In his editorial the appointment of the future leaders of the common institutions has taken plan in a more than honourable manner deems the Foundation's Chairman Jean-Dominique Giuliani. When their posts are confirmed, Ursula von der Leyen as head of the Commission, Christine Lagarde to lead the European Central Bank, these women will embody the perfection of Europe in the international arena.

The party New Democracy won the absolute majority in Parliament (Vouli) during the general election on 7th July. With 39.85% of the vote and 158 seats out of 300, it drew ahead of the radical left coalition SYRIZA led by outgoing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras which won 31.53% of the vote and 86 seats. New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsitakis, will become Prime Minister. Turnout totalled 57.92%.

After the vote, and for a better understanding of the Union and what it does, the Foundation suggests you read the "Permanent Atlas of the European Union" a book that gives a complete overview of the Union, the euro zone and each of its Members States and their overseas territories. It is available in print version from the Foundation's website, in bookshops and in digital version. It is up-dated on a permanent basis.

On 2nd July Europe's leaders put forward the name of two women to lead two of the Union's main institutions: German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen for the Commission and Frenchwoman Christine Lagarde to head the European Central Bank. The present Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, was appointed to head the European Council. As for the post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, this post will go to the Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Borrell. The European Parliament will vote on the candidature of Ursula von der Leyen on 16th July. Regarding Christine Lagarde, the European Council is to consult with European Parliament and the ECB's Board of Councillors. Josep Borrell is to be confirmed after his audience with the Parliament.

On 3rd July the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker decided to transfer temporarily the portfolio of Andrus Ansip, Commissioner for the Digital Single Market and of Corina Cretu, Commissioner for regional policy over to the Vice-President of the Commission Maroš Šefčovič and to Commissioner Johannes Hahn. A. Ansip and C. Cretu have relinquished their mandate as Commissioner to that they take up their seats in the European Parliament. On 8th July the Council rejected the proposal made by J-C Juncker not to replace them before the end of the present Commission's mandate on 31st October. Estonia is proposing its former Minister for the Economy Kadri Simson to replace A. Ansip, and Romania former MEP Ioan Mircea Pașcu to replace C. Creţu.

On 3rd July MEPs elected David Sassoli (S&D, IT) President of the European Parliament for a two and a half year mandate until January 2022. He won 345 votes out of 667 cast in the second round. A member of the Italian Democratic Party and European Socialists and Democrats group, D. Sassoli has had a seat in Parliament since 2009. Parliament also elected 14 Vice-Presidents and 5 quaestors.

Meeting on 4th July European Competitiveness Ministers discussed research and innovation policies and the Horizon Europe Programme. They concluded that the European Research and Innovation Policy should be fully integrated into the European Growth Agenda. Ministers welcomed the appointment by the Commission on 4th July of the committees of the Horizon Europe missions. This programme will frame European research and will have a budget of 100 billion € over the period 2021-2027. Ministers also discussed the transition over to a carbon neutral economy ahead of the "Competitiveness Councils" of September and November 2019.

Severa leaders from countries of the EU and the Balkans, including the Polish President Andrzej Duda, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and the High Representative Federica Mogherini, took part in a summit on the Western Balkans on 5th July in Poznan, Poland to discuss enlargement and the neighbourhood policy with the countries of the region. The meeting that is part of the Berlin Process launched in 2014 aimed to reconcile the Balkan States and support the reform process.

On 4th July the European Court of Justice delivered a decision enabling the ban by a Member State of the broadcast of content inciting hate. The case opposed the Baltic Media Alliance (BMA), a British company and the Lithuanian Radio and TV Commission, regarding the broadcast by the channel NTV Mir Lithuania. The LRTK deemed that this channel was broadcasting information inciting hostility and hate and asked the BMA to stop the broadcast. The ECJ deemed that a Member State could oblige the temporary ban on a TV channel from another Member State, on the grounds of public order such as the fight to counter incitement to hate.

On 4th July Croatia announced that it was starting the procedure to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II), then finally the euro zone. A letter of intent, signed by Finance Minister Zdravko Maric and the governor of the Croatian National Bank, was sent to the euro zone countries as well as to the European institutions, in which the plan of reform in particular is set out which is to be undertaken by Croatia to strengthen its economy and to reduce its macro-economic imbalances. The progress made by Croatia will be assessed by the ECB and the Commission in the year following its formal bid to join the euro area. Croatia hopes to integrate the ERM II in 2020 and to join the euro zone in 2023.

The college of European commissioners travelled to Helsinki on 5th July for the launch of the Finnish Presidency of the Council which started on 1st July and end on 31st December. The President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker met the President of the Republic, Sauli Niinistö, Prime Minister Antti Rinne and the leader of Parliament Matti Vanhanen. He insisted on the importance of cooperation between European players, notably to achieve an agreement over the multi-annual financial framework 2021-2027.

The President of the Italian Council Giuseppe Conte hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Rome on 5th July. Relations between Russia and the EU, the situation in Syria, Ukraine and Libya were the focus of discussions. Mr Putin thanked Italy for its support toward the appeasement of relations between Russia and the USA.

Moldovan Prime Minister Maia Sandu was hosted by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk and the European Commissioner for the Neighbourhood, Johannes Hahn in Brussels on 3rd July. Since 8th June she has headed a coalition between the pro-European alliance ACUM, of which she is the leader and the Socialist Party deemed to be pro-Russian. At first contested by the Democratic Party led by Vlad Plahotniuc and the Constitutional Court, the coalition was acknowledged by the USA, Russia and the EU. Ms Sandu was asked to step up reform particularly regarding the independence of the judicial system and the fight to counter corruption.

In a joint report published on 3rd July the OECD and the WTO indicated that development aid to strengthen poor countries' trading capacities fosters the diversification of the economy and strengthens the trade capacities of developing States. Of the 88 developing States that took part in the study 47 declared that they had progressed in this direction.

According to figures published by Eurostat on 5th July the EU's balance of payments recorded a surplus of 40.5 billion € in the first quarter of 2019. It lay at 40.2 billion € in the first quarter of 2018.

On 4th July the Commission published its 2019 annual report on the development of employment and the social situation in Europe (ESDE). Devoted to sustainability, the report presents several means to support European growth and competitiveness whilst targeting a neutral economy for the climate. The transition to an economy like this could generate 1.2 million additional jobs by 2030, in addition to the 12 million new jobs already planned for this period. The report encourages European businesses to invest in the training of workers and to achieve quality working conditions to stimulate economic growth.

From 11th July to 5th January 2020 the Tate Modern, London is running an exhibition "Olafur Eliasson. In real life". The Icelandic-Danish contemporary artist tries to raise visitors' awareness of the world surrounding them and the experiences it holds.