission presented an assessment of European legal migration legislation as part of the Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT). It deems that European rules are adapted to their goals and that citizens of third countries benefit from harmonised procedures and laws in the European Union. Communication and information work regarding legal migration procedures are still necessary however, notably to attract qualified workers.

From 5th April to 12th August the Berlinische Galerie in Berlin together with the Städel Museum is hosting 58 works of art by German Lotte Laserstein. The exhibition covers the artists Berlin and Swedish period, between Impressionism and Expressionism, in which we find many portraits and urban landscapes dating from the 1920's and 30's

Until 21st July the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium is dedicating an exhibition to Belgian artist Wim Delvoye, known for his taste in technological experimentation and his variety of productions. The exhibition is offering visitors a retrospective and new works that have not as yet been seen by the public.

From 6th April to 11th August the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam is showing the work of Maria Lassnig (1919-2014) in the exhibition "Ways of Being". The 200 works on show describe the feelings of the Austrian artists in her relations with the world.

Until 21st July the Orsay Museum in Paris is running an exhibition "the Black Model from Géricault to Matisse" which focuses on aesthetic, political and social problems revealed by the representation of black figures in visual arts, from the abolition of slavery to modern times.

On the occasion of the 500 anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome are running an exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci. Science before Science" until 30th June. It focuses on Leonardo da Vinci's scientific work and his links with his peers.