On 3rd April the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Poland regarding the new disciplinary regime for judges. The Polish government has two months to respond the letter of formal notice. The Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, also warned Romania about its own reforms of the judicial system. At the same time the Commission launched a reflection process regarding the implementation of the rule of law in the Union. It has identified three priorities: greater promotion of the rule of law, prevention of risks and tailored response to counter shortfalls in the law and the provision of effective response in the event of infringements. In June it will publish its conclusions and proposals.

On 5th April the Commission concluded that BMW, Daimler and VW (Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche) impeded competition rules between 2006 and 2014 by agreeing to restrict competition in the area of technologies enabling the reduction of emissions from private new cars sold in the European Economic Area. The Commission's investigation is limited to the alleged infringement of the competition law and does not focus on any possible breaches of the environment legislation. The manufacturers will be able to respond in writing and ask to be interviewed, but if the Commission concludes that there is enough evidence to prove that the rules have been infringed, it will be able to set a fine that could total up to 10% of their global annual turnover.

On 4th April MEPs adopted an amendment to the gas market rules to extend them to all gas pipelines entering the EU from third countries. The aim is to create a more competitive European gas market, by guaranteeing that the ownership of gas pipelines entering the Union is discrete from gas supply ownership. Just like European gas pipelines, those from third countries should therefore become accessible to other operators. These new rules provide the Union with exclusive competence in terms of agreements regarding new gas pipelines with third countries. After the formal adoption of this amendment the Member States will have nine months to transpose the directive into their national legislation.

MEPs voted on 4th February in support of the modification of the Schengen border code to establish new limits and conditions on the temporary re-introduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area by the Member States. The text that was adopted stipulates that the initial period for border controls will decrease from six to two months and the maximum extension period will be brought down from two to one year. The vote ended Parliament's first reading; the Council for its part still has to vote.

On 4th April MEPs adopted a new regulation strengthening the security of ID papers and residence documents in the EU. All ID papers issued in the EU over the next two years will now have to comply with harmonised security standards. The proposal was already the focus of a provisional agreement with the Council and must now be formally adopted.

On 4th April MEPs adopted a directive on the balance between professional and private life. New rules regarding parental leave set minimal requirements across the entire EU: paid paternity leave of at least 10 working days for fathers or equivalent second parents, the right to two month's non-transferable paid parental leave. Working parents should also be able to ask to adapt their mode of work, via distance-working or flexi-hours. The specific needs of the parents of handicapped children must also now be taken into account as far as their mode of working is concerned.

On 5th April the European Parliament launched an interactive website giving past results and also present ones in the European elections which is available in all of the Union's official languages. The site will be updated on 26th May with the election results and the national distribution of seats, as the details are communicated by the national authorities.

The Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven debated the future of the European Union on 3rd April in Strasbourg with the Parliament. He maintained that the Union should strengthen the defence of its fundamental values. In his opinion the best means to defend these values is to protect democracy, learn from Brexit, establish a European pillar of social rights, cooperate in terms of migration and counter climate change.

On 6th April during an informal meeting in Bucharest, Economy and Finance Ministers addressed the issue of posted workers and their social and economic impact. Ministers then debated taxation in the Union and stressed the need to adopt a joint approach in this matter. Finally they worked on preparations for the G20 - which will take place in April - and the meetings of the IMF.

On 9th April the Union's negotiator in chief, Michel Barnier, presented ministers with the state of progress in terms of discussions over Brexit. On the eve of the extraordinary Council during which the heads of State and government will debate the request for an extension requested by the British Prime Minister Theresa May, ministers recalled their attachment to the withdrawal agreement that has already been negotiated. They also insisted on the need to continue preparations in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The European Union and the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) completed a second round of negotiations on 4th April in view of a new partnership. New cooperation pillars are due to be created for each region, adapted to the specific challenges of each partnership. The Cotonou Agreement governs relations at present between the EU and the ACP countries but will come to an end in 2020. The negotiations in view of a new partnership were launched in September 2018.

On 9th April the Foreign Affairs Ministers who met in Luxembourg spoke of the situation in Libya and called for a humanitarian truce. They expressed their opposition to the new penal code introduced in Brunei, which provides amongst other things lapidation as a punishment for homosexuality and adultery. Ministers also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and repeated their determination to see negotiations start as soon as possible. The tenth anniversary of the eastern partnership and the situation in Venezuela were also the focus of discussions.

On 5th April the European Parliament, the Member States, the European Commission and the European Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) organised an exercise to test the Member States' response and resilience capabilities in the event of a cyberattack that might affect the European elections. This test is part of the Action Plan to counter Disinformation, presented by the Commission in December 2018 the aim of which is to strengthen cooperation between Member States and the European institutions to respond as effectively as possible to the threats set by disinformation.

In a letter addressed to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, on 5th April, British Prime Minister Theresa May asked the EU to delay the UK's withdrawal until 30th June so that she can have as much time as possible to gain an agreement in the British Parliament. On 3rd April she met the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, and negotiations were initiated. On 5th April Donald Tusk suggested a 'flexible' delay of up to 12 months. The decision will be taken by the heads of State and government at the summit on 10th April.

According to a Council of Europe study that was published on 2nd April the imprisonment rate dropped by 6.6% in Europe between 2016 and 2018. However 8 countries still have "serious problems of prison overpopulation".

According to Eurostat figures published on 1st April the euro zone's annual inflation rate was down at 1.4% in March 2019 against 1.5% in February.

In the fourth quarter of 2018 the EU's current account recorded a surplus of 38.6 billion € against 36.2 billion in the third quarter of 2018, according to figures published by Eurostat on 5th April. The services balance recorded a surplus of 42.2 billion € against 47 billion in the third quarter of 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2018 the EU recorded current account surpluses with the USA, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Hong-Kong, India and Japan whilst there were deficits with China and Russia.

On 2nd April the EU, the UN for food and agriculture as well as the World Food Programme jointly published a report on food crises in 2019. This report notes that 113 million people in 53 countries suffered food insecurity in 2018, in comparison with 124 million in 2017. It also takes into account the impact of climate change and natural catastrophes on food security and advocates a united approach to these issues by the international community.

On 5th April the European Commission published its 2018 report on the rapid warning system regarding dangerous non-food products. According to this report, in 2018 the European warning system led to the flagging of more than 2,200 dangerous products, especially toys (31%), cars (19%) and clothes (10%). More than half of these products came from China.

From 13th to 28th April, the town of Aix-en-Provence is hosting the Easter Festival, a major event in the world of classical music which brings together 925 artists and 8 symphonic orchestras for around thirty concerts reproducing the works of major classical composers.

The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art is presenting the "Metamorphosis. Art in Europe now" until 16th June, in an exhibition which brings 21 artists from 16 countries together, a new generation of creators embodying the face of Europe.

From 12th April to 6th October, the exhibition "A Backward Glance" at the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao is devoted to the prints and paintings of Giorgio Morandi. From his Cubist works and the influence of the former masters of the 16th to the 18th century, the Italian artist embodies everyday art in quest of purity and sobriety.

The Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin together with Arte and the Beertz Filmproduktion brothers are running an exhibition until 30th June - an immersion of virtual reality in the famous, recently restored painting "At the Beach with the Monk" by Caspar David Friedrich.

From 13th to 22nd April the town of Baden-Baden is hosting the Philharmonic Orchestra of Berlin as part of the Easter Festival celebrating opera and classical music. A new version of Verdi's Othello is heading this year's list of events.